success: users defined what success means to them

SUCCESS: Users Defined What Success Means to Them

SUCCESS: Users Defined What Success Means to Them

This project will be a success IF:

• A facility that draws both locals and visitors • Have an endowment/ self-sustaining • Affordable and available to all • A multi-generational place • Sustainable building – green & energy efficient • People standing in line – both users and audiences • Part of the fabric of our community • Bills will get paid • A place where people build connections • An economic engine in off-seasons • Collaboration (PPPs) • Will have a mayor or maven • Visible connection to the street/activity is evident • Connected by way of place-making – trail of invitations from Main Street • Don’t let multi-use become multi-useless – don’t expect it to be all things to all people • Create more jobs and better jobs – economic resources increase

1. A social landmark for Red Lodge – memorable 2. Community vision for use 3. Best acoustical space for music!! 4. Building artists and community together 5. Local artists and local landscape 6. No worries 7. Strong desire to use the space 8. People will say “WOW!!!” 9. It’s workable and adaptable over time 10. Support local government 11. Input from the next generation of users 12. Start with small obtainable steps 13. A strong energetic brand-name recognition 14. Partner pride – taking ownership of 15. Tempting and attracting Billings 16. Workshops, studios and artists in residence 17. A model for other communities 18. Incorporate students/ courses into projects

ASPIRATIONS: Users Indicated Visual Preferences and Initial Program Priorities


What else? - Red Lodge recently lost its bookstore to a Billings co-op. Bring a branch of the co-op back here? (yes-please)

- Inviting gathering centers with seating (outdoors and indoors)

Visual 1: Priorities

- Classes - Dance - Artists - Coffee and muffins - Kitchen – community and catering - Food bank - Outdoor space/seating - Atrium/light - Greenhouse - Wedding venue


- “trail of breadcrumbs” – benches - Parking / outdoor event space - Food festivals - Kids activities - Exhibit space - Energy efficiency! LED lighting, solar panels?


- WOW - Meetings (20-200) - Flexible space - Remove wall for outdoor performance - Windows at retail spaces - General retail - Artist retail - Multiple galleries



- Costume space - Fly loft – café above - Truck/bus area for touring theatre/bands - Recording studio - Off-site satellite - Music performance (acoustically great, optimize for music) – 19 dots


- Existing 3rd floor (recital space, speaker/convention) - Lobby / Exhibit - Flexible performance space – ballroom - Open studios - Scene shop - Prop storage - Library - Lighting storage - Incubator program

Visual 6: Tone/Aesthetics

- See art – exhibit, making, buying - Welcoming entry and exterior - Lobby – filled with light - Lots of color - Activities outside – drawing people into the site - High-energy - Viable/flexible for future


- Visible activity (making) - Map – see all resource and events - Calendar – description of events - Receptionist/tickets - Music playing/ wind chimes - See artists making


- Feels good when entering - Light hearted – sense of humor - Encouraging curiosity - Rich/colorful theatre space (art deco tones) - See retail/café - Open and expansive feeling


Visual 8: Tone/Aesthetics (con’t.)

- Growth and life-long arts / learning - Environmental stewardship (compost, energy generation)

Visual 9: Park

- New clubhouse - Overall vision – everyone aligned - Greenhouse - Everything outside draws people in - Yoga space - Chimes/garden - Platforms for performance - Landscaping/lighting – visibility and connection to Broadway

PROGRAMMING: Users explored program concepts to prioritize activities and establish next steps


PERFORMANCE:

• Youth Dance – Theater • Youth Music • Music Venue (all kinds)

NEXT STEPS:

NEEDS ASSESSMENT • Fee threshold • Duration (ie: how long are events) • Is this need or desire? • Initial pro forma • Alcohol policy

EVENT RENTAL:

RENTAL SPACE PLAN

• Establish policies and criteria for determining who can rent • How to keep spaces rented without harming overall mission • Separate rooms or part of a “lobby” or “atrium space” • Separate from tenant/partner

INCUBATOR SPACES:

• Incubator = businesses getting off the ground (symbiotic) vs. business accelterators (funding opportunities (symbiotic) and expansion)

• Look into Models

MUSIC SCHOOL STUDIO:

• Private lessons • Recital spaces • Rent abatement policies (“pop up”) • Incubation for interested teachers/programs

o Grow over time into spin-off programs


ARTS PROGRAM INCUBATION:

• Artist residencies • Rent abatement programs • Incubation period can expand into other spin-off programs

Next Steps:

• Functionality study • What programs/uses are going to maximize income/sustainability/serve community needs

COMMUNITY KITCHEN:

• Food Partnership Council • Cooking/Preservation • Commercial vs. community

o Event prep kitchen for facility events

Next Steps:

• Market analysis • Estimate costs • Rent to sustain it • Infrastructure • Program assessment

ART CREATION SPACE STUDIOS:

• Membership based open studio space for artist/art workshops

vs. (BOTH!)

• Artists studios (working) • Private studios

Next Steps:

• Model programs – do some research and interviews • Explore different layouts • Market analysis (who are the users? Metal working vs. potters vs. painters) • Explore other local artists partnerships

EXHIBITION / DISPLAY:

• Space plan for displays • Traveling exhibitions


• Sales (?) – maybe through Arts Guild • Potential curation – curational plan for center as a whole

FESTIVALS & SHOWS:

• Identify local partnerships/users/existing festivals to assess need • Market to associations that may be interested

CO-OP AND WORKING STUDIOS:

• Co-operative shop for artists – tenants/partners can all sell in a centralized way

Next Steps:

• Model research • Display plans • Rental policies

ACTIVITIES:

• Community Kitchen • Event prep kitchen • Extension of downtown (marketing) – windows – visibility • Art creation space

o Studios – working artist studios, open studios • Parking – faculty plan • Performing arts academy – youth education programs, partnerships • Public gathering/lobby (event spaces, rentals) – indoor and outdoor • Café • Display/exhibitions – art, new media, pop-up music • Incubator space (arts and creative businesses) – creative, makers, artists

o Working studios and co-op shop (retail) – arts oriented • Adult art education (Arts Guild partnership) • Co-op shop • Café • Recording studio (tenant?) • Performance (1), rehearsals and recordings (2) • Flexible meetings with media – meetings (12-20) – rentals • Classes (12-20) – rentals • Large meeting space (50-100)

o Conference, festivals, chili cook-off, wedding receptions


Business Plan:

• Mission/goals • Feasibility/ marketing analysis/ community support • Legal structure/management plan • Faculty plan – layout/design • Operating plan –

o Tenant/ partner policies o Programs and services o Staffing plan o Marketing strategy

• Financial plan o Sustainability plan o Capital costs o 5 year pro forma

PLACES: Users Identified Opportunities and Challenges


School:

- North entrance not welcoming - Gas station – keep parking off Main Street - Roosevelt boiler concerns - Multi-level – need elevator - Remove asphalt at south

Opposite School:

- Artist lodging – residences (adjacent property) - Integrate adjacent properties into footprint - Artwork to identify exterior/spaces - Reduce side street traffic with one-way direction – including parking - Leverage alumni history/memories

Town:

- Lack of connection from community to trail system/airport road - Where can we locate expanding businesses? - Safety concerns at Civic Center parking lot – students crossing - Develop Rotary Park - Trail connections/light industrial near airport - Placement for RV parking

SITE EVALUATION: Groups Visited Outdoor Sites to Evaluate Challenges and Identify Opportunities


Group One:

1. What do we like best about this place? a. Trees, nearby crosswalks b. Feels like an entrance c. Great visibility for different sides of school

2. Things (improvements) to do right away? a. Remove fence b. Clear weeds c. Paint streets d. Add hanging quilt blocks e. Food trucks parked outside f. Benches g. Tree maintenance h. Exhibition spaces on small billboards (temporary) i. Lighting

3. Things (improvements) to do – longer term? a. Bump-outs b. Sculptures c. Diagonal parking d. Informational kiosk e. Crushed glass sidewalks

4. What to do first? a. Remove fence b. Add sidewalk

5. What local partnerships to identify? a. Back Alley Metals – seating/benches b. Beartooth Electric – lighting c. Local Artists d. Nearby businesses


Group Two:

1. What do we like best about this place? a. Warm and welcoming b. Loads of sun c. Endless opportunity d. Clean slate

2. Things (improvements) to do right away? a. Surface treatment b. Seating c. Lighting

3. Things (improvements) to do – longer term? a. New entrance b. Expression/conversion into a “pocket park”

4. What to do first? a. Design charrette b. Interactive nature feature

5. What local partnerships to identify? a. Baldwins b. 4-H club c. Art club d. Ivan Long e. ProCut

Group Three:

1. What do we like best about this place? a. Important area to begin – visible from street

2. Things (improvements) to do right away? a. Interactive sculpture b. Benches/Chairs

3. Things (improvements) to do – longer term? a. Façade – including concrete walkway b. Painting c. Games d. Murals

4. What to do first? a. Entertainment – food & beverage trucks b. Take down fence c. Signage – north side d. Engage artists and musicians

5. What local partnerships to identify? a. Charles Ringer, Lee Kern, Dave McMasters, Back Alley Metals b. Partnerships – musicians, dancing youth, organizer, young professionals, theater

performers


Group Four:

1. What do we like best about this place? a. Southern - open

2. Things (improvements) to do right away? a. Outdoor movie b. Benches c. Bike parking d. Food e. Sun shade

3. Things (improvements) to do – longer term? a. Improve 1st floor b. Building façade c. Splash pad

4. What to do first? a. Good phased plan

5. What local partnerships to identify? a. Beartooth Industries b. RLACF c. Library – projector, screen

Group Five:

1. What do we like best about this place? a. Existing community activity b. Sustainable c. Visible d. Intimate

2. Things (improvements) to do right away? a. Develop park b. Develop connections

3. Things (improvements) to do – longer term? a. Wall aesthetics b. Fence/Garden

4. What to do first? a. Define space b. Greenhouse/lobby c. West wall – attractive / functional

5. What local partnerships to identify?


Group Six:

1. What do we like best about this place? a. Big windows b. North-facing – good in summer c. Good landscaping possibilities d. Inviting street view

2. Things (improvements) to do right away? a. Update signage b. Thin/remove bushes c. Cover-up shed – mural d. Landscape entrance

3. Things (improvements) to do – longer term? a. Create entrance from Broadway b. Do something with alley/road

4. What to do first? a. Landscape b. Clean up space/bushes

5. What local partnerships to identify? a. High School students b. Local artists c. Local clubs – Lions, Rotary, Trails

Group Seven:

1. What do we like best about this place? a. Clean b. Green c. Space visible d. Personal scale

2. Things (improvements) to do right away? a. More “things” to see b. Historic points/heritage tour c. Temporary bump-outs d. Periodic benches e. Micro-galleries/libraries f. Extend historic lighting

3. Things (improvements) to do – longer term? a. Encourage continued use of existing buildings

4. What to do first? a. “plant a bench” – street trees in boulevard strip

5. What local partnerships to identify? a. Parks department, individual property owners, main street program, wayfinding, active

transportation plan group

PLANNING: Users Reimagined Building and Site to Support Programs and Activities


success: users defined what success means to them

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