Hard Work Makes Palace Civic Center Become A Reality

   Editor's note: Any businessman would have questioned the wisdom of the whole project.  A small budget, an old building, a constant need for volunteers... How could a gamble on the Palace Civic Center ever pay off?  Yet with each new  season, the odds seem to be getting better.  Following is the second article in a  series.

   When Jamestown's Palace Civic Center became a reality back in 1982, the intensity of feeling of those behind it was very strong, according to Carol Svenson-Smith, the former public-relations chairwoman.

    Volunteers gave 100 percent, she said, but it was not quite enough.  A direction really had not yet been set, she explained.

    When the nature of that problem was recognized, said Judith Claire, the Programming Committee chairwoman, a board of directors was formed, and the goal became growth rather than simple survival.

    Projects such as the new Civic Center being set up at 116 E.  Third St. called for a lot of personal involvement, and one's life could be affected by the amount of time put into it.  Gene Danielson, the Palace's former house manager, noted  some of the early volunteers left because of financial or job-related demands.

    The turnover itself has not been much cause for alarm.  Board Chairman Julian Wright said there usually is a considerable turnover of volunteers for arts-management projects, and the rate at the Palace ahs been about average.

    Although the Civic Center's board of directors is responsible for keeping the center alive, the day-to-day administration of the facility is left up to the Chautauqua County Arts Association, its director, Philip Morris, and the theater manager, Patrick Gibson.

    But even today, the Palace relies heavily on its volunteers.  For a big event which runs three nights, about a dozen volunteers are needed each night.

    That being the case, as the Civic Center's fourth season gets under way, its management still is on the lookout for more manpower to help tend for the facility.

    "It's 1985, and you're operating in a 1914 building," noted John Sherwood, the Palace's former technical director. "We're doing amazing things with equipment that was meant for Vaudeville.  But we're getting the job done."

    The next major project at the Palace is the implementation of an architectural study.  The management hired theatrical consultants in structural engineering from New York and Los Angeles to look over the building.  After their study, the engineers came up with some new ideas to be added to the final draft of a report to the board of directors.

    Decisions on a new design for the facility, however, are based largely on public opinion - not made by the board of directors - Gibson said. 

    Within the past year, Palace officials have held four meetings with representatives of the groups using the theater.

    "We found they could think of many more things they want or need than we could think of.  We thought we'd covered all the bases, but we hadn't thought of the little stuff," Morris said.

    The Palace staff gets a general idea of what needs to be done during routine maintenance and repair rounds, but they do not actually use the facility, Gibson explained.

    As part of the upgrading process, a new sound system with mixing facilities was purchased.  The system, Morris said,  does not break down,  does not hum, and is far better than the "home stereo" in use before.

    Also purchased were chairs for the orchestra pit.  That means Palace volunteers no longer will have to search for seats for each performance. 

    Thanks to the insulation of the new roof, the Palace's utility costs have been cut costs about $15,000 since last year.

    Other physical improvements include the construction of basement men's and women's coat rooms.

    A small addition for the building's electrical and utility systems is to be constructed in the parking lot on Spring Street.  This will allow those operations to be removed from the stage area.

    A loading dock and ramp also are to  be built in the parking lot.

    Too help the public identify the center, a large, white banner was hung from the front of the building this winter.  This temporarily replaces the big blue sign, which had to be taken down in December 1983 because its supports had deteriorated.

    According to the Palace managers, a proper "green room" - a place where performers can relax while waiting offstage -also is to be built, because the current one is too small.  More bathrooms with showers are to be installed, too, and instead of many small dressing rooms, the Civic Center may have two or three large ones.

    Upstairs, a wall is to be built under the balcony to create more lobby space, lights on the stage are to be improved by electric rigging, and the box office is to be redesigned because it is too small.

    Gibson noted that even the "off months" of the Civic Center are filled with maintenance work.  The staff can be so busy during the year that  they do not have time to get all the necessary work done, such as cleaning the orchestra pit and pulling up the worn rug in the balcony, he said.

    The Palace's Long-Range Planning Committee is providing for a physical and financial plan to present to board of directors next month.  In the meantime, the Building Committee is meeting with Habiterra Associates to study the problems and the renovation plan which is to be reviewed by the board.

    In the midst of all that, the Programming Committee members are busy selecting what is to be presented this season.

    Danielson noted there are different styles of arts management.  The Palace's or business-oriented,  scheduling acts that would make money.

    The group, he said, has decided to go with the route that is more risky, but innovative.  And as a result, some things woek and some do not.

    Present and former officials of the Palace agreed that day-to-day management by the CCAA is working well.  Wright said that group and the board members are learning, and are becoming much more professional.

    Those interviewed noted there still are some growing pains, but they added many of those problems are not particular to the Palace.

01/16/2004