Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Lansdale Borough Council held a special meeting last week to submit a $500,000 matching grant application to the Department of Community and Economic Development for improvements to 311 W. Main St.
Grant submitted, fingers crossed. At a special meeting last Wednesday at Lansdale Borough Hall, council announced the filing of a matching grant application for $500,000 under the Keystone Communities Program by the Department of Community and Economic Development. The application procedures required the borough hold a special meeting to seek comment from the public and council in support of the grant application. All attendees to the meeting had to be documented as well, per requirements. A similar process was done April 10 for the same grant program through the Lansdale Parking Authority for improvements to Madison Parking Lot. "The grant application is being prepared by Spiezle Architects to seek $500,000 for public infrastructure …
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Lansdale Borough will pay former Lansdale arts center business manager Anne Yannarella $12,000 of the $18,000 due to her in back wages. The $12,000 covers the council president and borough manager, who were defendants in the suit.
The old Lansdale Center for the Performing Arts, known colloquially as 311 W. Main, continues to cost Lansdale Borough money—$12,000 to be exact. In January 2013, former Lansdale Center for the Performing Arts business manager Anne Yannarella sued the North Penn Regional Council of the Arts, doing business as Lansdale Center for the Performing Arts, and four of its board members, in order to collect $16,750 in lost regular and overtime wages from 2010, according to civil court records. Two of those four members being sued were Lansdale Council President Matt West and Lansdale Borough Manager Timi Kirchner. The other two were Montgomery County Republican Committee Chairman Robert Kerns and Dale Murphy. All four were being sued because each…
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Laura Burnham, the contracted consultant for the development of 311 W. Main St., updated the Economic Development Committee and Communication Commission Monday night on her roles and goals for the future arts center in Lansdale.
Laura Burnham, the new consultant for 311 W. Main St., is ready to tackle many roles toward one main goal: make the historic Masonic Temple property a cultural destination for the Lansdale community and beyond. Burnham also has another goal on her checklist: make nonprofit Discover Lansdale both the fundraising arm for and managing head of 311 W. Main St. "My role, in particular, with Lansdale, is to facilitate the desire that you all have made a commitment to: to have a viable and vibrant arts center in the center of town, and a place that can also drive economic development and enliven the downtown," Burnham told members of the joint session of the Economic Development Committee and Communication Commission Monday night. "That's one of …
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
It was 'Art in Motion' when the second-annual Lansdale Fun A Day art show brought in hundreds of people to see the talents of local artists from across Montgomery County.
The Lansdale Fun A Day art show is not your typical black-tie art gallery affair. In fact, it’s held in the upstairs ballroom of a local pub. “It’s better than going to an art museum,” Matt Rosenfeld, a Blue Bell resident, said. “This is less formal, more relaxed, and a different crowd of people.” While this was Rosenfeld’s first visit to the art show, of the hundreds of visitors that attended this year, many have made it a point to return. “I think these shows are great, because you get a lot of different artists from different perspectives,” Mike Omensetter, of Hatfield, said. “It’s not your traditional, mainstream, mass-produced art. It’s much more personal with these artists.” Omensetter said that he became passionate on attending …
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Monday, October 15, 2012
Residents and councilmembers debated with the 311 W. Main Task Force last week on their recommendation of a full renovation of the former arts center. Their biggest gripe: What's it going to cost to operate the center?
The 311 W. Main Task Force voted 8-1-2 last Tuesday to recommend a full renovation of the former Masonic Temple into an arts and cultural center. In its recommendation, the task force defended its vote with two reasons: it will show to investors that Lansdale is willing to make a commitment toward its future and the economic development of the town, and it will avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, where phased development and mismanagement caused the initial detriment of the building. However, certain councilpeople, dignitaries and residents offered their insights into the vote, as well as support or objection of the task force's recommendation. One outspoken audience member Tuesday night was Lansdale Borough Council Vice President …
Friday, October 12, 2012
Lansdale 311 W. Main Task Force member Lindsay Schweriner — the dissenting vote — said phasing the project is the best way to gain the public's trust and support
Eleven members of the 311 W. Main Task Force have worked since Nov. 1, 2011 to figure out the best recommendation to revive the former performing arts center in downtown Lansdale. For nearly a year, the task force has heard input from residents young and old, reviewed budget figures and renderings from Spiezle Architects, hired arts consultant AMS Planning and Research to guide the task force toward a recommendation, and debated to phase or not to phase the project. In the end, 11 members — including the borough manager and three Lansdale councilmembers — couldn't come to a full consensus over a recommendation on how council should proceed with the future of 311 W. Main St. In the end, majority rules — and the task force voted Tuesday …
Monday, September 10, 2012
The 311 W. Main St. Task Force discussed their opinions on phasing or not phasing the future renovations of the former arts center in the heart of the downtown. Hired arts consultant AMS Planning recommends phasing the project in its draft business plan
A majority of the 11-member 311 W. Main Task Force expressed opinions at its last meeting to not phase the renovation of the former arts center and rather rehabilitate the entire building at once. Those opinions, however, go against the draft business plan recommendation of the consultant on the project, AMS Planning & Research, a Connecticut firm hired at around $48,000 to guide the task force toward advising council on what to do with the building. The opinions also go against that of architect firm Spiezle Group, which has been brought on as the architectural consultant on the project. "Just because the opinions — and I stress opinions — of the task force members disagree with certain aspects of the AMS Group's recommendations does not …
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Councilman Mike Sobel, who heads the 311 W. Main Task Force, read a statement prior to Thursday's meeting on the state of the committee and its culmination
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Saturday, September 8, 2012
The following is a statement read by Lansdale Borough Councilman Mike Sobel at the start of Thursday's 311 W. Main Task Force meeting: To All Task Force Members: First of all, let me thank each and every one of you for your thoughts, enthusiasm, suggestions and expertise during this venture we have all undertaken. You were chosen to be here for a reason. None of you have disappointed myself or this community in your efforts and time volunteering. Many of these meetings have been long and arduous. We've had to endure shots and snipes taken at us from the press and social media. We've listened to a multitude of ideas from the gallery and from each other. We've heard from experts trying to guide us. We sat through numerous informative …
Friday, September 7, 2012
The 311 W. Main Task Force is nearing the end of its purpose - to recommend a purpose for the former arts center to Lansdale Borough Council. The committee will make a full recommendation that fulfills the requirements laid out in its ordinance
All good things must come to an end. As 311 W. Main Task Force Chairman allegorically put it Thursday night, the task force is now at Fourth and Goal at the one yard line, with the game on the line. Next month, the 311 W. Main Task Force's purpose and efforts will come to a close as it is poised to recommend to borough council an elaborate and in-depth direction for the former performing arts center in the heart of Lansdale. That direction, based on opinions of members, is to renovate the building all at once and develop it into a film and performing arts center. Chairman Mike Sobel had asked each task force member to summarize their opinions on what should be recommended, based on draft findings in the business plan from consultant AMS …
Friday, July 13, 2012
AMS Planning and Research revealed Thursday night there isn't much interest from local organizations for the center, but there is a demand for film, music and visual arts in Lansdale
So, who wants to run 311 W. Main Street in Lansdale? AMS Planning and Research revealed Thursday night to the 311 W. Main Task Force and five residents in attendance there is no major interest from local organizations to use the 311 W. Main Street location, but there is a demand that needs to be met in a non-competitive market. That demand is mainly film, music and visual arts. "Theere is general community support for the concept," said AMS Planning and Research Principal Michele Walter. "There is definitely an endless supply and demand for the facility. User product demand is limited. There's not a huge list of people that said they are interested." The venture won't be successful, however, without leadership and partnership. The number …
Kerry Boehm
4:40 pm on Tuesday, April 16, 2013
I think the people who actually want an Arts Center should be the ones who pony up the cash to make it happen. more ›