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Tuesday, March 7, 2006
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Arts center taking shape Deal not final, but Franklin school has already changed Staff Writer Frankly, it's an arts center already.
While Artspace, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit real estate development company, has yet to purchase the former Franklin School building, the Brainerd School District has nearly rented out all the available leased space to local artisans.
The former classrooms are quickly being transformed into photography and artist studios and woodworking shops as well as a pottery studio complete with a kiln.
Paul Bloom, the former Brainerd Community Education director who is managing the building on an interim basis, gave a tour of the facility to Brainerd School Board members and school administrators Monday.
Bloom said all but three of the available rooms are spoken for by prospective and current tenants. As of Monday, the district has rental commitments for about 36,000 square feet of rental space out of 38,590 square feet available. About 2,590 square feet is still available for rent, said Bloom.
"I think we're overall very pleased with the interest level," Bloom said of Franklin Arts Center.
Artspace, which has a purchase agreement with the district, needs to wait to purchase the property until it receives approval for about $2 million in tax credits through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. This $2 million allocation would be used to remodel a portion of classrooms at Franklin into 25 live-work spaces for artists, called the Franklin Lofts. This area of the building is not available for lease because Artspace developers intend to remodel this part of the building.
Bloom said Artspace was recently notified that it has received a substantial grant, about $875,000, for the project. But the largest piece of the revenue puzzle - the $2 million in tax credits - may not be known until after Artspace makes it second application to the state in June. Bloom said Artspace did reapply for the tax credits in February, but officials said they believed the project may not be awarded the tax credits during this funding cycle in April. Bloom said Artspace was more optimistic about receiving funding after the June application. In this case, Bloom said it would be likely that Artspace would purchase the building in November or December. It would take about a year after the building was purchased for the live-work spaces to be remodeled and ready for tenants to move in.
Bloom said the current and prospective tenants will bring in to the district about $180,000 annually in rental revenue, along with about $19,000 in auditorium rental revenue from The Journey North Church and theater group use, which will allow Franklin Arts Center to break even as the district waits to sell the building to Artspace. The building costs include heating, maintenance and staffing.
Once the district sells the building, it will pay about $40,000 annually to rent the auditorium, gyms, locker rooms and other space. Bloom said while the project is now "breaking even," it actually is saving the district money because it may use Franklin now without paying $40,000 for rental space.
Renters at Franklin are remodeling their leased spaces themselves. A group of six potters, including Bloom, are sharing a space for a potter's studio, or Earthen Fire Clayworks. The kiln used at the studio was purchased from the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center. Bloom is a former district art teacher who once taught at Franklin Junior High School.
The Journey North Church is renting about six rooms at the school for its offices, Sunday school classroom and church nursery, as well as using the auditorium for church services. The Crossing Arts Alliance has an office in the building, along with a gallery where artisans may sell their work. A coffee shop is proposed to be located in the former school office. The old nurse's office has been elegantly converted into a graphic design studio and artisans throughout the building are in the process of remodeling their spaces.
Board members spoke to a few of the renters in the building, who expressed enthusiasm for the project.
"That's the best part, the excitement of the people here," said Bloom.
"You can feel it," said board member Reed Campbell.
JODIE TWEED can be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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