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UMF seeks appeals board variance for $5 million arts center

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Please note this clarification on an earlier story: The cost of the construction of the facility is expected to be $5 million, which will be funded through a $5 million anonymous donation specifically given to UMF to fund an arts center. Additionally, the university expects to fund the building’s operating costs through a capital campaign, according to a building committee member.

 FARMINGTON – University of Maine at Farmington’s proposed performing arts center in the heart of the campus will attempt to clear the first hurdle Wednesday, seeking to get a variance from the appeals board.

The Emery Community Arts Center would be located next to the Alumni Theater building, encircling the northern, Academy Street entrance as well as the western side of the popular “black box” styled theater. UMF wants the building, which will be chiefly paid for through a $5 million gift from an anonymous donor, to be built next to the Alumni Theater and Merrill Hall, which contains Nordica Auditorium, to form an “Arts Quad.”


The northeastern corner of the proposed arts center falls within 5 feet of the Farmington Public Library’s property line, the typical set back limit for this zone is 10 feet.

The construction of the 15,000 square foot facility would be on entirely university-owned property, consisting of the small parking lot on Academy Street and a landscaped area next to Merrill Hall. Thomas House, which was at one time the home for the area’s Head Start program and some of the smaller departments, was torn down in the summer of 2007 to make room for the center.

However, the current plan, which has been developed by DesignLAB Architects of Boston, would require that the new arts center’s eastern wall be built four feet away from land belonging to the Farmington Public Library.

This is a problem, because the town’s statute require 10-foot setbacks within the proposed facility’s Village/Residential zone. So UMF is looking for the appeals board to grant a variance, allowing the set back limitation to be waived.

This is the first of many meetings the university will likely need to go through before they can break ground. Planning board approval is required for construction to begin.

The building itself will consist of two stories, with a glass lobby area which will protect the aging Alumni Theater facade while still allowing people to look in. This sort of arrangement is a specialty of DesignLAB, which has built similar facilities for a number of universities and libraries.


The top drawing shows what the center could look like from Academy Street. This drawing shows what the center could look like from the campus’ central green area.

The center will also contain a 100-seat theater, two multi-purpose studio rooms, a digital studio and possibly a lounge area for art-related discussions. The rooms will be sound-proof so simultaneous rehearsals and performances can be scheduled.

The cost of the construction of the facility is expected to be $5 million, which will be funded through a $5 million anonymous donation specifically given to UMF to fund an arts center. Additionally, the university expects to fund the building’s operating costs through a capital campaign, according to a building committee member. Approval from the University of Maine System Board of Trustees will be sought at the September meeting, and then UMF will look to get approval to start construction from the Farmington Planning Board.

The center represents months of work by a committee of representatives from the Sandy River Players theater group and the Arts Institute, along with UMF president, Theodora Kalikow; Mary Sylvester, UMF’s director of advancement; UMF’s communications director Jennifer Eriksen, UMF’s facilities manager Bob Lawrence and senior UMF student Meghan Dzwak, a student in music and visual arts. The group has been meeting since the first of the year.


This is what the area looks like from Academy Street, currently.

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4 Comments

  1. Admin for Barb Marshall on March 14th, 2009 at 6:11 am edit:

    If it is just a glass lobby area that is too close to the library, why can’t the lobby be made in smaller proportions?
    It seems a shame to lose walking access to the library from that direction, as well as the art of the library’s architecture for a glass lobby. Being able to save the visual of the theatre is one thing, but lets not forget our beautiful library next door. Barb Marshall

  2. Admin for Taffy Davis on March 15th, 2009 at 1:22 pm edit:

    Although not opposed to the ECAC, the architect’s use of glass does not reflect Farmington’s historic district of stately homes and beautiful brick store fronts. Cutler Memorial Library and Merrill Hall (granite, copper, and brick) are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A 2-story glass building, in a historic district just does not recognize Farmington’s heritage. Placed in front of the Alumni Theatre (brick and granite) the glass does not have any harmony with surrounding buildings.
    By creating a drop off and pick up area in the current parking area behind Merrill Hall, there will be more traffic, which will bottle neck the traffic on Academy St. There is already a “difficult corner” with the turning traffic from Middle, High and Academy St.s, as well as a narrow driving lane, due to the parking along one side of Academy.
    Everyone in the community is proud of Farmington’s history, the historic district and buildings. Lets create harmony between old and new. Taffy Davis

  3. I’m just glad they’re no longer planning on tearing down Brinkman House or any other perfectly good building.

  4. Have they lost their minds–the plan for the ‘Performing Arts Center’ is an abomination!-only 100 seats -a huge lobby-huh??? why bother!! Is maladroit a sufficient description? This ‘glass menagerie’ would only be suitable for just that –animals. It is ugly and woefully inadequate for just about any kind of act I can think of. Somebody please stop this before it even gets started.

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