STAFF REPORT
Operations Committee,
October 2, 2008
Cary Community Arts Center Design Approval
(PR09-12)
Consideration of approval of the design for
Cary Community Arts Center,
including integrated public art concepts
Speaker: Ms. Mary Henderson
From: Mary G. Henderson, Director, PRCR
Prepared by:
Mary G. Henderson, Director, PRCR
Approved by: William B. Coleman, Jr., Town Manager
Approved by: Benjamin T. Shivar, Assistant Town Manager
Background
In December of 2007, Town Council approved the program plan for Cary Community Arts Center. The design development phase is now being completed. The purpose of this staff report is to obtain approval of the design of the Cary Community Arts Center including the integrated art concepts, an important aspect of the design. Any specific direction from Council regarding either interior or exterior design elements is appropriate at this time.
The significant features of the approved plan include visual and performing arts classroom space on all three levels of the building, an expanded lobby with staircase connecting all floors, and a fully functioning theater with 399 fixed seats. In addition, Town Council approved a 5,000 sq. ft. addition to the theater increasing the overall facility size to 45,000 square feet. In June of 2008 Council approved staff’s recommendation to move forward without a skylight or a rooftop element (cupola).
Lobby
The interior design references and celebrates the history of the building as a school, while functionally providing for its new use as a community arts facility. Within the historic school building, a newly renovated two-story entry lobby with adequate gathering space and visual arts exhibit space will be created. The design for the lobby has the potential to be an artistic statement and artistic moment in and of itself. It is intended that upon entering the main doors, visitors experience that “wow” factor. Through sensitive and elegant design, the lobby will announce the fact that you have entered an art center. To achieve this, the lobby has expanded beyond its current parameters. This will not only allow for a more visually impressive space, but will also make the area during performances and related events more usable and more practical.
The overall design of the lobby will include a staircase as a major three dimensional element, linking all three floors of the Art Center. The staircase will include a glass “art wall” that will visually connect all three floors with color and artistic design. By opening the lobby to the second floor and introducing a stairway and art wall to connect the three levels of the building, this area provides the appropriately scaled gathering space for receptions, theater pre-function activities and intermissions, as well as daily visitors for classes and exhibitions.
The lobby will include a concession area. The concession wall is the main backdrop for the lobby as one first enters the facility and is therefore a critically important art moment that helps to create the lobby’s overall ambiance. While providing access to the concession area when appropriate, at all other times retractable doors remain closed to create a unified statement.
Each level of the building provides a mix of classroom, studio, office, and multi-purpose/rehearsal spaces while mixing the programming vertically through the facility. Toilet room facilities will be distributed throughout the building to provide convenient access to all program spaces. Beyond pure function the bathroom walls, stalls and floors will be designed to be lively, energetic, colorful and non-institutional. Two elevators provide accessibility to all floors.
Classrooms and Hallways
Eight classrooms will be available for a variety of performing and visual arts classes and additional space for ceramics programs and classes, as well as specialized costume and scene shop spaces that can also allow for expanded classes. In addition, the new multi-purpose space as well as an additional multi-purpose/rehearsal space on the upper level will also provide additional classroom opportunities.
The hallways have been designed to retain the traditional double-loaded corridor school plan familiar to anyone who attended school there. Movement through the hallways will be enhanced through visual elements with the ends of the corridors providing a visual interest. The draw on the east side of the building will be the gallery. The gallery door will be designed to provide another opportunity for enhancement. The draw on the west side is will be a niche that can hold a work of art or be an artwork itself.
The school lockers, which currently exist throughout the school, will be removed in most instances. In some locations the fronts may be preserved to retain the feel of the school and pay tribute to the original purpose of the building. In other places the space occupied by the lockers will provide additional display space, seating areas, storage inside the classrooms and other functional space for the building. On the upper level, where most of the classrooms are located some lockers may be used for their original function.
The conference room/library and the administration area on the second floor have the potential for structural glass walls on their lobby side. These walls would then become opportunities for the inclusion of artistic images through current technologies of laminated glass, ceramic frit, or sandblasting. The railings around the second floor opening have the potential for an artistic treatment depending upon the design.
Theatre
The theatre brings back to the building its auditorium and significantly improves it. The theater space will provide a professional-quality performance space with full fly tower to accommodate 399 fixed seats. The stage house will be fully functioning. The addition of a full fly-system will make maximum use of scenery and equipment. As outlined in the program plan, this will allow Town programs such as Applause! Cary Youth Theatre, to mount significant productions and allow community groups such as Cary Players to expand its programming. The theatre will also include acoustical treatments which will allow for uses by groups such as the Cary Town Band, the Triangle Wind Ensemble and smaller components of the Concert Singers of Cary. Appropriate loading facilities will allow for touring performances included in the Marvelous Music Series to perform in this space, as well as dance performances.
The seating capacity is proposed at 399 fixed seats with the opportunity to add temporary seating when the full stage thrust is not being used. In addition, the sight lines will be significantly improved, allowing all patrons unobstructed views of the stage. The original proscenium wood framing may be retained and used in the new space to pay tribute to its many years of service as a performance and gathering facility for generations of Cary citizens. The look of the windows will be retained but filled to allow for lighting control in all circumstances. It will be an attractive space for groups to rent as well for recitals, lectures and other functions.
The 5,000 sq. ft. addition to the west side of the existing auditorium will consist of two levels corresponding to the lower and main levels of the current building. The new addition will contain dressing rooms on the lower level and a multi-purpose/rehearsal space on the main level. This space will also allow for smaller meetings and gatherings. Additional storage will also be provided for stage equipment and musical instruments. A loading dock will be developed at the west of the stage which will provide accessible loading capabilities for the entire facility. Lastly, the new addition will enhance building connectivity by connecting the backstage of the theatre with the rest of the building.
Exterior
Given the importance of the façade to the historic character of the community, the renovation of the existing building will include the repair and selective restoration of the exterior historic façade of the building as viewed from Academy Street, Dry Avenue and Kildaire Farm Road. The building and site’s visual prominence as approached from Walnut and Academy Streets were noted. Exterior improvements will include:
· Repair and restore the historic façade including returning the columns to their original style and dimension.
· The addition of new handicapped accessibility from the front of the building will be provided while minimizing any visual intrusion on the historic façade. The added ramps to the east and the west of the front porch will provide required accessibility. In addition, these ramps have been designed to serve as both planters and seating areas and to blend in with the existing facade to be a seamless addition and not stand out from the historic façade. They serve not only to symbolically “welcome” the community, but also to enable more light to filter into the lower level classrooms. The ramps will be constructed of brick and concrete and could include imbedded or stained images in the pavement that reflect both the visual and performing arts. In the future, an artistic railing could replace a temporary more standard rail.
· The enlargement of the front porch by an additional 14 feet. This enlargement of the porch will provide additional public gathering and viewing space from the front doors of the Community Center. Extending the porch also allows the new ramps to be positioned well away from the lower level windows which allow maximum light into the lower level through existing window wells.
· The maintenance of open space to the north and east for outdoor programming and public use.
New Addition: The western side of the facility will be composed of the existing Old Cary Elementary School building to the North and a new addition of matching colored brick to the South. Between the two is a new elevator tower which matches the color of the existing mortar and stone accents of the school and acts as a transition from the original building to the new addition. Beyond the new addition can be seen the upper half of the new fly tower. The fly tower is composed of similar shades of the existing mortar and stone accent color and embraces an integrated art feature across the majority of its surface. Also at the south end of the addition is an ADA accessible ramp and set of gates that screen the new loading area that serves the renovated facility.
Fly Tower: The fly tower structure houses the stage and as such, provides for maximum use of scenery and equipment for performances. At its highest point above ground the fly tower is about 60 feet tall. It is 32 feet wide at the narrow side (facing east and west) and 65 feet wide on the long side (facing north and south). The Design Team considered the fly tower exterior design as an opportunity to announce the transformation of the historic school to a new arts center. Early in the schematic design phase, the artists pointed to the prominence of the fly tower as the most visible exterior opportunity to integrate art and architecture.
The eastern side of the facility will be composed of the existing Old Cary Elementary School building with a new larger stage and full fly tower above. The base of the fly tower is composed of brick that matches the existing building in color and detailing and wraps around the south end of the building to compose the lower half of the fly tower. The fly tower is composed of similar shades of color matching the existing mortar and stone accents of the existing school and embraces an integrated art feature across the majority of its surface.
While the lower section of the fly tower is “wrapped” with the existing brick exterior, tying it to the overall structure, the upper section will consist of a grid of textures and color integrated into pre-cast concrete panels. The grid will be raised, providing relief from the pre-cast panels. The design concept adds texture, color and pattern to the exterior facade that is most dramatic on the east side, a bit less dramatic to the south, and even further “stepped down” on the west and north. This design announces the new use of the building from a school to an arts facility and is intended to serve as a landmark feature for downtown. Clearscapes indicates that it is typical architectural practice to create a new visual appearance when making additions to a historic structure, so as not to confuse the old and the new.
While the concept of adding texture, pattern and color to the large expanse of the fly tower is recommended, the final application of the design continues to evolve. Staff and architects have met with the Planning Department to assure compliance with Downtown Design Guidelines which accommodate unique architecture and public art for significant public buildings. The Public Art Master Plan specifically recommends public art in the Downtown area as well as the integration of public art with architecture.
Plaza
The plaza links Cary Elementary to the downtown and is adjacent to the future streetscape improvements and, as such, acts as the front door into the Cary Community Arts Center. The project design team has coordinated design efforts with the Streetscape design team for a unified look. As the watershed theme represents an important element in the Streetscape Town Square design, a “flowing water metaphor” is considered for incorporation into the hardscape plaza as well. This water “source” would be the origin of the flowing water concept of the Town Square. This concept could be manifested through the hardscape design utilizing brick and/or colored tile in symbolic arrangements. Final determination will be made based on both construction cost and maintenance considerations.
The original historic brick piers located in front of Cary Elementary along Dry Avenue will be preserved. In addition, the flagpole and dedication plaque will also be preserved at their current location. The pavement for the plaza will be similar to the Town Square. While the pattern will be different, the same pavers, colors, etc, will be used. Also proposed for the plaza pavement will be the use of solar caps, or the equivalent of “solar bricks”. Similar in size as concrete pavers, they will absorb the sun’s energy during the day and will be lit at night providing walkway lighting within the pavement. These solar caps come in a variety of colors and the decision on which colors to use will be made in conjunction with the overall plaza pavement design.
Grounds and Parking
The effort has been made to preserve as much of the original grounds to the north and east of the Cary Elementary site as possible. This area will have new landscaping along the edges with an open area designed for potential outdoor programming or classes.
Several water detention devices will be required to be located onsite to handle stormwater runoff. One of the main devices will be located along the northeast corner of the site along Dry Avenue. This area of the site will be sensitively landscaped to limit views of the water detention device allowing views of the Community Arts Center.
Staff is continuing to work with Planning and Engineering to define the parking locations for the facility. All of the following opportunities will be needed in order to meet the parking requirements: 1) retaining and improving the existing parking lot on the west side of the building; 2) developing a joint agreement with Cary Elementary School for use as well as potentially increasing the number of spaces on the school property; 3) utilizing new parking developed with the Streetscape project; and, 4) building sufficiently-sized additional temporary parking on Town-owned property designated for future facility development. Prior to site plan approval, final parking solutions will have to be defined.
Public Input
Throughout the planning process for this project there has been considerable public input. Specifically, two Council-appointed boards, the Public Art Advisory Board and the PRCR Advisory Board, and one committee, the Cultural Arts Committee, have reviewed the project on an ongoing basis. Of these, the Cultural Arts Committee (CAC) has served as the steering committee for the project. The design concepts for the project were presented to the CAC at three meetings during the summer of 2008.
The Public Art Advisory Board (PAAB) has led the review of the public art concepts for the project. The PAAB reviewed the art concepts at two separate meetings, in June and August. The board accepted the concepts for the three targeted integrated art areas—the interior lobby, the plaza, and the exterior fly tower addition. On August 20, 2008 the PAAB voted unanimously to “continue with the design development of the Fly tower exterior”.
On August 27, 2008 a joint meeting was held between the PRCR Advisory Board and the CAC for final design recommendation. The CAC voted unanimously in support of the design concepts. The PRCR Advisory Board voted 5-3 in support of the design concepts. The dissenting votes were specifically related to the exterior fly tower design. The three dissenting members indicated that they were in agreement with all other design concepts. At the meeting, the slide presentation included examples of more detailed patterns, textures and colors for the exterior fly tower than is included in this staff report. While the presentation was intended to be illustrative of a concept, its specific color and pattern detail did elicit objectionable comments from the three members. The design team heard all comments and continues to revise and refine the design concept.
Next Steps
In terms of next steps, both the PAAB and the CAC will have final review meetings for the project in November. Following staff review and site plan recommendation anticipated in January 2009, the project will move forward for consideration by the Town Center Review Commission, the Planning and Zoning Board and finally Town Council on February 12, 2009.
It is currently anticipated that the project will be put out for bid in the spring of 2009. Completion date for the entire project is September 2010. Below is a listing of remaining milestone dates:
· November 2008 – Final Review by Cultural Arts Committee, Public Art Advisory Board
· January 2009 – Approval of site plan
· January 14, 2009 – Town Center Review Commission
· January 19, 2009 – Planning and Zoning Board Meeting
· January 30, 2009 – Construction Documents Submittal
· February 12, 2009 – Town Council Meeting
· March 2009 – Out to Bid
· May 2009 – Open Bids
· May to July 2009 – Contract Award
· July 2009 to August 2010 – Construction
· September 2010 – Grand Opening
Fiscal Impact: Per the Town Center Civic and Cultural Arts Study approved in July 2006, the renovated Cary Elementary facility is estimated to generate $980,000 in program revenues and $1.3 million in operating costs yielding net operating cost estimates of $320,000. The appropriated budget for the project is $17.1 million. The current projected costs are $16.8 million, including both design and construction but excluding off-street parking and equipment and furnishings.
Staff Recommendation: Staff seeks direction from Council regarding the design concept that incorporates texture, pattern and color to the exterior fly tower expansion and approval of all other design features and concepts of the Cary Community Arts Center as described.
