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ORPH Inc. meeting, Thursday, April 29, 2010, at City Hall Meeting Room, notes: with: Lance Gunberg, Joe Thomas, Sam Barrows, Pedro Erik, Patti Foley, Donald Couto, Chuck Hauck, Frank Grace, John McCoy, Claudia Ostiguy, Bill Contois, Jackie Stanley, Norman Barube, Victor Fonseca, Sarah Bishop Valentine, Diane Berube, and Marianne Murphy start: 6:05 The chance of a visit to The Orpheum Theatre by Governor Patrick was discussed in context of when the letter was sent by the mayors office, or not. CO suggested send an ORPH Inc. letter of invitation. The city's Department of Public Infrastructure held a public information meeting on Phase II of the JFK Highway Access Improvement Project Wednesday at Gomes School. This phase of the project is to address improvement of vehicular, bicyclist and pedestrian safety, and providing improved cross-connections between the South End neighborhoods and the waterfront. A second meeting will be held in about two weeks. Arising out of the Plaza Design Project conducted by friends and members of Orpheum Rising, wed like to see Gifford Street and Division Street intersections to open up east-west access. EP announced an invitation from Southcoast Equality Pride to ORPH Inc. to participate at their June 26 Custom House Square event as a 501C3 organization. Mayor Lang entered the Ashley Room meeting and participated in discussion at length. His comments included that not a meeting goes by that he does not mention The Orpheum; last night, advised CDM to grab [our] plans for the plaza; when talking with competing developers for a casino he insists on use of local theaters; in the interests of local control, we must help ourselves; 9C cuts equal $10 million, + 4% more or less; we should continue to showcase the Theatre; if we want a task force, tell, who do we want on it, what is the mission from City perspective and cite legitimacy; does not have knowledge we do; Orpheum Theatre is on a [proposed] list [of historic structures to save] with ice house, whale oil refinery, 6th Street Howland house, schooner Ernestina, Zeiterion, and Capitol Theater. SB inquired about national historic landmark application status. LG introduced [a very carefully done] video about Orpheum Theatre. Applause followed. Nearly complete, requiring color correction and sound sweetening, the work was produced since PHANTOMS of The Orpheum. The Lance Gunberg documentary is expected to be premiered at an upcoming Orpheum Rising event. end: 7:15 Colin Williams, Secretary, ORPH Inc.
ORPH Inc. meeting notes: March 25, 2010 at Gallery X with: John McCoy, Arthur P. Motta Jr,, Raymond Patenaude, Chuck Hauck, Colin Williams, Victor Fonseca, Claudia Ostiguy, Norman Barube, Pat Foley, Ricardo Romao-Santos, Liz Rapoza, Cheryl Johannssen, and Sam Barrows start: 6:04 A question at Board of Directors meeting about liability of officer and directors liability has been addressed by pro bono Attorney Lawrence Hunt of Partridge Snow & Hahn LLC. A 9-page description is available. Treasurer reported balance on hand and recent transactions, including payment being made to Paul & Dixon Insurance for general liability coverage for ORPH Inc. for April 2010 to April 2011. Conversation from a Monday meeting with Dean Tio of College of Visual & Performing Arts and Councilor Lopes of Ward 6, President, and Secretary was reported. [Remarks are encapsulated below.] CH gave an update for Governor's and V.I.P.'s visit: We still haven't heard back from Governor Patrick's office on date of visit which was scheduled for the week of May 22nd. That information will be sent out as soon as we have any confirmation. Be ready! We may have to act fast for set up. Discovery of tax status and liens of property known as Orpheum Theatre have become available. Planning grants from Massachusetts Cultural Council are not now [2010] available. It was suggested to make an overture to Theatre owner. Hanford Theater was referenced, this project has become frontispiece for Massachusetts Economic Development Council [sic]. It used to be that these features were industrial related. budget was cut less than was Massachusetts of Tourism was and than was Mass Development too. Our building was originally multi-use with retail shops at street level, and professional offices above, in addition to Sharpshooters (Le Club des Francs-Tireurs) uses and theater. RS It is important to also work independently of the idea of an arts technology school. SB Referencing the high school dropout rate suggested that this school may address that negative trend LR offered video footage of interviews given at Phantoms. A list of developers to collaborate with might be assembled. A model school in Rhode Island is the Pawtucket Armory renovated to accommodate the <http://www.psdri.net/webs/j_m_w/index.html>Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing and Visual Arts, a unit of the Pawtucket Public School system and the <http://www.gammtheatre.org/>Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre <http://www.armoryartsri.org/>www.armoryartsri.org/ Its always the case that theres not so much money. The business plan is important; legal control of [upper floors] is important. A capital campaign would be enabling. Theres a preservation summit shaping up in New Bedford, an event that ORPH Inc would want to present at. ORPH needs to be there. <http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100319/OPINION/3190338>http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100319/OPINION/3190338 South End Business Association involvement may be beneficial, Clarks Point Neighborhood Association too. To the issue of reformulating the end of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway (Route 18), the question was raised, can highway reinvestment dollars be used to the benefit of Orpheum? Last year none of the Massachusetts Historical Preservation preservation awards were in Bristol County. RP brought attention to the MACRIS inventory, Massachusetts Cultural Resources Information System; Orpheum does not contain an image and other data is absent. In the absence of Cultural Council funding, we may look outside the box, i.e to MGM, or to the Kennedy familys connection to RKO and the Orpheum circuit. end: 7:30 Colin Williams, Secretary, ORPH Inc. add: Perhaps the most salient point of this hour-long conversation is that the vocational arts school idea be developed with the intent of a curriculum with focus in arts technology. Cwms March 22 discussion notes vocational school versus magnet school ? just a high school, or middle school too? if to cater to inner city. based on that, debate public versus private models exist in multiple cities known as FAME schools; there are incubator models, i.e. Nativity Prep, Our Sisters School, Global Learning What could we do with all those pieces, and Voc Tech? Charter school takes $$ off of the City budget. This mayor, for one, doesnt like that. Charter schools are always searching for funding. vision plan, write it up to look 10 15 years out, relate to the community, to the arts looks like $30,000,000 million for this [larger, vocational arts high school incorporating several buildings] project. There are no more non-green schools. Costs are up 3 5%, but 8 12% savings in the long run. gotta do a white paper, make the talking points just a high school, or middle school too? what community space? Write it up, include arts technology; that gives the appetizing/enabling technology. There will be a need to put a cohort together. Star-Store building was a cohort of UMASS, WHALe, builder (Peabody) and ? . Orpheum might use CVPA or BCC, WHALE, builder/architect , and Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (?). BCC has a theater program, a performing arts program. An existing curriculum and existing classes [would help]. Planning grants are available from Department of Education, from Cultural Affairs. vision statement action plan Ask MCC to help with strategic planning in a half-day session mission statement.
ORPH Inc. meeting notes: February 25, 2010,
The Ashley Room, City Hall with:
Loretta Borque, Suzanne Braga, John McCoy, Armand Marchand,
Arthur P. Motta Jr, George Charbonneau, Raymond Patenaude,
Sara Bishop-Valentine, President Chuck Hauck, John, Liz, Katherine
Knowles, Victor Fonseca, Claudia Ostiguy, Norman Barube, Councilor
Joe Lopes, Lance Gunberg, Pat Foley, Randy Thomas, Diane Berube,
Chuck Dade, Vice-President Ricardo Romao-Santos start:
6:04 Chuck Hauck, President, spoke of the plan to give Governor
Deval Patrick a tour of Orpheum Theater in an upcoming visit
to the city. A partial recreation of PHANTOMS will be presented.
A luncheon banquet is being planned at Dennison Memorial (across
South Water Street from the west side of Orpheum).
City Councilor Lopes was invited to speak about the developing
inquiry of centering a vocational arts school around The Orpheum
Theatre. At City Councils asking, School Committee has taken
the proposal up for consideration. Councilor Lopes has had
conversations with Representatives Cabral, Koczera, and Quinn,
and with Dr Fletcher, about the Vocational model. Consensus
is favorable. More resources may be brought to the project,
if instead of exclusive to New Bedford students, the district
system were applied.
Nominations to ORPH Inc. Board of Directors were made to
the result that five persons have been elected: Paulo Baptista,
Patricia Foley, Lance Gunberg, Arthur P. Motta Jr., Raymond
Patenaude. Lance Gunberg is nearing completion of a video
presentation suitable for presentation to a VIP audience and
for development.
Chuck Hauck reported progress toward application to United
Way/ Community Building Mini-Grants Program for assistance
to stage and tour a photographic exhibit centering on Orpheum
Theatre contemporary, historic, and video images.
Ricardo Romao-Santos initiated discussion about about Route
18/JFK Highway Access Improvement Project, with the suggestion
that ORPH Inc should present a position.
http://www.newbedford-ma.gov/planning/route_18_2007PowerPoint.pdf
Concerns to Orpheum Theatre were mentioned about the high-speed
close-aboard traffic, about southend business and resident
access north, and about entry to and parking for Theatre.
An inquiry was made about what progress may have made in
application for the National Historic Register. WHALE has
been retained to initiate the formal process.
Membership invitation cards with envelopes were distributed
for the purposes of gaining additional ORPH members and for
renewing prior membership. Membership level Helper is made
for $25 or more. Contribution of 10 or more volunteer hours
is equivalent and accepted.
end: 7:15 Colin Williams, Secretary, ORPH Inc. 46 South 6th
Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740 Organized to preserve,
restore, and adapt The ORPHEUM Theatre at 1005 South Water
Street in New Bedford |
