Other Voices: A chance to invest in culture

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 | Source: The Ann Arbor News

One of downtown Ann Arbor's movers is trying to shake it up by advocating for the Ann Arbor Art Center's proposal for the 415 W. Washington property.

Excerpt:

Members of the Downtown Area Citizens Advisory Council strongly support the nonprofit Ann Arbor Art Center's proposal to save the historic structure at 415 W. Washington St. and use it for arts and cultural activities that will benefit the residents of Ann Arbor. It is clearly the best choice among the three respondents to the city's Request for Proposals for that former garage site.

The art center's plan does more than save the historic structure on the site. It positively contributes to the neighborhood and the larger community, provides for a prospective greenway with publicly accessible open space and flood mitigation and includes green building practices - all conditions of the RFP. It will also provide a financial return to the city by putting two buildings currently owned by the art center, on West Liberty and Felch streets, back on the tax rolls. In comparing its options for 415, the City Council should recognize this impact on taxes as it considers this opportunity to invest in education, art and culture.

Surveys conducted by the Ann Arbor Area Arts Alliance confirm that the majority of candidates recently running for office in Washtenaw County support public funding for the arts. They not only recognize that arts and culture contribute positively to the community's quality of life but also have a valuable economic impact by creating jobs and spurring development. That fact is no secret to Ann Arbor, with its art fairs and myriad performing-arts events and visual-art venues. Arts are an elemental part of Ann Arbor. We need to keep investing to maintain its life.

Read the rest of the story here and how some outgoing Ann Arbor City Council members maintain that new development is critical for the city here.