Summary: Both the New JACC and Centennial Hall projects would come with multi-million dollar price tags. Fundraisers for the New JACC requested $7.5 million in support from the city and MRV Architects found Centennial Hall work would cost about $18 million.
6:10 p.m.
The Juneau Arts & Humanities Council manages both the JACC and Centennial Hall. In light of that, Hale asked if it might be possible to have only one set of administrative offices.
“I think you could definitely consolidate that into a single space,” Voelckers said.
6 p.m.
Paul Voelckers, president and architect for MRV Architects, is now stepping the committee through a recent Centennial Hall needs assessment that produced a revamped version of the events venue that would cost $12.8 for construction and just shy of $18 million total for furnishing, designs, contingency and more.
He said renovating the existing hall makes more financial sense than razing and rebuilding.
“There is significant retained value,” Voelckers said. “You’re spending 40 percent of what you would spend to get equivalent brand new space.”
5:50 p.m.
Public support for the project would help induce funding from private donors, Botelho said.
He said so far the Partnership has raised about $5.5 million and hopes city support would take the project past its half-way goal of $26.4 million.
“No funder is going to go forward with this project if they don’t think it’s going to happen,” Botelho said.
Assembly member Rob Edwardson said $7.5 million seems like a fair investment given the income that the city derives from events held at the JACC, but he was curious about how long the building would last.
5:40 p.m.
Bruce Botelho, chair for the Partnership, is leading off the meeting by presenting a request from the city.
“We request that the Public Works & Facilities Committee recommend to the Assembly- through the Committee of the Whole- the adoption of an ordinance appropriating $7.5 million toward the construction of the arts and culture center,” Botelho wrote in a letter to committee chair Michelle Bonnet Hale.
He said that’s less than what has previously been requested, but is still about one-third of the planned project’s $26.4 million price tag.
Hale said near the meeting’s start that no action will be taken at tonight’s special meeting, but action may be taken at a July 1 meeting.
5:35 p.m.
The proposed New Juneau Arts & Culture Center and a Centennial Hall needs assessment are the focus of a special meeting tonight.
The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Public Works and Facilities Committee will hear a request from the nonprofit the Partnership, which exists to fundraise for the New JACC. Additionally, findings from a Centennial Hall needs assessment will be presented.
