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Work to meet safely codes delays art center opening two weeksBy JOSH STOCKINGERThe TelegraphALTON — The new Jacoby Art Center in Downtown Alton was set to open Monday, but ongoing work to meet safety codes will postpone that date by about two weeks, organizers said Thursday.The center, which is a project of the Madison County Arts Council, is now set to open on Saturday, June 19, with a public open house. Kathryn Nahorski, MCAC executive director, said art classes scheduled to take place in the meantime would be canceled“I would have loved to have been able to open June7, but I’m not tremendously disappointed,” Nahorski said. “L feel like people have been trying to do everything they can to make it happen. I am fully confident that we can do the June 19 day.”Nahorski said a group of volunteers is regularly donating time to renovate the center, which will be in the former Jacoby Furniture building in the 600 block of East Broadway. She said some timeline problems have arisen from conflicting schedules among volunteers and contractors.“It’s a huge project, and we knew it was huge from the beginning. There are so many factors that come into play.”The opening is being postponed primarily in wait of work set to take place next week to make the entire building meet safety and fire codes After that, general renovation work will be left Nahorski said workers next week would install new smoke detectors, finish bathroom renovations, fix loose and broken windows, move in office supplies and bring an emergency fire corridor up to code. Contractors will install a new roof, as wellThe first floor of the building should be ready for art students by the open house, set for 11 a m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 19. Children and adult classes scheduledFOR MORE INFORMATIONTo volunteer at Jacoby Art Center or for schedule of classes, call 467-2242.before then will be canceled, but ones after June 19 will continue as planned.Students in art classes this summer should notice many changes already completed at the Jacoby Art Center, a building that sat empty for six years after housing the former Jacoby Furniture store for nearly a century It already looks much different than it did two months ago, when volunteers and contractors first got their hands onthe project.The first-floor ceiling has been repainted, bathrooms and offices renovated, and storage areas have been cleaned. Volunteers removed display walls, carpeting, paneling and flooring The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency also safely removed asbestos-backed tiling.She said the delayed opening should not create any additional problems with the long-term schedule of the project. Later phases include building a new staircase and creating a music conservatory and studio space on the upper floors of the 44,000-square-foot buildingMuch of the building’sbasement will be used for storage, while other areas will be converted into offices, classrooms, a gift shop and a cafe, which could open as early as September.Nahorski said the center could use more volunteers, specifically once the building is open to the public. She said the council would need people to answer telephones and greet customers, and not all of the volunteer work would be related to renovationFor more information about volunteering at Jacoby Art Center or receiving a complete schedule of classes call 467-2242istccktnger®hotmall com
Newspaper Details
Alton Telegraph
Alton, Illinois, US
Sat, Jun 05, 2004
Page 17
Full Page
Clipped by
Hayner P.
IL, USA 20 Dec 2023
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