Park City Secures 5.25 Acres to Create City’s First Dedicated Arts & Culture District

Post Date:07/07/2017 3:00 PM

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CONTACT:
Linda Jager
Park City Municipal Corporation
o/ 435.615.5189 c/ 435.901.2311
linda.jager@parkcity.org

Park City Secures 5.25 Acres to Create City’s First Dedicated Arts & Culture District
Ancho
r partners include Sundance Institute & Kimball Art Center

PARK CITY, UT (July 7, 2017) - Park City Mayor Jack Thomas and City Council announced today a major new initiative to solidify Park City's rich history of arts and culture. On July 13 and 20, the Park City Council will consider approval of a purchase agreement for a 5.25-acre parcel in the City’s Bonanza Park neighborhood for $19.5 million to form the City’s first-ever Arts & Culture District, with Sundance Institute and the Kimball Art Center as anchor partners. Park City plans to impose a one-percent transient room (lodging) tax to pay for the initial land purchase and development of the site. Sundance Institute and the Kimball Art Center have signed letters of intent to purchase land in the new district from the City and will participate in a joint planning process with the City, with the goal of building venues as part of the district.

“Artists help preserve the soul of their communities,” said Mayor Thomas. “This district will enhance our town and community over the long term, and collaborating with two of Utah’s most recognized cultural institutions will galvanize Park City’s place as a cultural hub of the West.”

In addition to Sundance Institute and the Kimball Art Center building headquarters and art venues for their respective organizations, the district will house other arts and culture-related amenities and infrastructure, including a transit hub, parking, commercial space, and affordable/attainable housing for residents and artists.

“Park City has been home to our Sundance Film Festival for more than 30 years, and together we have supported and celebrated filmmakers from around the world,” said Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute. “We are excited to explore how the creation of a permanent space in Park City can help advance our nonprofit mission to support independent artists throughout the year.”

“We could not be more thrilled to be partnering in this project,” said Kimball Art Center Board Chair Maggie AbuHaidar. “More than forty years ago, arts enthusiast Bill Kimball created a gathering place for the Park City community to experience the transformative power of the arts. This joint venture with the City and the Sundance Institute will take Mr. Kimball’s mission to the next level, by creating a new and inspiring gathering place, with increased access to arts education, exhibitions and events, in the heart of Park City.”   

“From a municipal perspective, the Park City Arts & Culture District is unique: it will advance the arts and culture economy in Park City and generate revenue for key programs without raising taxes on local residents,” said Capital, Debt & Grants Budget Manager Nate Rockwood. “It will also help diversify and complement the major drivers of our resort economy by providing year-round programming for residents and visitors.”

The design and planning process is expected to begin as early as August. Through this joint planning process, the City will strive to create a district that inspires creative expression while ensuring design compatibility and compliance with the General Plan and Land Management Code. This will allow Park City to collaboratively shape the future of the Bonanza Park area by partnering to secure approximately 20 percent of the landmass in the area and developing a vision of a sustainable, walkable, livable, vibrant community Arts & Culture District.

ELEMENTS OF THE AGREEMENT

  • Park City intends to purchase 5.25-acre parcel in Bonanza Park for $19.5-million to create the Park City Arts & Culture District.
  • Funds for purchase, development, and maintenance will be generated by overnight visitors via a one-percent municipal transient room tax. No additional taxes assessed on Park City residents.

  • Sundance Institute and the Kimball Art Center will purchase from the City the land. The Kimball Art Center intends to develop new public arts facilities and organizational headquarters on the property, and Sundance Institute intends to build an arts venue and year-round office. In the event either organization chooses not to build on the property, they will have the right to resell the land to the City or a third party.
  • The District will be jointly planned, designed, and executed through a public-private partnership composed of Park City Municipal, the Sundance Institute, and the Kimball Art Center.
  • This initial agreement specifies that Park City, Sundance Institute, and the Kimball Art Center will engage in a collaborative planning and design process. This process will strive for a design that is both artistically and architecturally significant and compatible with Park City’s General Plan and zoning and Land Management standards, such as height and design standards.
  • Park City will build and own underground, surface, and structured parking facilities that will support the use of the district.
  • Park City will build and operate the Bonanza Park Transit Hub within the district.
  • Park City will create open spaces and common areas in addition to approximately 60,000-to-90,000 square feet of City-owned building space designed to support and complement the arts and culture concept.
  • Community benefits include diversifying the local economy and destination offerings; expanding and enhancing the local arts and culture base; and providing cultural amenities for residents and visitors.

BY THE NUMBERS

  • Park City Arts & Culture District: 5.25 acres

  • Sundance Institute Office: 45,000 square feet (projected). Facility will include archive space.
  • Kimball Art Center: 30,000-to-40,000 square feet (projected). Facility will likely include galleries, studio and maker spaces for painting and drawing, ceramics, metal-working, glass fusion and other disciplines, photo labs, and an interactive children’s center.
  • Parking: 400 spaces, provided through a combination of surface, garage, and underground facilities. City will fund and maintain.
  • Mixed Use Space: 60,000-to-90,000 square feet, including a mix of retail, dining, and office units, as well as potentially affordable/attainable housing.
  • Collaborative Planning & Design Process: 2017–2018

  • Projected Groundbreaking: 2019

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About Park City Municipal Corporation
Park City Municipal Corporation is a political subdivision of the state of Utah. A former silver mining town, Park City is now home to two world-class ski resorts and was the mountain host for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games. The town of 7,500 also hosts many special and cultural events, including the Sundance Film Festival and Kimball Arts Festival. Park City has been named America’s Best Mountain Town by Travel & Leisure Magazine. www.parkcity.org

About Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute's signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S., primarily at the Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah, and internationally. Sundance Institute serves as a dynamic incubator of film, theatre and music artists, connecting audiences to artists through its public programs including the Sundance Film Festival and igniting new ideas, discovering original voices and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Boyhood, Swiss Army Man, Manchester By the Sea, Brooklyn, Little Miss Sunshine, Life, Animated, Sonita, 20 Feet From Stardom, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

About Kimball Art Center
Kimball Art Center inspires and connects through art. Art Starts Here™. The Kimball Art Center (KAC) is dedicated to providing arts access, education, engagement and experience to everyone. Through its exhibitions, educational arts programs and events, KAC provides a platform and a place for artists and arts enthusiasts to come together to explore, celebrate, develop and cherish the creative spark that lives within us all. KAC believes that art brings meaning, joy, direction, community enhancement and inspiration to the 85,000+ community members the center serves each year. KAC knows that art changes lives and brings people together, sustaining Park City’s vibrant community and catalyzing positive change in the world.
The Kimball Art Center’s largest event of the year is the annual Park City Kimball Arts Festival held in August, which brings over 225 jury-selected artists from around the country to Park City for approximately 50,000 attendees to enjoy. Now in its 48th year, the event brings approximately $20 million in annual economic impact to Utah. www.kimballartcenter.org  

 

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Aerial view of 5.25-acre parcel to be purchased by City

Join us at a community forum to learn more about the project and hear from the partners:
Tuesday, July 11, 5:00 to 6:30 pm
Community Room, Park City Library
1255 Park Avenue

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Home: Energy Myths

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Some ideas are so widely held that they generate little scrutiny or even a second thought. While often factual, such common wisdom can also be based on outdated or erroneous information—old-wives tales or urban legends. Widespread misconceptions about home energy use—often taken as fact—can cost homeowners on their energy bills and lead to unnecessary home maintenance and reduced comfort.

Following are some common home energy myths that may be costing you.

1. Setting the thermostat higher or lower will heat or cool the house faster.

 Many a homeowner has come home to an uncomfortable house and set the thermostat higher or lower than necessary, thinking it will warm or cool faster. In reality, a furnace or air-conditioner works at the same speed, no matter what the thermostat setting. A home will warm up to 68ºF just as quickly if the thermostat is set at 68ºF as it would if the thermostat was set at 80ºF. In such instances, energy may be wasted as the heating or cooling system continues to run after it  reaches your desired set point.

2. A heating and cooling system "works harder" to reach a comfortable temperature after setback or set forward.Many people do not adjust their thermostat at night or while the home is unoccupied because of the common misconception that the heating or cooling system must "work harder" or use more energy to reheat or re-cool the house. This is not how a thermostat works. The system turns on to reach a set level and then shuts off when that level is reached. It can be likened more to a switch that shuts on and off, rather than a gas pedal that accelerates faster the more you step on it.

3. Energy efficiency and energy conservation are the same thing.
Efficiency refers to using less to perform a specific task. Examples include replacing traditional lighting with LEDs (light emitting diodes), or installing a high performance appliance. Conservation refers to reducing your need for energy through changes in behavior, such as setting the thermostat lower or riding a bike to work.

4. When an appliance is turned off, it is off.
Many appliances and electronic devices—such as coffee makers and cell phone chargers—in the home continue to use power after they have been switched off. Sometimes as much as if they were on! This is known as standby power or “phantom load.” The only way to stop the power usage by these devices is to unplug them.

5. Leaving lights, computers and appliances on uses less energy than turning them on and off.
In most cases, the small surge of power needed to start a device is much less than the power that is wasted by leaving it on when it is not needed.

6. Duct tape is the best choice for sealing ducts.
Duct tape has very low durability when used to seal ducts, according to laboratory research. On new installations duct tape will not last long without extensive surface preparation, especially in dirty or dusty locations. Over time, duct tape will fall off as the adhesive dries out and the tape starts to wrinkle. Mastic or metal-backed tapes—available at your local hardware or do-it-yourself retailer—are better choices for duct sealing.

7. Purchasing an efficient air-conditioner or furnace will automatically reduce energy bills.
This is true to some extent, but optimal savings will not be achieved unless the system is sized and installed correctly. Installing an efficient, but over-sized, system can negate much of the potential savings, while a poorly designed duct system can also have an impact on efficiency and comfort. Windows, doors, and insulation also play a factor in heating and cooling efficiency. 

8. Dimming lights by 50% will cut lighting costs in half.
In reality, the relationship is not quite direct and the savings may be less than expected. Dimmed lights do use less power, but when lights are dimmed, the voltage drops and the filament becomes cooler. This causes a loss in overall efficiency.

9. Closing off vents will help to lower heating and cooling costs.
Closing or covering up vents is typically not a good way to save on energy costs. Heating and cooling systems balance their load throughout the duct system. If one vent gets closed off, it throws the system off balance. Pressure can build up in the duct work, causing leakage and less air circulating in your home. This reduces system efficiency and home comfort.