CLIFTON FORGE – Over 75 people turned out Thursday night at the Clifton Forge Fire House for an update meeting on the proposed Art School in the former Clifton Forge High School building.
The meeting was sponsored by the Clifton Forge Company’s project management team to discuss progress in planning for an arts school in the building.
The Clifton Forge Company is composed of Louise Belmont, who has an option to buy the high school building for $1; Meade Snyder, Helen Kostel, Rick Tabb, Henrietta Crandall, Dick Robers and Tracey Shiflett, Clifton Forge town manger.
The meeting was opened by Evelyn A. Slone, director of Planning for Hill Studio, and the company that the Clifton Forge committee has been working with since March, 2008. At that initial meeting, discussion was held on planning grants from the state and how to best use the former high school building.
Most attendees agreed an art school is a good idea. At the 2008 meeting, 700 surveys distributed and 225 responses were received.
The Clifton Forge Art School project goals were discussed Thursday night. Goals include providing an accredited arts curriculum for students, promote job creation and economic development opportunities for Clifton Forge and the area and foster private entrepreneurs and business training artists in the region.
ComBiz Solutions, with Diane S Akers, president, told the audience that they had used six colleges as benchmarks when planning for the art school in the Clifton Forge High School. The colleges she listed and discussed were: Berea College; New Hampshire Institute of Art; Penland School of Crafts; Chestnut Creek School of the Arts; New Jersey Art incubator and Savannah College of Art and Design.
Hill Studio Director of Architecture Hunter B. Greene reported that he had inspected the building and found it was structurally sound and in good shape and the 54,800 square foot building mostly needs repairs. The roof has some holes but is OK for now. Classrooms are good and hallways are well lighted. He said he likes the way the auditorium was built with the classrooms around it. Greene said that it will be an $8 or $9 million project to renovate the building.
Greene said after the meeting that if the grants and finances can be arranged in a year, it would take another year for construction.
He said the local committee is sincereon wanting the art school and he believes with such a strong committee, it can happen.
Some of the funding opportunities listed by Evelyn Slone were Community Improvements grant from the Department Housing Community Development; Appalachian Regional Commission, (ARC); Tobacco Commission; Virginia Commission for the Arts; Transportation Enhancement; private foundation; and historic and tax credits.
At the conclusion of the meeting, those attending were asked to put stickers on the programs which they feel are most important and they would like to see taught in the art school.
The first was graphic and web design and computer graphics. Second was trades, stonework, iron works, ornate plaster casting, and blacksmithing and third was furniture restoration, antiques, upholstery and historic building repairs.
The next meeting of the committee will be held in January.