Privately funded center likely to win city support

Stacy Brown

NEWPORT BEACH -- Councilman John Noyes told an Arts Commission meeting

Thursday that it was likely a privately funded project for a new arts and

education center would be approved and supported by the city.

“Nobody at the city wants to run or fund this,” Noyes said, adding that

the best scenario for council members to consider would be if the

anticipated $12 million needed to build the center was raised through

private donations.

An ad-hoc committee, made up of Arts Commission and Newport Beach Library

Board of Trustee members, is scheduled to meet Tuesday in an attempt to

settle on a specific plan to present to the City Council later this year.

Six proposed plans developed in subcomittee will be presented to ad-hoc

members. Three of the plans involve some form of city management.

“The gray area is where you talk about a piece of property that really

belongs to the people at large. That is something we have to be

emotionally aware of,” Noyes said.

One concern has been the fear of public backlash of an Arts Center being

built where a senior housing development plan was previously nixed.

“The opportunity to build senior housing there appears to have passed,”

said library Trustee Jim Wood. “However, we are only asking for less than

35% of the land, and we wouldn’t have a problem if they built senior

housing there.”

Funding has been at the forefront since news of the center became public.

As difficult as it may be to raise $12 million, the job may be tougher

than first thought.

The Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa is trying to raise

$200 million for its planned expansion, and it’s likely the same people

will be asked to donate money for the library project.

“It is competitive -- we are well aware of that,” Wood said. “But we

think our appeal is different. Ours is more of a community-based facility

that will primarily serve the people of Newport Beach.”

Noyes said it is important the ad-hoc committee and everyone involved in

the proposed Newport Beach arts and education center keep focused.

“What are we really trying to do?” he said. “Educate our kids and our

community to be more cultural, that’s our goal. The council wants to be

involved in this, and I feel the committee is on a roll now and should

keep moving forward.”