Attendees of an Aug. 10 meeting on the future of the Cortez Cultural Center made one thing very clear to board members: They do not want to see the iconic building at 25 Market St. sold.
The goal of the meeting was to present the center’s current situation to the public and solicit feedback on how to move forward.
At the end of the 2½ hour discussion, no concrete solution was in sight, but loose plans were made about future public meetings and collaboration with other businesses and non-profits for ideas.
Duncan Rose, board treasurer, confirmed that the organization has about six months to make a decision before the nonprofit is in a position where it must act but it is hoping to reach a decision in 90 days.
Rose reiterated that a serious change in direction is necessary to clot the $2,000 per month that the center is losing at its current level of programming, staff levels and overhead costs of running a building.
“At a lost of about $2,000 a month at our current level, we have about six months to do something. We have another reserve of about $20,000 that would carry the building for another year,” said Rose.
However, they contend that one of the most promising routes to rise above the center’s anemic finances, is to start anew by selling the historic building and plaza, and narrow the focus of its programming to ecology and environmental studies.
The refocused and niche-based programming would center on its other physical asset, 122-acre Hawkins Preserve.
After the presentation from board members on the center’s finances, meeting attendees were concerned about the organization losing its core identity and mission by starting from scratch with an entirely different focus.
“It’s just not making sense it me. I don’t see the Cultural Center’s identity being Hawkins,” said one meeting attendee. “I personally find the building and plaza a core part of Cortez.”
The center’s focus for over two decades has been arts, archaeology and culture, and to abandon that entirely and start a new direction seems even more unstable, some contended.
“When you a lose a place, you lose an identity. I think Hawkins is a wonderful asset, but once the building is gone, it’s going to be almost impossible for you to find another space to accommodate you,” said Mayor Karen Sheek. “I remember you having musical programs in the plaza that had a wonderful turnout that are certainly worth the price of a movie ticket.”
The center’s board of directors has cited a severe drop in attendance for programming – much of which was revamped in 2013 after the last major fiscal crisis – as well as an increased level of competition in the arts and culture market.
Sheek, and others implored the possibility that the center charge more money for some of the programming it offers or about renting out space to other artists or even establishing a cafe on the top floor that ties into the activity off of “Restaurant Row” on Main Street. But the age of the building and it’s lack of a sprinkler system, creates a myriad of code problems that makes those options unfeasible, said Bergman, board president.
“Could there perhaps be more collaboration with the Chamber or downtown businesses? When the big boxes came in, everyone thought downtown was dead. Now it’s an entertainment and arts center. You don’t need big boxes for that,” said attendee Dottie Wayt.
Board member Diane Cherbak noted in response that she and volunteers canvassed downtown seeking business memberships to support the center, and came back with nothing aside from non-monetary donations.
“We asked for business memberships and for the most part we’ve gotten zero,” said Cherbak.
