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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Landmark Commission - 09/22/1994 • 6 kW tali LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING TOUR OF OLD TOWER THEATER 1645 SOUTH ALAMEDA SEPTEMBER 22. 1994 MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. James Catron Mr. Joe Dove Mr. Adam Klager Ms. Melissa Nucete Mr. Charles Speed Ms. Bunny Tinker Mr. John Wright MEMBERS ABSENT: Mr. Edwin Goodman, Chairman (Excused) Ms. Cynthia Hill-McKinney (Excused) Ms. Pam Lakhani (Excused) Mr. Leslie Mabrey (Excused) Mr. Govind Nadkarni (Excused) Ms. Alclair Pleasant (Excused) Mr. Joe Williams, Advisory STAFF PRESENT: Mr. Michael Gunning, Senior Planner Ms. Faryce Goode-Macon, City Planner Ms. Linda Williams, Recording Secretary The Landmark Commission met at 4:45 p.m. at the old Tower Theater, located at 1645 South Alameda Street, to tour the facility. The theater will be an example of adaptive reuse of a historic structure utilized as the new YMCA Teen Center. Mr. Wayne Tatman, Executive Director and CEO, and Mr. Ron Reed, Project Director, conducted the tour. INTERIOR OF THE THEATER: Commission members walked through the structure as Mr. Tatman explained which stages of the renovation project were complete. The entire building has been gutted and stripped to the cement floors. The seats in the lower level and balcony were removed. The snack bar area has also been gutted and emptied. The old art deco style curbed woodwork going up the stairway will be used, both inside as well as SCANNED ' Landmark CommissillfMeeting September 22, 1994 Page 2 • outside. The lobby area will be used as a large meeting room that will house a computer•literacy and tutorial program for teens. Various teen groups will be able to utilize the room for their meetings. Under the stage area is a basement with a 12 foot ceiling. The basement will become the weight lifting and fitness center. Hess Fitness Equipment has agreed to donate all the fitness equipment. Also in front of the stage area, a small dance floor will be installed with a plexiglass floor with studded lights underneath. The floor of the first floor will be leveled. Mr. Tatman commented that teens from the Teen Advisory Board will redo the art deco mural on the walls. They want to restore the artwork to its original state -• using the same colors. The mezzanine level and balcony area will be completely renovated. The balcony will be leveled and half of it will be used as a coffee shop, snack bar, and delicatessen eating place. An outside entrance will be installed coming up the stairway from the fire escape. The back of the building will become the main entrance and the Alameda Street entrance will be used for special large functions and the Tenth Street entrance will used for normal drop•in activities. A large game room will also be located on the balcony level where teens will be able to play ping gong, video games, and watch TV on a large screen television. The balcony will be screened off from the lower level with plexiglass so that teens will be able to see activities going on at the first floor level. Both rooms will be able to function, not interfering or interrupting activities occurring upstairs or downstairs. The projection and coat rooms will become offices and study halls. Mr. Tatman stated the TRIP center will also be housed at the teen center. When teens are picked up by police officers for truancy, they will be brought to the center and kept there until their parents pick them up. The TRIP center is in its second year of operation and has been very successful. Landmark CommissiliMeeting t September 22, 1994 Page 3 EXTERIOR OF THE THEATER: Mr. Tatman stated the building located next door to the theater will become a child care center. The entrance to the center will be off Tenth Street. The child care center will accommodate seventy•six (76) children. Mr. Tatman stated that at one time, they were thinking about replacing the glass windows because of the potential danger to the children, but the child care workers requested that the windows remain for visual stimulation. Mr. Tatman continued that safety glass will be installed to eliminate the safety hazard. Spohn Hospital donated $100,000 towards the child care facility. The YMCA has entered into a contract with Spohn Hospital to provide space for their employees' children. The remaining area behind the theater and the Salvation Army will become a lighted basketball court and a sanded area for volleyball. The San Antonio Spurs basketball organization donated 810,000 to install the basketball and volleyball courts. Mr. Tatman stated that Bobby Lee Painting Contractor has begun painting the exterior of the structure. The paint will be matched as close to its original color. Mr. Tatman continued that after the paint contractor started painting, it was discovered that the black striping was not painted on the building, but it was black marble inlaid. The marble was cleaned and then covered to avoid getting new paint on it. Ms. Tinker stated it would be nice if the building could be painted sandedlorange to match the striping on the marquee and its possible original color. Mr. Tatman stated he would pass the suggestion on to the painters. Mr. Tatman stated the painting contractor was trying to find the same color patterns of tile to continue the pattern across the front of the theater and the Salvation Army Thrift Store. A question was asked if the Thrift Store would remain in its present location and Mr. Tatman responded yes the store will remain. Mr. Tatman continued that the Thrift Store has signed a new five•year lease to remain in its present location. Landmark Commiss§110Meeting September 22, 1994 Page 4 After the tour concluded, thanks were expressed to Mr. Tatman for allowing the Commission to tour the facility and for sharing the vision of what the new teen center will become. Faryce Goode- or con, City Planner Staff Liaison t Landmark Commission warasw+rau