HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 2/21/2023 - 05 - Memorandum From Jim Mcdonald Re: Carnegie Center For Creativity Renovation Update
MEMORANDUM
DATE: February 16, 2023
TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THROUGH: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Dean Klingner, Interim Community Services Director
FROM: Jim McDonald, Director of Cultural Services
RE: Carnegie Center for Creativity Renovation Update
At First Reading of Ordinance No. 013, 2023 on February 7, 2023, regarding the appropriation
of Colorado Community Revitalization Grant revenue for the renovation of the Carnegie Center
for Creativity, Councilmember Kelly Ohlson requested an update and overview of the project
status.
Background
The Carnegie Center for Creativity (CCC) at the Historic Carnegie Building is owned and
operated by the City of Fort Collins. The Carnegie is home to public gallery, classroom, and
meeting spaces that are available to rent for exhibition, performance, teaching and event
purposes. The Carnegie is intended to be a public accessible facility used by diverse community
members and artists from various disciplines, employing a wide range of artistic expressions.
The Carnegie is also home to the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District and Fort Collins
Public Media.
The State of Colorado, through the Colorado Creative Industries office (CCI), established the
Colorado Community Revitalization Grant Program to provide grant funding for capital projects
in creative districts, historic districts, main streets or neighborhood commercial centers. The
grant supports creative projects including performance space and community gathering spaces
for the purpose of economic recovery and diversification by supporting creative sector
entrepreneurs, artisans, and community non-profit organizations. The awarded grant,
$2,400,000, supports the renovation of the Carnegie Center for Creativity. In 2015, the Fort
Collins community passed the Community Capital Improvement Program (CCIP) Ballot
Measure, and the CCC was scheduled for renovation beginning in 2024. However, renovation
work on the building outside of what was planned in the CCIP began in 2021-2022 (Phase
One), and to capitalize on that work and minimize future building closures, the City decided to
move forward with the CCIP renovation work in 2023 (Phase Two). In November 2021, the City
Council appropriated the CCIP funds, $2,218,000, ($1.7M 2015 project costs plus inflation).
Cultural Services Department
215 N. Mason St.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.416.2935
fcgov.com/culturalservices
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Current Status
Phase One
Phase One was completed in the Fall of 2022. It included the installation of a new ADA-
compliant elevator, roof upgrades and new copper gutters and down spouts.
Total Phase One Cost: $835,000 (Funded by the General Fund)
Phase Two
Phase Two includes all work listed in the CCIP Ballot Measure including: uncover and restore
windows; add a main staircase to connect all three floors; add restrooms; renovate classrooms
and gallery; restore interior floors and finishes; upgrade HVAC, upgrade electrical; and fix
foundation drainage issues. The original 2015 estimate for the construction scope of work was
$2M. We acknowledge the cost has increased significantly due to inflation and that the scope
has also changed significantly since the original plan.
Total Phase Two Cost: $5,430,000
Phase Two Cost to Date: $230,000
(Includes architectural services, permit fees, material testing and project management)
Funding Sources
City of Fort Collins CCIP Funds $2,218,000
CCI Revitalization Grant $2,400,000
FC Downtown Development Authority* $214,000
Bohemian Foundation* $200,000
Individual Local Donors* $50,000
Total Funding Sources to date $5,082,000
Amount left to secure $348,000
* These funds are committed and will be brought to the City Council for appropriation this year.
Council should be aware that there is an outstanding balance of $348,000 needed to complete
the project. Staff continues to work with City Give to raise funds. We continue to apply for grants
including upcoming applications to the El Pomar Foundation and the Gates Family Foundation.
Individual donors are also being pursued. Staff is committed to working with the project team to
find additional project savings and managing the project with a minimal contingency. Staff is
optimistic that this combination of strategies will close the budget gap and only after exhausting
these options would staff consider proposing a request from the General Fund or CCIP reserves
from Council at Council’s discretion.
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