It could be years before the Gilroy Interim Center for the Arts
is torn down and transformed into a scintillating glass edifice,
but who says temporary has to be terrible?
It could be years before the Gilroy Interim Center for the Arts is torn down and transformed into a scintillating glass edifice, but who says temporary has to be terrible?
“This place was a dump. It will be a nice clean up for 10 years. It makes the place useable,” said Neil Mussallem of Sierra Green Construction, Inc., the general contractor hired through a $135,000 donation from garlic moguls Don and Karen Christopher.
Prior to a commemorative celebration in the Christopher’s honor Thursday evening, Mussallem gave a tour of the renovated building at 7341 Monterey St. The Center serves as a showcase for local artists, a performance house for the Limelight Actor’s Theater and facility for monthly community shindigs.
Thanks to the Christophers – who took note of the Center’s humble appearance during a past visit – the building has new flooring, fresh coats of paint, an added storage room, an American Disabilities Act compliant bathroom, brand-new lighting fixtures and a convenient coffee bar with crisp red cabinetry, a dishwasher, sink and plenty of counter space for hosting large-scale receptions.
The parking lot outside – formerly a dust bowl serving as home to the Gilroy Farmers’ Market every Sunday – is now paved in blacktop asphalt.
“I came by a week ago looking for the parking lot. And there wasn’t one,” chuckled Don Christopher, who is pleased with the expeditious renovations that took less than three months to finish.
The upgrades give the center a much “grander feel,” said Don. His wife, Karen, described the difference as “night and day.”
Their contributions also funded a prominent marquee to notify passersby of headlining exhibits, plays and events.
When the Gala kicked off Thursday night, attendees raved about the makeover, which some described as “clean,” “fresh,” “professional” and “inviting.”
GAA board member Clara Fayette gushed, “it looks gorgeous, compared to what it used to be,” while Carol Peters, a local artist and former Christopher High School art teacher, called the renovation “a shot in the arm for the arts community.”
Any time there’s a flourishing city, the arts are a vital constituent, she said.
While some have questioned, “why put any effort into a center that’s an interim?” attendee Dia Hoshida counters, “take what you got, and go with, baby.”
The City of Gilroy plans to tear down the Interim Center and erect in its place a $25 million, permanent Center for the Arts, which will be constructed largely of glass. In that time lapse, at least, Hoshida pointed out local talent such as Lesley Gadsby have a comfortable, attractive and aesthetically inviting hub to show their work and keep the momentum strong.
“There really hasn’t been any place to exhibit until now,” said Gadsby, whose stunning oil and acrylic paintings emblazoned the center’s white walls with dreamy cityscapes of fiery color. This is the first time Gadsby’s creations have been on public display.
Kevin Heath, GAA director and Limelight’s founder, agrees: Local arts supporters have been trying to establish a sense of place since the ’70s, so “we’re making the best of it as we go,” he said. “Nothing’s stopping us now.”
The renovations, he added, are like “getting a bit of the wish to come true,” while GAA and community members work toward their “Cinderella castle.”
