Memo Arts Facility Project
. CITY OF HOPKINS
MEMORANDUM
DATE: January 26, 1995
TO: Mayor and City !n~
FROM: Tom Harmening, ommunity Development Director
SUBJECT: Arts Facility Project
1 Purpose of Discussion
The purpose of this item is to allow Staff to provide a status report on the Arts Facility
Project and allow the City Council to discuss future actions on the part ofthe City to
move forward on the project. Questions which the Council may wish to think about in
preparation for the meeting include:
A. Is the Council still interested in undertaking an Arts Facility Project?
. B. Assuming the answer to the above question is "yes," and in light of the fact the
City has signed a development agreement for the cinema/restaurant project, does
the Council wish to move forward at this time on planning for and undertaking the
project?
C. If the Council desires to move forward on the project, does the Council wish Staff
to work publicly and aggressively on the project? Or, for a given period of time,
does the Council wish Staff to work on a more relaxed basis, and behind the
scenes, on some of the primary project planning issues?
D. Assuming the Council desires Staff to undertake some level of activity on the
project, does the Council still consider the north Suburban Chevrolet site to be the
prime location for the facility, or should Staff look at other location options?
II. Background
As the City Council is aware, the Council passed a resolution (copy attached) which
indicated that one prerequisite to undertaking the Arts Facility Project was the
development of a private project on the Suburban Chevrolet site. By the result of this
action, Staff has worked on a very limited basis on the project; however, an Arts Facility
Steering Committee, made up of representatives from Child's Play Theater, Youth Ballet,
. Hopkins Area Arts Association, and the school district, has been meeting for
TH01265A
-----.. - .
Page 2
. approximately the last seven months to begin some of the formative planning necessary for
the project Please note that the membership of the Steering Committee clearly
understood that undertaking the Arts Facility Project was subject to the private project
proceeding. Also note that City Staff sat in on these meetings and provided input.
As a result of these meetings, the Arts Facility Steering Committee has been able to
develop a conceptual "program statement" regarding the elements which they would like
to see included in the facility. As a part of developing this program, the Steering
Committee worked with an architectural firm, on a pro bono basis, to develop a more
defined site layout and cost analysis, Through this process the following scenarios were
completed.
0 24,150 sq. ft. facility - $2.946 million
This scenario meets the very basic minimum needs of two of the major
tenants--Child's Play Theater and Youth Ballet Company. It is assumed that
money would be raised over a period of time to construct a second phase which
would accommodate the school district and Hopkins Area Arts Association.
0 35,067 sq. ft. facility - $3,831 million
This scenario incorporates the "Phase 2" aspect explained in the previous bullet It
. provides for space for all the proposed tenants of the facility.
Through this exercise, the Steering Committee has determined that it may be very difficult
to undertake an Arts Facility Project with a $3 million budget which meets the needs of
the potential tenants. However, based upon some recent work by the Arts Facility
Steering Committee, a new plan and cost estimate has been prepared which provide for a
project at the $3 million budget limit. Staff will be available to present this most recent
concept to the Council during the work session.
As the Council knows, Child's Play Theater has agreed to provide $350,000 to the project,
with Youth Ballet agreeing to provide $100,000. Both organizations have indicated they
have been able to raise about one-half of the funds which they have agreed to provide for
the project. It is their feeling that once the project becomes more definite, it will be much
easier for them to raise the necessary funds to meet their obligations.
.
THO 1265A
CITY OF HOPKINS
Hennepin County, Minnesota
. RESOLUTION NO: 93-95
RESOLUTION OUTLINING THE CITY OF HOPKINS POSITION ON THE
CONSTRUCTION OF A PERFORMING ARTS FACILITY
ON THE SUBURBAN CHEVROLET PROPERTY
WHEREAS, the city of Hopkins has spent approximately two years
analyzing the feasibility of constructing a performing arts facility
in Hopkins; and
WHEREAS I the City Council is interested in facilitating the
construction of a performing arts center due to the economic and
cultural benefits it will provide to the City of Hopkins; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has expressed an interest in
constructing a performing arts facility on the Suburban Chevrolet
property as part of an overall entertainment complex involving a movie
theater and restaurant; and
WHEREAS, the city has been approached by local performing arts
organizations which have expressed an interest in being tenants lD
said facility; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to express its position on the
construction of said performing arts facility.
e NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the city of
Hopkins as follows:
0 The city Council supports the construction of a 24,000
square foot multi-purpose performing arts facility on the
Suburban Chevrolet property with the understanding that the
facility will be constructed to allow for its expansion in
the future. Furthermore, the quality of construction of the
facility will be consistent with the provisions outlined in
the Vedi Report dated August 10, 1993.
0 The City of Hopkins commits $1.5 million towards the
construction of the performing arts facility with the
understanding that prospective users and, if necessary,
other donors will raise the necessary funds sufficient
to pay for the cost of the facility. The city of
Hopkins desires to work in cooperation with a local
arts board or similar group to achieve the construction
of the facility.
0 The City of Hopkins commitment towards the construction
of a multi-purpose performing arts center, as outlined
in this resolution, is subject to numerous issues being
resolved which include, but are not limited to,
securing financially stable tenants, financial
. feasibility, design, success of fund raising efforts,
and the construction of the other portions of the
overall entertainment complex.
- .-..
RESOLUTION NO: R93-95
. Adopted by the City Council of the City FZHopkins t~is 21st day of
September, 1993. '-, ~ \~ _ \ . ..~
~~~ ~~'0 '"..;:~~. J......~
Charles D. Redepenning, ~yor
ATTEST:
James A. Genellie, city Clerk
e
e