Wagon Wheel’s Renovation Project In Motion
WARSAW — A renovation project by Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts, an $11 million proposed capital campaign, is still in the planning stage. Will Dawson, executive director, Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts, stated the renovation is “still something being discussed. We have not started the capital campaign.”
A feasibility study has been completed and Dawson stated, “We’re confident about the results.” This study canvassed local businesses to gage interest and looked at the feasibility of renovations. The center’s board of directors is “having conversations with potential donors,” according to Dawson, both corporate and private.
The public capital campaign may begin in six to eight months, depending on commitment of initial donors. The project, however, may not begin for three to four years.
“When the time comes, everyone will be excited about it,” stated Dawson. While exact plans have yet to be released, Dawson was able to give hints as to what the renovation will include. “We will bring the center up to standards equal to the quality of our productions we put on,” he said, stressing there is no intention of changing the popular draw to the center — the theater in the round.
What is proposed includes: additional educational program space, the addition of an art gallery and museum, updating of restrooms, resolution of parking and traffic flow issues, and a performance hall for the symphony to accommodate up to 800 people. The renovations would mean adding on to the existing building.
Since the theatre’s move to a non-profit organization in 2012, Dawson said, “We added so many programs, it makes the center for the arts more than just a theatre.”
It was approximately 25 years ago that remodeling took place. At that time it was minor renovation work.
When renovations do take place there will be no interruption of operations. “We stressed with the architect for work to begin after our summer season and halt for the holiday shows,” Dawson said. The goal will then be for completion by the summer season. It is estimated the project would have a nine-month construction time frame.
The center’s project is listed in near-term projects in the Northeast Indiana Regional Cities Initiative. The initiative is vying to be one of two regions in the state to receive funds for projects. A decision by the Indiana Economic Development Corp.’s Regional Cities Initiative could be decided by the end of the year.
Should the Northeast Indiana Regional Cities Initiative be chosen as one of the two recipients, the funds received for the Wagon Wheel project would be a matching grant.
The Northeast Indiana Regional Cities Initiative presented its plan earlier in the week. Two regions in Indiana will be selected to access up to $84 million in funds, over a two year-period, that were allocated by the Indiana Legislature in its 2015 session for quality of place initiatives. Significant local government and private investment must match the state funding.
The 11 counties of Northeast Indiana include Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley. For more information, visit www.NEIndiana.com.