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Arts board chooses to build new facility at Otterbein

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By Marie Rossiter, Staff Writer 5:19 PM Monday, November 23, 2009

The Warren County Arts and Culture Center board selected green space to build its proposed facility at the Otterbein Retirement Community

Dan Cunningham, WCACC Board of Trustees chairman, said the green site at Otterbein on the east side of Ohio 741 near Lebanon was the board’s unanimous choice. The board also had considered rehabilitating the historic Bethany Hall at Otterbein.

“Top reasons included the ability to grow, flexibility in the 25,500-square-foot floor plan to meet the needs of organizations using the facility and lower construction and yearly operating costs,” Cunningham said. “It will not only complement the Otterbein town green plan, it was clearly the most visually appealing location.”

Otterbein has plans to build a “town green” area that will be developed into a combination of multi-generational residential areas above retail space, including local and regional shops such as coffeehouses, flower shops, banks, clothing boutiques and restaurants. Otterbein is working in conjunction with the Dillin Corporation on developing its master plan.

The development of the “town green” is in the first phase of that master land plan, according to Otterbein President and CEO Jill Hreben.

Cleveland-based architectural firm Westlake Reed Leskosky will design the proposed 26,000-square-foot building, which will house a 350-seat theater, multipurpose space and production support facilities. Estimated cost: $11 million to $14 million.

Attendance is estimated at 31,000 a year with income from shows at $257,000. Operating costs are estimated at $562,000 a year, according to the preliminary studies.

Hreben is excited the chosen site goes back to the original intentions for a performing arts center at Otterbein.

“It really fits in beautifully with our plans,” she said. “It’s going to make this a clearer reality, if you will. Part of the reason we wanted to develop this master land plan was so that when opportunities like this came along, we would be prepared to respond to them. I think that’s really paying off right now.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4542 or mrossiter@coxohio.com.

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