COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The public is invited to the second in a series of Community Meetings to help inspire and shape the future of the City Auditorium from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 16 at the City Auditorium, 221 East Kiowa Street. The meeting is free and open to the public. Parking is available:
- Lot at south side of the City Auditorium
- On-street open parking and on-street meters
- Nearest City Parking Garages: 127 E. Kiowa St. & Nevada Ave., & 130 S. Nevada Ave. & Colorado Ave.
After a well-presented first community meeting in October and many smaller group sessions, the Colorado Springs Community Cultural Collective (Cultural Collective) has identified a gap for practice and performance venues, programs, and education suitable to smaller cultural organizations in need of affordable mid-size venues and creative workspaces, a role which a revitalized City Auditorium will fill. The structure of the business model is to allow use of the City Auditorium by a wide array of community organizations and members, inclusive of all populations regardless of socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical ability and language.
During the Community Meeting, attendees will hear an update about the project from Chris Wineman, Semple Brown Architects, and other key stakeholders, and will also have an opportunity to participate in small group discussions about the topics of Architecture/History of the City Auditorium, Cultural Collective Programming Opportunities, and Volunteer Initiatives.
Cultural Collective Vision: The City of Colorado Springs has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Cultural Collective non-profit to determine the viability of its proposal for pro-active operation and professional management of the City Auditorium. The vision of the Cultural Collective is to renovate, restore and revitalize the City Auditorium in support of a cultural city center affording access to all residents and that will assure preserving the history and public use of the auditorium for the next 100 years. The proposal will provide much-needed maintenance, safety improvements, ADA compliance, interior finish and acoustical upgrades, as well as mechanical, plumbing, electrical and structural system renovations. The MOU does not include transfer of ownership of the City Auditorium property. A transfer of ownership would follow a successful due diligence period as part of a final award agreement and must comply with the City of Colorado Springs Procedure Manual for the Acquisition and Disposition of Real Property Interests. For more information visit: https://communityculturalcollective.org/