The eight San Joaquin Valley Council of Governments announced earlier this week that the City of Turlock had been selected to receive a 2012 San Joaquin Valley Blueprint Historic Revitalization Award of Merit for the Carnegie Library and Arts Center.
The San Joaquin Valley Blueprint was created in 2009 as a vision for the future of the San Joaquin Valley, in which less land is consumed for development, more resources are preserved for future generations, distinctive communities are enhanced, and more travel choices are available. The San Joaquin Valley Council of Governments stated that the restoration of the Carnegie Library as part of the new Carnegie Arts Center clearly enhances the community and region.
“We’re pleased and proud and grateful to the City of Turlock for providing us with a facility that is both beautiful and so well suited to its purpose,” stated Carnegie Arts Center Executive Director Rebecca Phillips Abbott. “It’s no wonder that is has received such a prestigious award!”
The awards program was created to recognize projects that incorporate defined San Joaquin Valley Blueprint and smart growth principles such as providing a range of housing opportunities and/or transportation choices, enhancing the economic vitality of a region, preserving unique and important resources, and encouraging community participation in the development of a project or plan.
City Manager Roy Wasden expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the Turlock City Council, the Turlock Planning Commission, and the Carnegie Foundation, WMB Architects, and the adept planners, engineers, and contractors who collaborated on this project.
Turlock City Councilman Forrest White and Development Services Director Mike Pitcock will be on hand to receive the City of Turlock’s award at the Fall Policy Conference luncheon on October 12, 2012 at Tachi Palace in Lemoore, CA.
The Carnegie Arts Center re-opened in 2011 after an extensive renovation and expansion.
The Carnegie building was opened to the public first as a library in 1916. Since 1982 it has been used as the Carnegie Arts Center where many Turlockers have attended children’s art classes and activities. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
The Carnegie Arts Center was undergoing a Turlock City Council approved renovation in 2005 that included an additional constructed tower.
On November 23, 2005 an arsonists sets a fire nearly destroying the building, just before the fire sprinkler system was to be activated.
For about five years the renovation and expansion plans had been focus of many political battles that included debates on whether the first estimation of $9.3 million was too costly and if scaled down alternatives should have been chosen, if the project would serve the general population or just a small group, and if taking on the funding of the new Joe Debely Stadium Renovation project would take away or prevent the Carnegie Renovation that had been on a priority list for years.
The Turlock City Council voted unanimously in April 2010 to approve a bid estimating the construction cost of this project to be $5,109,000.
On May 21, 2010 a groundbreaking ceremony was held to commemorate the beginning of the renovation and expansion of the Carnegie Arts Center.
On September 10, 2011, the Turlock Carnegie Arts Center (re)opened to the public.
The Turlock Carnegie Arts Center is currently one of the few art centers in the Central Valley, striving to bring diverse community and regional audiences together to experience and celebrate art in all its forms. The Carnegie’s programs include exhibits, education classes and programs, lectures, and activities in artistic genres as diverse as dance, music, theatre and more. At least 25% of its programming is dedicated to children and teens.
The Carnegie Arts Center will also be holding the ‘Edgar Degas: The Private Impressionist Works on Paper by the Artist and His Circle’ exhibit starting on October 6th, 2012 and ending on January 13th, 2013. Admission for the exhibit is $10, with children under 12 years old admitted free.
The Carnegie Arts Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 10am to 5pm, and is located at 250 N. Broadway in Turlock.
