A new look for the Bowlus Fine Arts Center was given the go-ahead by USD 257 board members at their meeting Monday night.
Called the “Bowlus Plaza,” the renovation will include an expanded entrance on the east side of the expansive building, a drop-off area for visitors, a loading dock for performers, and an elevator for the infirm.
The update will make the fine arts center more accessible to both patrons and performers, said Susan Raines, executive director of the center.
Friends of the Bowlus, a local non-profit whose goal is to fund capital improvements to the building, have already raised $800,000 to go toward the $1.3 million makeover, said Jan Knewtson, president of the Friends.
As for the remaining $500,000, Knewtson said she was “very confident,” it can be raised.
Paving the way for the renovation was including as district property the three lots to the east of the center previously purchased by the Friends.
The lots double the center’s footprint.
Plans also include an outdoor setting for small-scale performances.
BUT FIRST, the dirty work.
A loading dock to accommodate semi-trailers loaded with set designs, instruments, and other gear necessary for the myriad performances that occur on the Bowlus stage is the top priority, said Jeff Jordan, technical director for the Bowlus.
Access to the stage has always been a challenge, he said.
The most difficult aspect of the current setup is the 6-foot difference between a truck’s bed and the loading dock doors off the back stage in the alleyway.
Most bridge the difference through sheer muscle or unwieldy ramps.
The new addition will allow visiting artists to unload their equipment with ease, saving time and energy. An angled wall will hide the loading dock, to ensure its aesthetics.
Second, will be the installation of an elevator on the building’s east side that will accommodate two levels; the lower where offices, restrooms and the art gallery are located, and the next level up that gives access to the auditorium and stage.
