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City staff seek council direction to begin phased renovation of Old Bedford School as cultural arts center
Summary
City staff presented a preliminary plan to renovate Old Bedford School into a cultural arts center, seeking direction to hire an architect and pursue a phased renovation; staff said initial cost estimates rose into the mid‑$800,000s to about $900,000 and proposed using hotel‑occupancy tax funds for early work.
City staff asked the Bedford City Council on July 22 for direction to pursue a phased renovation of the Old Bedford School (OBS) building so it can be reused as a cultural arts center with classrooms, a small theater, gallery space and flexible event areas.
City Manager Andrea Roy said the building — in use intermittently since 1915 and most recently vacated by senior programming — has enough structural character to make reuse attractive, but that numerous repairs and upgrades are necessary before the city advertises the space for public rentals or expands programming. “This is not by any means an end all... but it is the initial recommendation,” Roy said, explaining staff want to hire an architect to develop detailed plans and bids.
Roy told council that rough, preliminary estimates for the interior and exterior work had climbed “up into the mid‑$800,000s to about $900,000,” at which point staff paused to seek council direction before retaining an architect. Finance Director Karen Riggs said the city has dedicated hotel‑occupancy tax funds that are restricted to tourism‑related programming and that the fund has an estimated unspent balance of about $4.6 million; she said hotel‑occupancy tax rules permit this type of cultural/venue project.
Staff outlined potential first‑phase work including repainting and wood refinishing, restroom and accessibility work, theater back‑of‑house repairs and modest gallery lighting and display improvements to support classes, small performances, readings, portfolio reviews and community exhibits. The city also discussed longer‑term outdoor uses such as a sculpture walk and lawn concerts as later phases, contingent on public demand and additional funding.
Council members generally supported moving forward but asked staff for a pro forma that included projected rental revenue, an estimate of added staffing and the likely cost to meet ADA and structural code requirements. Several council members emphasized preservation of the building’s historic character even as necessary upgrades proceed. Roy said staff would return with architect proposals, a phased scope and a pro forma for council consideration; no renovation contract was approved on July 22.
