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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-08-24 Arts Culture Commission MinutesDraft Minutes ☐ Approved Minutes ☒ Approved Date: 9/28/2017 Minutes City Of Edina, Minnesota Arts and Culture Commission Edina Art Center Studio 14 August 24, 2017 4:30 p.m. I. Call To Order Chair Anne Miller called the meeting to order at 4:34 p.m. II. Roll Call Commissioners Present: Susan Chandler, Cheryl Gunness, Douglas Hegley, Heather Isaacs, Anne Miller and Russ Rubin. Commissioners Absent: Stella Chaffee, Ray Meifert and Steve Suckow. Student Commissioners Present: Jane Howe. Student Commissioners Absent: Mollie Mertes. Staff Present: Michael Frey, General Manager, Edina Art Center. Guests Present: Dave Anderson and Dean Williamson, Frauenshuh Commercial III. Approval of Meeting Agenda Motion by Commissioner Rubin with a second by Commissioner Chandler to approve the meeting agenda as amended to strike Item IV, Approval of Minutes. Motion carried. IV. Approval of Meeting Minutes Motion by Commissioner Chandler with a second by Commissioner Rubin to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of June 22, 2017. Motion carried. Motion by Commissioner Rubin with a second by Commissioner Hegley to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of July 27, 2017. Motion carried. V. Community Comment No Community Members were present. VI. Reports/Recommendations A. Grandview Update – Mr. Dave Anderson & Mr. Dean Williamson The Grandview update began with introductions by Mr. Dave Anderson and Mr. Dean Williamson of Frauenshuh Commercial, the collaborative development partner with the City. Mr. Anderson led a high-level discussion of the feasibility study by Frauenshuh of the Grandview site, the 3.3 acre former public works site. As many people know, private and public uses were considered, as well as civic uses and a community center. Draft Minutes ☐ Approved Minutes ☒ Approved Date: 9/28/2017 Frauenshuh continues to evaluate the site and will engage with council this fall on development potential. An exciting opportunity could be an art center on the south portion of the site. Mr. Anderson spoke of what kind of facility does the City want; this could be a catalyst project and a center piece of district and a gathering place for Edina. Mr. Anderson showed slides of preliminary studies with1/3 public, 1/3 parking and 1/3 private development portioning of the site. The location would be the first in the Twin Cities metro area to have ball fields on the top of a parking structure. The lease arrangement and debt service proposed would be worked through with City Staff. One idea is to enter into a purchase agreement with the City and privately finance an art center built by Frauenshuh on the south portion of site. A lease arrangement with the City would be needed to rent the building. The City would be responsible for providing the contents of the interior space. Another option is to include the land that would continue to be privately owned and leased by the City. Estimated cost of the project is 8-10 million for a 20,000 sf art center with primary access off of Eden Avenue. Commissioner Chandler offered that the space would be a great catalyst, and 20,000 sf seems like a good size. She requested that everybody involved make it as green as possible and forward thinking as an arts building wants to look to the future. She was curious about the parking ramp synergy with the City ramp behind Jerry’s, asked how much is it used and are we overbuilding parking. She referenced Columbus Commons in Columbus Ohio, with all types of programming, not just sports, but interesting active spaces. Commissioner Hegley asked why an art center there instead of something else. Mr. Anderson replied it could be something else, an office building, restaurant, but believed the City would appreciate a civic use for the site and thought an art center would be perfect for the site, it would capture people from shopping, and a 20,000 sf center, while not huge, would fit nicely in the space as 25% of the site on the south would be used for an art center. Commissioner Hegley mentioned self-driving cars are in the future, and spoke of his employer, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, or Mia, struggling to figure out their 3 decaying parking ramps. Commissioner Rubin asked what can be done to make it look like an art center. Commissioner Chandler offered the idea of the center being closer to the library. B. 2017 Work Plan – Initiative #3 – Coordinate Public Art Program Public Art Chair Cheryl Gunness led a conversation of public art and the question of what is public art versus what is art in public places. Commissioner Hegley stated that if we are tastemakers, making decisions about taste, we become irrelevant. Commissioner Gunness spoke of inclusion of public art in the comprehensive plan. Commissioner Isaacs spoke positively about the potential artist in residence program at Grandview. Commissioner Hegley stated– Go back to the why? We have a lot of what, but why? Asking, what is the strategy? Chair Miller asked how public art fits in with Edina. VII. Correspondence and Petitions Draft Minutes ☐ Approved Minutes ☒ Approved Date: 9/28/2017 None received. VII. Chair and Member Comments Commissioner Rubin offered a comment about a new center be pragmatic with a pleasant ambiance. Staff Comments General Manager Frey reported on the “200 Clay Cups” Exhibit Opening this evening. VIII. Adjournment Commissioner Rubin motions to adjourn with a second by Commissioner Chandler. Motion carried. The August 2017 Arts & Culture Commission meeting was adjourned at 6:12 p.m.