Title
Armory: Creative Campus Presentation
Recommended Action
Information only. No action requested.
Report
Issue:
Newest presentation on the Armory: Creative Campus, as provided to City Council on December 8, 2020.
Staff Contact:
Stephanie Johnson, Arts Program Manager, Parks, Arts & Recreation, 360.709.2678
Presenter(s):
Angel Nava, Arts Program Specialist
Background and Analysis:
Nine City planning documents over the past thirty years have identified resident need for a community arts center. An early feasibility study identified the Armory, a 50,000sf facility set on an entire city block as a potential site. The 1943 Art Moderne building was designed by noted Olympia architect Joseph Wohleb, and the 10,000sf drill floor has long been used as a community gathering space.
As the National Guard prepares to surplus the building in 2021, the City is in the process of researching possibilities to prepare for potential acquisition. Key factors point to the Armory as an ideal space for leveraging multiple strategies for community development through the arts in Olympia. With a concept plan and Council support a feasibility study process is being initiated to continue the community visioning process.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The Eastside Neighborhood Association, adjacent to the site, has expressed interest and support for the possibility of a creative campus.
Options:
N/A
Financial Impact:
N/A
Attachments:
None