RTP-area local music and culture

[alex kostelnik <bd189 AT yahoo.com>]

Here's my reading of the final report of the Cultural
Master Plan:

We have many successful venues in the Triangle-
offering diverse and compelling cultural programming.

These Facilities overwhelmingly need maintenance AND
SUPPORT. They already work, and this is a turning
point where re-investment is critical.

There is overwhelming room to grow with our existing
structures.

If any new structures should be built, they need to be
SMALL and WELL DESIGNED.

Just one case:  The Carolina.  If it had a
state-of-the-art sound system and an acoustical
re-design, (John Koelle and I could offer that at
competitive rates) it would attract many more national
touring music acts.

Oh- and probably the roof should be repaired- it's
leaking all over the place.

Participants of the Cultural Master Plan meetings were
basically told the "Events Center" would be a done
deal.  Even with that decree handed down to them, the
report did not prioritize it.

Instead, the community AND THE CONSULTANTS recommended
support of existing structures and institutions.

This report is not remotely the shoe-in call for an
Events Center.

THe City should no longer be allowed to characterize
it that way.

The hard work of the citizens on this report is being
insulted and ignored.

-Alex Kostelnik
-----------------------

This is all verbatim from the Final Report.


Hayti Cultural Center

Hayti spaces include 350-seat Performance Hall,
Its Performance Hall is booked 20 days a year with
total attendance of 3,000

Carrboro Arts Center

The Earl Wynn Theatre is used 165 days a year(...)
They are in need, however, of additional classroom and
storage space.

Durham Arts Council

The PSI Theatre is a 200-seat thrust space with
fixed seating. 

The second performance space is the WTVD Theatre,
which seats 72 people

The Durham Arts Council building has a number of
improvement needs, which include pavilion
skylight replacement, pavilion ceiling plastering and
painting, water infiltration in the lower level
of the building, exterior stucco repairs and painting,
main level carpet replacement, upper level
subflooring, marley and carpet, interior painting and
wall covering, light board and sound board
for PSI Theatre, replacement of movable art panes in
CCB Gallery, installation of ADA
compliant door and window washing and exterior algae
removal.

Theatres

Manbites Dog Theater


The theatre has an annual use figure of 200 days a
year

Carolina Theater

The overall condition of the space is fair-to-good.
Fletcher Hall, Cinema 1 and Cinema 2’s
lighting is good to fair. The dimmer needs to be
replaced, as the control system is obsolete. A
phased replacement of instruments is also needed. Also
of note, Cinema’s 1 and 2 dimmers will
not integrate with any automation systems.
As specifically relevant to Fletcher Hall, its sound
system is adequate for PA only and requires
significant enhancements/upgrades/replacements for
concerts or musical production. As far as
cinema screenings in this hall, more amps are needed
to meet normal standards for sound
reproduction.
Cinema 1’s sound is in poor condition and replacement
of movie processor is needed…

The overall theatre complex building envelope is poor
to fair. While the structure is itself sound,
management said that there is significant roof leakage
and foundation, wall, and building
deterioration. The overall theatre complex HVAC is in
fair condition, though it needs an overall
system evaluation and replacement.

Educational Affiliated Facilities

North Carolina Central University Theatre

The theatre has a paid annual attendance of 3,500 and
a total attendance of 5,000.

Management reported that they would like to do
renovations in the not to distant future.


Durham School for the Arts/Weaver Auditorium

The condition of the facility varies. Some of the
building is fair to good; others poor to fair, with
nothing being in excellent condition. A new sound
system, estimated to cost $500,000, is needed.
New seats are needed and the fly system needs to be
renovated. More lights (including sides), are
needed and electrical work should be done for better
control of the lights. New carpeting is also
needed. Parking is a problem because the parking area
cannot hold more than 1,000 vehicles.

Museum of Life and Science

The overall condition of the facility is fair. Many of
the exhibits are in need of repair. Carpeting
needs to be replaced and some of the halls need to be
painted. 




        
                
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