Placerville Council extends lease for Switchboard Gallery through 2028 after months of debate

The Placerville City Council on Aug. 26 voted to extend the lease that allows Arts & Culture El Dorado to operate the Switchboard Gallery and offices at 525 Main Street through Dec. 31, 2028, and directed staff to amend the agreement to remove language that would have automatically ended the lease a year after completion of retrofit cost studies for Historic City Hall.

City Manager Morris told the council the extension would provide Arts & Culture El Dorado more time to work with the city on stabilizing and fundraising for the two historic properties at 487 and 489 Main Street. “The term of this lease shall run from the lease commencement date … the investigation completion date shall be the date the tenant is informed in writing of the architectural report,” Morris said while summarizing the current contract language and the staff recommendation to extend the term to December 31, 2028.

The recommendation prompted more than an hour of public comment. More than two dozen speakers — artists, educators, business owners and longtime residents — urged the council to keep the Switchboard Gallery’s current home, saying the incubator programs, exhibits and youth initiatives produce economic and cultural benefits downtown. “Extending this lease helps the city further the goals that were identified in that plan,” said one speaker who served on the city art-plan process, referencing the city’s public-art and revitalization efforts.

Attorney Tom Comston, speaking during public comment, framed the lease extension as part of a partnership formed when the city acquired 525 Main Street: Arts & Culture El Dorado contributed $25,000 toward the city’s purchase of the property in 2023, and the lease language called for a city-conducted stabilization investigation and a retrofit investigation, Comston said. “The city agreed to do the stabilization investigation, stabilization costs, and the retrofit investigation,” he said. “Looking back, what’s before you today is to say we need more time.”

City staff reported the city has invested in the building since purchase: $21,496 in tenant improvements and an additional $42,155 for a new roof to address leaks. Staff said the city is still reviewing an architectural report on the historic City Hall buildings and that more information is needed before long-term decisions about those properties can be made.

Council members debated whether to retain a contract ‘‘trigger’’ clause that would terminate the lease one year after the city provides retrofit-cost estimates for 487/489 Main. Supporters of keeping the trigger said it provides a clear transition mechanism that would prompt replacement of the interim lease with a new long-term agreement if funding targets and plans are achieved. Others said the trigger risked forcing frequent council votes and could undermine programming stability for Arts & Culture El Dorado.

After discussion the council approved a motion to adopt staff’s recommendation to extend the lease to Dec. 31, 2028 and to direct staff and the city attorney to remove the triggering provision from the amendment, enabling a straight calendar extension rather than a lease that could end earlier if studies are completed. The motion passed on a roll-call vote: five ayes, zero nays.

The council approved the extension while noting the broader work to define the future of Historic City Hall (487 and 489 Main Street) remains ongoing. City staff said the removal of the trigger does not prevent a new negotiated agreement later; the council can revisit terms after the city completes investigations and the parties assess fundraising feasibility.

With the extension in place, Arts & Culture El Dorado will continue to operate its gallery and incubator programs at 525 Main Street while the city and the nonprofit work on long-term stabilization and fundraising plans for the historic buildings.

Votes at a glance: The council approved the lease amendment extension to Dec. 31, 2028, and directed staff to remove the contract-trigger clause; roll call was 5–0.

Background: Arts & Culture El Dorado originally entered a partnership with the city after the county declared the historic City Hall buildings unsuitable for occupancy. The nonprofit provided $25,000 toward the city’s purchase of 525 Main Street in 2023 so it could continue gallery and office operations while studies and stabilization of 487/489 Main proceed.