GF schools could see big projects in music, theater arts

Grand Forks' high schools have many music and theater arts needs, a team of consultants told the School Board's facilities committee Tuesday night.

The team led by Minneapolis-based consulting firm Perkins+Will is recommending to go forward on its two top project priorities -- which would result in a new theater and a substantially remodeled auditorium at a combined cost of more than $10 million.

Ted Rozeboom, principal of the firm, told committee members the purpose of the study, ongoing since May, was to first assess what was wanted in the secondary music and theater arts programs and then pull "actual needs from wish lists" to provide a recommended course of action in the near future.

Another goal in this process is to achieve "relative equity" between the facilities at Red River High School and Central High School.

Priorities

The study's No. 1 priority calls for building a new theater attached to Red River High School. The plan would result in a 750-seat theater that could be a freestanding venue, suggested to be attached to the school's southwest corner so it could be close to the current music department.

It would also allow for more support space, such as instrument storage, and the existing theater would still be used for drama. But it wouldn't be cheap -- an estimate for starting construction in 2010 said it would cost about $8.1 million.

There is also the possibility of making it a 900-seat space, which would be big enough even for the largest events, but that would cost an extra $1.3 million.

Either way, the new theater would have a much larger capacity than the school's existing 386-seat space. Rozeboom explained that low of a capacity limits performance possibilities, which pushes many events off-campus.

The second priority calls for remodeling and expanding the auditorium at Central High School for about $2.5 million. Reclaiming the balcony seating, now used as an art lab, along with building a new stage, installing technical upgrades and adding a set construction area would give the space more possibilities and also increase seating capacity from its current 420 or 430 to more than 700.

Rozeboom said the departments need more space -- about a third of each school's students are enrolled in drama or music, and the Summer Performing Arts program's large number of students is unique among schools in the region.

"The size of this particular program puts an added burden (on performing space)," he said.

Next steps

Tuesday's meeting was a chance for committee members to see the draft assessment, but the consulting team will present Nov. 9 to the full School Board. The board could then decide to take action or begin the planning process to go ahead with construction.

The goal, Superintendent Larry Nybladh said, is to use this information with a comprehensive facilities plan to be able to decide the next step in April. That means construction on these projects, if approved, could begin next year.

There could be some changes to the plan first, though. School Board President Eric Lunn said he worried people would think the cost difference between the projects at Red River and Central could make it seem unfair.

Rozeboom said the performance halls that each school would end up with would be comparable, and said a remodel and expansion of Red River's space just wasn't possible. "You're starting at Central from a better place than you are in Red River," he said.

Still, Lunn said explaining that to people would be a "hard sell." He also asked why the district couldn't just build one new, off-site theater space for both schools to use.

But Rozeboom said logistically, it's just as hard to load up musical instruments and drive a block as it is to drive three miles. The cost of one new site large enough for both schools would be "pretty sizeable," he added.

Central Principal Buck Kasowski said he didn't see the fairness between the two proposals, not just in the estimated costs, because many of his school's needs seemingly were "off the table" in this presentation.

"I'm not feeling real good about things right now," he said. Rozeboom admitted it may never feel like they were getting a new theater but said other options could make it fairer in the coming years.

Johnson covers local K-12 education. Reach him at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 105; or send e-mail to rjohnson@gfherald.com .