HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-01-24 00-90 RESOLVEItem No.
Date: January2a, 2000
item/Subject Supporting the Location of the University of Maine Museum of Alt and
Comprehensive Arts and Outreach Center In the Freeses Building in
Downtown Bangor
Responsible Departmenh City Council
City Counal members and staff have been working closely with the University of Maine on its proposal to
establish a comprehensive arts and educational outreach center in the former Freeses department store.
During the past two years, murk of the 140,000 square feet of space in the Freeses building has been
transformed Into much needed housing for our older abeens. Space on the lower three Floors of the Main
Street section of the building remains vacant. We have given the community the opportunity to raise
funds to establish a state of the at children's museum in two thirds of the remaining space. It certainly
appears that W the generosity of our cozens continues, the children's museum will mon he a reality. The
City has been presented with another opportunity that would fully complete the successful renovation and
reuse of the Freeses bullding. This an be accomplished by locating the University of Maine
comprehensive arts and outreach center in the remainder of the vacant building space. Its focal point
would be the Museum of Art's 4,500 piece at collection valued at $6,000,000. Establishing this facility
would further enhance the economic viability of our downtown business district while providing significant
new educational opportunities to our citizens.
Much has occurred in our downtown m the past three years. Six buildings on Barnwood Street across
from the Courthouse are being successfully marooned for new use. Cadillac Mountain Sports has firmly,
established itself in the formerly vacant W.T. Grant building. Studies are underway for use of the
remainder of the building by the court system. The owners of the former Sears building have renovated
their property for reuse. Property values are slabdizing and will improve as vacant space is renovated to
accornmodate new uses. Our downtown area, which is representative of the commamty, as a whole,
continues to regain its former economic vitality. The establishmem of the University of Maine Museum
of Art in its center will continue this momentum at its crifical point. For (base reasons, passage of this
Resolve is recommended to demonstrate the City Council's commitment to fully support the location of
the University of Maw Museum of Arc and arts center in the Freeses building in downtown Bangor.
City Manager
Legal Approval:
City Solicitor
Introduced for
Passage
_ First Reading Page _ of
Referral
Aasi logia to councilor Rohm,
CITY OF BANGOR
January 26, 2000
RITLE.) Resolve, Supporting the Location of the University of Maine Museum of Art and
Comprehensive Alts and Outreach Center in the Freeses Building in
Downtown Bangor
By the Ol Comltil of b)e Cly of b&W..
RESOLVED
WHEREAS, the City of Bangor issued a request for proposals for use of space in the lower three
floors of the Main Street section of the former Freeses Department Stare building In downtown Bangor;
and
WHEREAS, proposals were received from Partnerships for Healthy Communities for a children's
museum and from the University of Maine for a comprehensive arts and educational outreach center;
and
WHEREAS, the City subsequently entered agreements W make space available to Partnerships
for Healthy Communities for the establishment of a children's musem in the freeses building; and
WHEREAS, one arts center would consist of studio and classrooms for instruction ant study, a
public gallery for the display of an works and the mounting of exhibitions, a gallery shop, and related
office space; and
WHET the space Immediately adjacent to the children's museum is an Ideal location for the
University of Maine Museum of Art's permanent collection composed of approximately 4,500 objects wth
a value of approrlmately $6,000,00(1; and
WHEREAS, the facility would be open W the public offering a comprehensive schedule of exhibits'
thereby enharving the economic viability of the Bangor Center Development District by attracting
thousands of visitors annually to the downtown business district; and
WHEREAS, the Umvemity of Maine through its College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Art,
and Museum of At would offer educational scholarships to Bangor students; and
WHEREAS, the arts center by its existence would provide a substantially higher level of
educational opportunity to me citizens of Bangor; antl
WHEREAS, the Friends of the Museum of Art have expressed their interest and support for this
project along with a willingness W help mise the necessary funds W complete the fit out of the space in
the Freese Building for this purpose.
We fully support locating the University of Maine Museum of Art and comprehensive arts and
educational outreach center in the former Freese buildiiy in downtown Bangor.
We will use our best efforts W make available the space needed for the establishment of the arts
center in the former Freeses Wilding.
We will use our best efforts, working with the Friends of the Museum of Art and others, 0 secure
private and Wbhc funds to renovate the premises to meet the needs of the Center for its use W
include finishing of space, painting, security, climatization, and carpeting.
We will continue to work closely with representatives of the University of Maine and other
Interested parties to achieve this common goal.
IN CI!Y COONCIL
lamuty 24. 2000
Notion for passage Node awl Seconded
Representatives of the university
and Friends of the M seem of Art,
encouraged passage of this eenolve
00.90
RESOLVE
Title, supporting the i cation of the
university of Naioe muse m of Art
and Comn:ehennive Arts and Outreach
Curter in the Freeses Building is
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