Renovations to lobby, theater coming to Buffalo Grove community arts center
The Buffalo Grove Park District's Community Arts Center, located at 225 McHenry Road, will be getting a major facelift this fall, with a focus on its multipurpose room, lobby and theater.
The multipurpose room will be completely remodeled and will include a retractable divider, new technology for meetings and presentations, additional bathrooms and a new building entrance on the north side. The lobby area will receive new flooring and interior design, acoustical improvements and a new concessions area.
The largest portion of the project will be dedicated to redesigning the house area of the theater. Pitched, stadium-style seating, with wide aisles and 350 foldout seats will be available to patrons once construction is complete.
Mike Terson, public relations and marketing manager for the Buffalo Grove Park District, said feedback from arts center visitors was taken into consideration when planning the theater's redesign.
"People love the community arts center; however, the most common criticism we have consistently gotten since opening the facility is that it is hard to see the stage from the back of the theater," he said. "This will solve that problem, as well as make the facility much nicer and more efficient."
Relocation of the control room, an upgrade on the house lighting system and an additional entrance/exit will also be part of the theater project.
The community arts center will also have its heating, ventilation and air conditioning system replaced.
The project will go out to bid Aug. 9, and construction is scheduled to begin in October. The total cost is unknown until bids are approved.
The center received a $1.73 million grant from the state in 2014 to fund improvements and additions. It is being used for this project.
Terson notes members of the park board, local legislators, the Friends of the Parks Foundation, staff members and community members passionate about the arts are all credited for their efforts in the project.
"We are extremely excited to soon be able to bring the community what our vision for that facility really is," he said.