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Ottawa Center for the Arts unveils conceptual drawings for historic church transformations · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Speaker 1: Ottawa Center for the Arts unveils conceptual drawings for historic
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  Speaker 1: church transformations. Written by Emily Beebe, This article is being
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  Speaker 1: read by an automated voice brought to you by Everlett.
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  Speaker 1: The Ottawa Center for the Arts unveiled conceptual drawings Saturday evening,
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  Speaker 1: laying out a vision for transforming two historic former church
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  Speaker 1: buildings on Washington Park Square into accessible community art centers.
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  Speaker 1: Architects Janet Kappanigro and Drew Harper of DLA Architects presented
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  Speaker 1: the plans during the organization's inaugural legacy gala at the
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  Speaker 1: Great Hall, nine ten Columbus Street, Ottawa. The evening featured
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  Speaker 1: live music, speakers, vocal performances, food drinks, and a strolling
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  Speaker 1: magician across the lower and upper levels of the Great Hall,
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  Speaker 1: with Ottawa Mayor Robert Hasty among the speakers. Any successful
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  Speaker 1: gathering space should feel welcoming, save and accessible to everyone,
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  Speaker 1: Harper said, we are focused first and foremost on targeting accessibility,
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  Speaker 1: life safety, and updating the outdated restroom facilities. The architectural
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  Speaker 1: drawings focus on bringing both buildings, the Great Hall and
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  Speaker 1: the Abbey, located at one thirteen East Lafayette Street, into
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  Speaker 1: compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Fire Egress
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  Speaker 1: Codes while preserving their historic character. Improvements include adding elevators,
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  Speaker 1: creating a second exit, updating restroom facilities, and adding natural
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  Speaker 1: light and open lobby spaces, all designed to minimally impact
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  Speaker 1: the building facades. Harper said the goal is to draw
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  Speaker 1: out the existing character of the buildings rather than overshadow it.
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  Speaker 1: These buildings already have so much character, and our intention
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  Speaker 1: isn't to take away from that, Harper said, it is
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  Speaker 1: to provide the infrastructure necessary for them to continue serving
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  Speaker 1: the community. The project remains in early phases. Said the
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  Speaker 1: conceptual drawings are meant to generate excitement and community input,
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  Speaker 1: and that it is too early to determine a timeline
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  Speaker 1: or phasing plan. Additions would occur toward the back of
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  Speaker 1: each building to protect the facades. Washington Park Square, where
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  Speaker 1: both buildings sit, is the site of the first Lincoln
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  Speaker 1: Douglas debate in eighteen fifty eight. Arts Center board chairperson
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  Speaker 1: Christine Benson said the organization has learned an important lesson
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  Speaker 1: about historic preservation. Historic buildings have a remarkable ability to
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  Speaker 1: consume money, Benson said, but they have also an extraordinary
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  Speaker 1: ability to bring people together. The Ottawa Center for the
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  Speaker 1: Arts received its five hundred one C three status in
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  Speaker 1: November twenty twenty five. The organization operates with a working
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  Speaker 1: board where no one receives a salary. Since its founding,
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  Speaker 1: the center has sponsored more than sixty events. Steve Malinsky,
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  Speaker 1: a member of Open Table Church, said the congregation struggled
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  Speaker 1: for years to maintain the building. Now we have an
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  Speaker 1: opportunity to have this building adopted by somebody who's going
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  Speaker 1: to love it just like tried to love it, Malensky said.
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  Speaker 1: Once the project is completed, the organization hopes to host
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  Speaker 1: different types of performances and attract people from all around
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  Speaker 1: Illinois and beyond. Harper encouraged the community to stay involved,
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  Speaker 1: show up to the existing programming, and voice their concerns,
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  Speaker 1: voice their opinions. Harper said it's a sum of the
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  Speaker 1: community's ideas.