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Politics & Government

Arts Center Granted More Space in City Building for Restrooms

The restrooms will also be for the use of whoever else occupies 801 Magnolia Ave once the building is fully renovated.

City Council approved an additional use agreement for its property at 801 Magnolia Ave by the new Piedmont Center for the Arts, but held off on approving thousands of dollars in spending to make upgrades to the building Monday night.

City Council had to lease for $1 a year the sanctuary of the former Christian Science Church to PCA, which is converting the space into an arts venue. Monday the council unanimously decided to allow the center to also use approximately one third of the wing that once housed Sunday school classes for public restrooms without charging additional rent.

PCA will be responsible for constructing the restrooms, a chair lift to provide disabled access, and a wall across the width of the former education wing to create a corridor to the new facilities. The non-profit has promised to pay for all the work.

When the original lease was granted, PCA had planned to put in the required restrooms in the office section of the sanctuary. But in order to be fully code compliant, the non-profit found that the restrooms would then eat up a significant amount of the space it intends to rent out to other community organizations in order to make ends meet.

"They do gain a benefit by moving the bathrooms to our side, to the education side," City Administrator Geoff Grote told the council Monday.

But Public Works Director Chester Nakahara said the work would need to be completed regardless of how the rest of the education wing is ultimately used.

The council opted Monday to wait to spend any city funds for further work on the space until a firm, itemized proposal for what should be done is on the table.

Guided by PCA's ambition to transform the sanctuary, Piedmont's Capital Improvement Project committee had listed an initial outlay of $75,000 to rehab the education wing as one of its in May.

"If we don't really have a design or a purpose yet for that wing I think it's premature to allocate monies," Councilwoman Margaret Fujioka said Monday, adding that the city should hold public meetings to determine how to use to space.

"Obviously it is a rare piece of city property and there are a lot of interests out there," she said. Suggestions have ranged from expanding the Recreation Department's preschool program to creating an after-school study spot for middle and high school students or a reading room for the community.

Council members also hoped that by holding off on a decision, private donors would again be inspired to step forward to pay for renovations.

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