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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013 Story Mansion: Proposal, Bozeman Art MuseumBOZEMAN ART MUSEUM City of Bozeman P.O. Box 1230 Bozeman, MT 59771 RE: Story Mansion Purchase Proposal 2013 1) Who We Are The Bozeman Art Museum was incorporated in January of 2012 and received 501(c) 3 designation in April of that same year. In our first year of operation we have assembled a highly qualified national board of directors, (see attached) and developed a strategic plan for the founding and operation of a fine art institution in Bozeman. This year Bozeman Art Museum has filed grant applications and produced an exhibit for the public of nationally recognized art on Main Street for Art Walk Night (see Bozeman Daily Chronicle July 12, 2013 and Bozeman Art Museum Facebook page). The Bozeman Art Museum’s vision is to become the brightest beacon of art and arts education, known throughout the American West. We feel there is no better building to house a community asset like our art institution than the historical and beloved Story Mansion. The primary contact person is Linda Williams at 10573 Kelly Canyon Rd. in Bozeman, MT 59715 with a telephone number of 406-570-1419 and an email address of williamsart52@yahoo.com. 2) Purchase Offer The Bozeman Art Museum proposes two purchase options. One option is to request that the City gift the Story to the Bozeman Art Museum. The Museum has grant money waiting to be released to us with the acquisition of a building. With the gift of the Story Mansion, those monies can be put to immediate use on renovation and operational costs. The Museum will be a community enrichment owner/occupant that will serve Bozeman and the region for generations to come. The Story Mansion is a community asset and should be accessed by the public as easily as the park grounds around it. We will meet the City’s goal of public access to this historic treasure by being open to the public 6 days a week, as well as having regularly scheduled ‘free admission’ days throughout the calendar year. The museum offers both cultural and financial enrichment through our art and education programs, jobs, and as a tourist destination; all of which add qualitative if not quantitative community benefits in exchange for the ‘gift’ of the Story. If the City cannot gift the property to the Museum, we are prepared to offer $400,000. 3) The Plan The Story Mansion is a community treasure and the Museum will be its proud steward. The mansion will be a community anchor that brings lively, interesting and enriching art programs to a population that values art in society. The Museum will file for a conditional use permit with the City to house our institution in the Mansion. The Mansion will be renovated to house our permanent collection and numerous travelling exhibitions. The main galleries will be on the second and third floors, with the first floor being mainly a reception area with some exhibition space. We will renovate the remaining areas of the basement for storage. Our goal is to configure the museum so that the first floor reception areas of the Story remain a rentable option for public use while also meeting the Museum’s security requirements. The carriage house will be renovated throughout. The first floor will house administrative offices, meeting rooms, and support space. The second floor will be configured with flexibility in mind and will contain our educational programs. The interior barn-like character of the second floor will be maintained as a spectacular feature of the space. Wall partitions will be moveable so that the entire second floor could be open for large events, or divided into smaller spaces for instructional programs and exhibits. The carriage house renovation will meet all federal, state and local laws and historical guidelines, and meet ADA accessibility. Our educational program will provide opportunities for students of all ages and abilities. With a strong teaching force in Bozeman that we can draw on, we can create an instructional curriculum for a range of learners, beginners through advanced. Ongoing lessons for different age groups will be scheduled along with specialized short term workshops. Lectures by local and national artists will be made available for the public and will be integrated with the art exhibitions. The renovation process for the Mansion and the Carriage house will include hiring a local architectural firm familiar with historic renovation, meeting with the city to address local guidelines, and securing private donations and federal and state grants for renovation and construction costs. Because the City has already skillfully accomplished a lot of the infrastructure, some ADA compliance and renovation work of the Story, the first floor and basement are available for immediate use by the Museum. With some logistical, permitting, and security issues addressed, the Museum can quickly open its doors to serve the public as an exhibiting and educational institution of the ground floors, while work on the upper floors is designed, permitted, and constructed. Timeline: Preparing the historically appropriate designs for renovation, finding solutions for ADA requirements for both buildings, and securing the appropriate construction permits for the Story and its carriage house is a one to one and a half year process. Once permits have been secured, the preparation of construction documents and time under construction will take another two to three years. Our goal is to have completed substantial renovation and construction work in four years from ownership, and have another two years of secondary non-critical work thereafter. When and where possible we will phase and direct renovation work to expedite completion of interior spaces which will allow the Museum greater functionality. During this time the Museum will be offering educational programs and hosting art exhibits at the Story as long as public safety requirements can be met. As a public institution located in a residential neighborhood we will be mindful of our neighbors during construction, and as an institution bringing the public into a residential area. The Museum recognizes the responsibility of restoring, renovation, and creating ADA compliance for these historic buildings, and we do not take it lightly. The Story Mansion and adjoining carriage house are the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Bozeman’s Bon Ton historic district, as well as a state treasure. There is a sense of community ownership and pride in the Story, and the Museum recognizes that sense and wants to continue the Story’s legacy as a responsible owner and community resource. The grounds around the Story are a City park and the Museum embraces that use of the lands. We see a continuation of existing uses, including movies on the lawn, and new uses relating to Museum events. Our mission is to make Bozeman a destination for fine arts and arts education. We intend to work alongside the existing arts organizations to enhance the arts opportunities that are already available. We feel that, as stated in our Sept. 24, 2012 letter to the City Commission, the Story Mansion would be an excellent match for our purposes. Our intention is to create a destination fine art museum that will be an enduring treasure to the city, state, and nation. We would like to sponsor the Western Rendezvous Art Show in Bozeman, as it has ceased in Helena. This is a national show that has been in existence for 34 years. The show would have to be off site from the Story as it is a very large show, but would also bring visitors to the Bozeman Art Museum during the 4 day event. We also plan to work with Humanities Montana on the publication of books on art which would coincide with specific exhibitions. 4) Means Our Board of Directors is gathering the funds to obtain ownership of and preservation of the property, and the restoration of the Carriage house and the second and third floors of the Mansion. We feel comfortable with our offer, along with the realization of the approximately 1.5 million dollars needed for the renovation. The Museum is undergoing a capital fund raising effort and developing a membership base. We want to move forward with the Story Mansion and carriage house as our home. The Bozeman Art Museum would be honored to preserve, maintain and restore this grand and historic property and accept this responsibility mindfully. We understand that we would need to comply with all requirements of the two easements that have been placed on the property. We also understand that as an entity seeking to obtain the property by reduced price, we would be subject to a reversion to the City for noncompliance with conditions attached to its transfer. We understand that the city makes no representations or assurances regarding any aspect or condition of the Property. We are aware that the buildings may contain asbestos or other environmentally sensitive substances. We would be solely responsible for compliance with all federal, state and local laws concerning these substances, if any. We will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, or because of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. This prohibition on discrimination shall apply to the hiring and treatment of our employees and all subcontracts. We realize that this relationship with the City would not be a partnership or a formal business organization of any kind between or among the City and the Bozeman Art Museum. We save and hold the City harmless with respect to any and all claims for payment, compensation salary, wages, bonuses, retirement, withholdings, worker’s compensation and occupational disease compensation, insurance, unemployment compensation, other benefits and taxes and premiums in any way related to our officers, employees, contractors and consultants. 5) Good Faith Negotiations The Bozeman Art Museum agrees to enter into good faith negotiations regarding a purchase and sale agreement that will include terms as identified in the RFP and those established by the Bozeman City Commission. We at the Bozeman Art Museum believe that best use and service to the public interest of the Story Mansion would be the founding of a fine art museum. There is a strong history in the United States of mansions being made into fine art museums, such as the Maryhill Museum of Art, the Strathmore, and the Bellamy Mansion. With the Story Mansion being one of only 3 full- block mansions in the state of Montana, we believe that a fine art museum would be a jewel in the crown of the City. We will attract and retain the best and brightest in the traditional arts field while building strong relationships with the regional educational institutions. We will offer exhibits and programming relevant to diverse audiences while being good stewards of our finances. We will have a commitment to excellence and professionalism. The Bozeman Art Museum is a member of the American Alliance of Museums, the Museums Association of Montana, the Montana Nonprofit Association and the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce. We have included letters of support from Thomas Nygard of the Nygard Gallery in Bozeman, Bruce Whittenberg of the Montana Historical Society in Helena, and Benjamin Pepka of the Holter Museum of Art in Helena. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS Board of Directors National Advisory Board Ilene Kitahara, Chairman Benjamin Pepka Helena, MT Linda Williams, Vice-Chairman James M. Gutting, J.D., CPA Marsha Paulson, MBA Treasurer Indianapolis, IN Cynthia Meeker, Secretary Heather Cromwell, MA Carol Hartman, MA Dr. Daryl Paulson, Ph.D., MBA Daniel Hitchcock Maria Sorce Westland Troy Redmon, J.D., MBA Nyda Gilbertson Barbara Kilbride McGowan