![]() Arts at the Armory, the building’s anchored programming tenant, holds around 750 events yearly, drawing thousands of visitors through the castle doors on Highland Avenue. Once a light infantry building for the Massachusetts State Guard, the Armory houses 22,000 feet of usable arts space that includes a 400-person performance hall, a cafe, artist residencies and a variety of creative tenants. ![]() The city plans multiple public meetings for the summer, virtually and in person, to review the operational models, he said. The city has asked the consultant to expand the plan scope to “examine multiple organizational models, which will slightly prolong the project,” said Ted Fields, senior economic development planner for Somerville. The final approach has the city selling to a third-party owner and absolving itself of all involvement. In four out of five, the city retains ownership and, to varying degrees, shares the risks and responsibilities of programming and operating with other organizations. “Participants were split between ‘neutral’ and ‘excited’ to see the Armory serve as a ‘multicultural center’ that features artists, performances and activities that showcase the diverse cultures and communities of Somerville,” the report said.Ī draft of the pro forma operations shows the city considering five models for the building. According to findings from the focus group summary, there is a divide between increasing the operational focus to support artists versus serving the needs of the community. “We have residential units, basement space for bands to play, a massive performance hall … It will be tricky and plans won’t be perfect, but it will be something that fully contributes to the community.”Įxpectations for the building differ among visitors, neighbors, tenants and artists. “I think we can meet the community’s expectations,” Jenkins said. With lessons and feedback from stakeholder interviews and focus groups, case studies of comparable building designs and environmental scans to identify how the Armory operates within the city’s arts ecosystem, one thing is clear: A lot rides on the success of this building. It’s a place where we can gather and be together,” one community member told the advisory committee. You can invite your friends over to have meet-ups, attend an event or grab a cup of coffee. Places like the Armory could be the extra bedroom that none of us have. “Somerville is a city of renters with small spaces and not a lot of community spaces. The eight-person committee, made up of four artists and four city officials, agreed that the building should be resourced to cultivate local arts but also support non-arts uses such as the popular winter farmer’s market. Last week marked a year since the Somerville Armory Master Plan Advisory Committee convened for the first time to reimagine a successful Armory with the help of New York-based consultant Create Today. ![]() “It needs to function as a sphere for nonprofit businesses in the arts as well as a community space that’s accessible to all. “The Armory is the crown jewel of the city,” said Gregory Jenkins, director of the Somerville Arts Council. The building is already a hub for the city’s arts scene, but under ownership of the city, it’s getting an operational makeover and planning to get public feedback this summer. Somerville is rounding the corner on plans to reorganize the Armory building as a cultural community center. ![]()
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