Southington Community Cultural Arts is proposing to convert the vacant George M. Gura Building into a community arts center. They plan to renovate the interior to include classroom and studio spaces, a gallery, performance area, office, retail space, and catering kitchen. The estimated renovation costs are $1.2 million. Once completed, the arts center aims to generate around $119,000 in annual revenue through classes, memberships, art sales, and event rentals. Southington Community Cultural Arts is fundraising $2 million through private foundations and public funding sources to convert the historically significant building into a vibrant arts destination.

1. A Community Arts Center
A Proposal for the Reuse of the
George M. Gura Building
March 27, 2012

2. Southington Community Cultural Arts is a non-
profit organization incorporated in Connecticut.

3. Our mission:
Southington Community Cultural Arts will
create and sustain a unique environment in
which people of all ages and abilities can feel
free to create, exhibit and welcome the arts
into their lives; and will give artists the
opportunity to share their talents with the
community.

4. Our Board of Directors
• Mary DeCroce , Chairperson
• Dawn Miceli, Vice Chair
• David DeCroce, Treasurer
• Melinda Otlowski, Secretary
• John Myers
• Tony Sheffy
• Jane Keller Herzig
• Tom Horanzy
• Linda Deluca
• Diann Thomson
• Peter Veronneau
• Christina Simms
• Dr. Joe Erardi

5. We propose to utilize
the George M. Gura Building
93 Main Street
as it once was…

6. We propose to utilize
the George M. Gura Building
93 Main Street
as it is now…

7. We propose to utilize
the George M. Gura Building
93 Main Street
as it is could become…
(

8. Historical Significance
“The buildings of the Southington Center Historic
District form a classic late
18th- and 19th-century town center. The
municipal, service, religious, and
residential buildings here are well preserved and
stand without major intrusions,
giving large sections of the district the
appearance they had 100 to 150 years ago.
This undisturbed visual and functional identity is
what gives the district its
primary significance architecturally.”
Source: National Register of Historic Places Registration
Form, by the United States Dept. of the Interior, Nov.
21, 1988.

9. Current Conditions

10. Is this possible?

11. • Renovations estimated at $200 per square foot =
$1,200,000.
• Building maintenance and operating expenses are
estimated to be $117,000 per year.

12. • Renovation of the exterior
• Reconfiguring the interior to house new
classroom & studio spaces, a gallery, a
performance area, a small office, a retail area
for art supplies and artists’ work, a soundproof
room for music, and a catering kitchen.

13. • Move In - Remediation & code work $ 120k
• Phase I – Interior renovations & restore street
façade $ 750k
• Phase II - Elevator, some exterior work and
specialties $ 330k

14. Arts Centers around Connecticut
Vernon
Arts Cheney Performing Arts
Center, Manchester
Center
Windsor
Arts Center

15. Preservation Around the Recent Headlines:
Country The Green Dividend from Reusing Older Buildings - NRDC
Switchboard
"The study shows that, for most building types, adaptive
reuse of older buildings produces measureable - and
sometimes impressive - green benefits. The findings with
respect to energy impacts for most buildings and
adaptations are overwhelmingly positive, and effectively
remove one of the arguments that is sometimes made
against preservation and adaptation."
Is It Time to Stop Constructing New Green Buildings? - Fast
Company
"No matter what LEED-certified credentials the building can
offer, retrofitting the teardown that came before would
probably have made more environmental sense."
LEED From Behind: Why we should focus on greening
existing buildings - TIME blog
"A study by the Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust
for Historic Preservation shows building reuse almost always
has fewer environmental impacts than new construction—
which means we’d be smart to spend at least as much time
renovating existing buildings as we do lionizing fancy new
green construction."
Why Historic Buildings are Greener Than LEED-Certified
New Ones - GOOD
"Though the conclusion may seem counterintuitive in an age
of ambitious LEED standards in many new buildings, consider
that it uses more energy and creates more impact to
construct an entirely new building than to fix up one of the
same size for the same purpose.“
Lionel Lofts,
Sustainability Round-Up: The Greenest Building Edition
Washington, DC Posted on: February 10th, 2012 by National Trust for Historic
Preservation

16. We don’t need state of the art space –
we just need arts space!

17. Our Capital Campaign and
fundraising efforts are
underway.

18. Private Funding Sources
• The Calvanese Foundation
• The Depaolo Family foundation
• Main Street foundation
• The Greater New Britain Community Foundation
• Southington Education Foundation
• Target Grants and Funding for the Arts
• Wal-Mart state grant
• Private businesses and Investors
• Projected Amount $ 200,000

19. Public Funding Sources
CT DECD Confirmed Historic Contributing Building Historic Restoration Fund $200,000
CT Trust for Historic Preservation Feasability Study - Approved Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Grants $20,000
Kresge $400-$850k Kresge $600,000
NEA Conservative Estimate -Range $20-$75k Our Town $30,000
NEA Foundations and Federal Agencies Creative Placemaking ArtPlace $350,000
US EPA / CT DEP Real Property ; I.e. Asbestos Lead contamination - up to $200k EPA Remediation Grant $70,000
CT DECD Consider securing Loan w Private & Local Funding Sources CEDF -Community Economic Development Fund $250,000
CT DECD Matching Grant avl w loan CEDF -Community Economic Development Fund $250,000
SUBTOTAL $1,770,000
Wells Fargo Likely $100k, strong history in Arts Wells Fargo TBD
Xerox Likley $50k Strong History in CT Xerox TBD
DECD, COA, CCT Currently Setting Guildelines - Hi Priority! Creative Placemaking TBD
Grand Total PROJECTED $2,000,000

20. Estimated Annual Revenue
• Studio rental space for 3 artists - $ 9,000
• Classes - $ 27,000
• Summer Art Camps - $ 4,600
• Membership Fees - $ 7,000
• Retail, Art Supplies, Gallery Artwork Sales - $ 28,000
• Spring and Fall Fine Art Show - $ 25,000
• Rental of Performance Area - $ 2,500
• Special exhibits and performances - $ 2,500
• Birthday Party rental - $ 6,000
• Rental of Gallery for larger parties - $ 5,000
• Wall space rental to Artists - $ 2,500
$ 119,100/year

21. Estimated Annual Expenditures
• Custodial services, building
maintenance, telephone, utilities, supplies
$47,000 (current expenditures)
• Marketing - $ 18,000
• Website, Internet, security, insurance &
supplies - $ 10,000
• Director - $ 30,000
• Secretary - $ 12,000
$ 117,000/year

22. Our vision:
Southington will be a
vibrant arts destination for central
Connecticut and beyond.

23. “Great art makes great places. Great places
attract great talent. Great talent creates great
jobs.”
CT DECD Deputy Commissioner Kip Bergstrom

24. For more information,
find us on Facebook
search:
Southington Community Cultural Arts
Thank you!