The nonprofit that supports Burlington City Arts has closed on a $2.5 million purchase of 405 Pine Street, a building where the city organization currently offers classes and studio space.
The Burlington City Arts Foundation completed the deal on December 24, according to city records. The purchase was part of a $7 million capital campaign to make the space along the Pine Street corridor a permanent community center for the arts.
The plans call for an expansion of existing studio space for pottery, printmaking, painting and other arts, as well as classes for children and adults. The makeover would also include a large community room and a sculpture garden along Pine Street.
Another goal is “to protect long-term affordability for the arts” in the South End arts district’s competitive real estate market, said the organization’s director, Doreen Kraft. “We’re pretty excited.”
Burlington City Arts plans to keep its downtown location at 135 Church Street next to City Hall and continue to present exhibits, public programs and classes there.
BCA is a city department created nearly 40 years ago during mayor Bernie Sanders’ tenure. Taxpayers cover about 40 percent of its budget, and private donations and revenues cover the rest, according to Kraft. The organization pays for its programming at 405 Pine with money from the city’s general fund.
BCA plans to request $1 million in public funding from the city council for its 405 Pine capital campaign. The organization hopes to raise most of the rest from private donors, Kraft said.
The Burlington City Arts Foundation secured a $2 million loan for the deal, then transferred ownership to a holding company called the 405 Investment Corporation the same day the purchase closed. The Foundation will fundraise to pay back the loan, Kraft said.
The arrangement evolved as it did partly because BCA needed to act quickly last year when the owner of 405 Pine, Skip Farrell, indicated he wanted to sell the former bottling plant and vending machine warehouse, Kraft said.
“We had to go into overdrive,” she said.
For almost 20 years, the city arts organization offered studio space and classes in the city-owned Memorial Auditorium on Main Street. But when the city shut down the aging building in 2016 because of safety concerns, BCA had to find a new home.
That’s when it began leasing a 7,100-square-foot space at 405 Pine. Under the new arrangement, BCA will continue to rent the space but from the Burlington City Arts Foundation, Kraft said.
By migrating to Pine Street, BCA has signaled it’s given up on waiting for a renovation of Memorial Auditorium. The city has struggled to come up with funds and a viable plan to renovate the large, now-idle structure.
“There’s not even a plan out there that they are ready to take to the voters,” Kraft said.
Development company Redstone has signed a lease to rent half of the 33,000-square-foot building at 405 Pine Street. The firm has asked the city for a zoning change to use the space for a bowling alley.
“A bowling alley would complement the energy and creativity of the South End while providing an enjoyable outlet for families and workers in the district,” Redstone principal Larry Williams wrote to the Burlington Planning Commission.
In his November 6 letter, Williams argued that the bowling alley would help financially support BCA’s expansion and also fill an “unmet demand for bowling in the Burlington area” since the closure of Champlain Lanes in Shelburne last year.
The Planning Commission is weighing the request but has not acted.
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This is a great organization but nothing the City should be associated with. It’s beyond time for the City Council to fully spin-off Burlington City Arts as an independent non-profit and eliminate the taxpayer appropriation.
Clearly they have the resources (successful $7m capital campaign) to operate as an independent entity. Unfortunately most of us taxpayers do not have such an excess at our disposal.
Paco, I agree with your praise of City Arts, but disagree that it should not be part of city government. I think the arts are just as important to a vibrant and successful city as well-maintained roads, and other municipal services and departments.
Maybe BCA should get 20% instead of 40%. Especially since they supported the new City Hall park in order to drive out the homeless population. Also, there is bowling at Spare Time in Colchester. Ever heard of it?
From a supporter of the arts and an avid bowler I say “GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT WE NEED”.
BCA and a bowling alley next door is/would be wonderful for the south end. The only thing I request, please no Burlington prices. What would seem ideal for families could easily be rendered too expensive and like so much of Burlington and so many events around here, a playground for young professionals to get drunk.