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Commissioners back botanical‑garden start and urge non‑city funding for an art center
Summary
A phased botanical garden adjacent to the museum won commission support; for an art center, commissioners favored non‑city fundraising and suggested phased use of underused municipal spaces rather than a major city capital outlay.
Commissioners on March 28 endorsed a phased botanical‑garden concept near the museum and signaled support for a downtown art center—so long as private or nonprofit funding covers most costs.
A commissioner described the botanical garden as a project that can ‘‘grow with us,’’ beginning with sidewalks and modest site enhancements funded with leftover CRA dollars and private sponsorships. Commissioners said the idea could boost museum visitation and provide long‑term amenity value while keeping city capital commitments limited.
On the art center, commissioners discussed Monroe Hall and the Betty T. Smith building as candidate locations. They emphasized the need for non‑city financial support and suggested staging and class activities could begin in existing facilities while fundraising continues. Several members recommended that any RFP for an opportunity site ask proposers to include art‑center components.
There was no vote; commissioners asked staff to coordinate with nonprofit partners, report on potential grant avenues, and ensure any initial city commitment is explicitly limited to facilitating infrastructure or startup needs rather than long‑term operating subsidies.
