[NEohioPAL]Beck Center for the Arts Commits to Redevelop in Lakewood

Wed Oct 18 12:36:18 PDT 2006

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

October 18, 2006

For more information:

Yvette A. Hanzel, (216) 521-2540 ext. 225

Director of Marketing & External Affairs

=20

=20

=20

Beck Center for the Arts

Commits to Redevelop in Lakewood

=20

Lakewood - What began 75 years ago as Lakewood Little Theatre, the Beck
Center for the Arts, the most comprehensive non-profit arts and arts
education center serving Greater Cleveland, announced its plans today to
continue to call Lakewood home.

At a 2005 planning retreat, the Board of Directors, recognizing Beck's
aging inefficient facilities, decided to redevelop the arts education
and entertainment center in a unique well-suited location.  For more
than a year, a group of Board members have been exploring issues related
to what it will take to accomplish this; including selection of an ideal
location, raising the funds that will be needed, and design of the
facilities to serve the community's western suburbs well into the
future.=20

In committing to redevelop its facilities in Lakewood, the Board's
decision was based on a number of factors critical to the future of the
Beck Center:=20

*        A decision by the Lakewood City School District and the Beck
Center to expand their collaborative arts education initiative to
include the creation of an Arts and Communications Academy that will
serve students of the West Shore school districts in Lakewood, Bay
Village, Rocky River, and Westlake.

*        The enthusiastic leadership of the Mayor and City Council in
Lakewood to assist in the planning and development of new facilities for
the Beck Center; to fund the cost of creating the concept for an "arts
district" in Lakewood with the Beck Center as the anchor of this
district that is part of an existing neighborhood of retail shopping,
residential living and other commercial activity; and to do everything
possible to attract county, state and federal funding to underwrite a
portion of the cost of the redevelopment.

*        A commitment by Cox Communications to assist the Beck Center in
developing state-of-the-art communications and technical capability and
technical arts education classes in the new Cox Communications Learning
Center at Beck and at the Cox studios in Parma.=20

*        Lakewood's central location for Beck Center's theater patrons,
students and donors, the majority of whom reside in Lakewood, Cleveland,
Bay Village, Rocky River, and Westlake; and ease of access by public
transportation.=20

=20

The Board recognizes that it may be necessary to establish satellite
locations in order to adequately serve arts education and performance
audiences throughout these West Shore communities.  Planning for
additional sites will continue as part of the Beck Center's strategic
planning process.

            "We are committed to working with the Board and staff of
Beck Center to develop a new arts center in Lakewood that is one of the
finest in the country." says Mayor Thomas George.  "We will do
everything we can to help find the funding that is needed."

            "The district and its board members are very excited about
this education partnership." notes Dr. David Estrop, Superintendent of
the Lakewood City Schools. "By working together we plan to build on the
strength of the high quality programs each of us offers to provide
greater opportunities for students and their families."

 "Our Board is committed to strengthening the Beck Center through this
collaborative partnership." says Board Chairman, Frederick Unger.  "We
look forward to working closely with the City of Lakewood, the Lakewood
City School District and Cox Communications in developing the facilities
and programs that will be critical to fulfilling our mission of
educating and entertaining Greater Clevelanders well into the next 75
years."

A community forum will be scheduled to brief residents on Beck's
strategic planning process, as well as to update them on the creation of
a concept for an arts district in Lakewood.

###

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<h3 align=3Dleft style=3D'text-align:left'><b><font size=3D2 =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>FOR IMMEDIATE =
RELEASE:<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><st1:date Month=3D"10" Day=3D"18" Year=3D"2006" =
w:st=3D"on"><font
 size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>October 18,
 2006</span></font></st1:date><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>For more information:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Yvette A. Hanzel, (216) 521-2540 ext. =
225<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Director of Marketing & External =
Affairs<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter =
style=3D'text-align:center'><st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName
 w:st=3D"on"><b><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
  font-weight:bold'>Beck</span></font></b></st1:PlaceName><b><span
 style=3D'font-weight:bold'> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></span></b></st1:place><b><span
style=3D'font-weight:bold'> for the Arts<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><b><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Commits
to Redevelop in <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Lakewood</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></font></b><=
/p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></fon=
t></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%'><b><font size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;
font-weight:bold'>Lakewood </span></font></b>– What began 75 years =
ago as
Lakewood Little Theatre, the Beck Center for the Arts, the most =
comprehensive
non-profit arts and arts education center serving Greater <st1:City =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:place
 w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:place></st1:City>, announced its plans today =
to
continue to call <st1:City w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Lakewood</st1:place></st1:City>
home.<o:p></o:p></p>

At a
2005 planning retreat, the <st1:PersonName =
w:st=3D"on">Board</st1:PersonName> of
Directors, recognizing Beck’s aging inefficient facilities, =
decided to
redevelop the arts education and entertainment center in a unique =
well-suited
location.  For more than a year, a group of <st1:PersonName =
w:st=3D"on">Board</st1:PersonName>
members have been exploring issues related to what it will take to =
accomplish
this; including selection of an ideal location, raising the funds that =
will be
needed, and design of the facilities to serve the community’s =
western
suburbs well into the future. <o:p></o:p>=

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%'>In
committing to redevelop its facilities in <st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Lakewood</st1:City>,
the Board’s decision was based on a number of factors critical to =
the
future of the <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Beck</st1:PlaceName>
 <st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>: =
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:
150%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><font size=3D3 =
face=3DSymbol><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Symbol'><span
style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>·<font size=3D1 face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font:7.0pt "Times New =
Roman"'>       
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]>A decision by the Lakewood =
City
School District and the Beck Center to expand their collaborative arts
education initiative to include the creation of an Arts and =
Communications
Academy that will serve students of the West Shore school districts in
Lakewood, Bay Village, Rocky River, and Westlake.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:
150%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><font size=3D3 =
face=3DSymbol><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Symbol'><span
style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>·<font size=3D1 face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font:7.0pt "Times New =
Roman"'>       
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]>The enthusiastic leadership =
of the
Mayor and City Council in Lakewood to assist in the planning and =
development of
new facilities for the Beck Center; to fund the cost of creating the =
concept
for an “arts district” in Lakewood with the Beck Center as =
the
anchor of this district that is part of an existing neighborhood of =
<st1:PersonName
w:st=3D"on">retail</st1:PersonName> shopping, residential living and =
other
commercial activity; and to do everything possible to attract county, =
state and
federal funding to underwrite a portion of the cost of the =
redevelopment.<o:p></o:p></p>

<![if !supportLists]>·       
<![endif]>A commitment by Cox =
Communications
to assist the <st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Beck</st1:PlaceName> =
<st1:PlaceType
w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType> in developing state-of-the-art =
communications
and technical capability and technical arts education classes in the new =
<st1:PlaceName
w:st=3D"on">Cox</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Communications</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Learning</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType>
at Beck and at the Cox studios in <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Parma</st1:City></st1:place>.
<o:p></o:p>

<![if !supportLists]>·       
<![endif]>Lakewood’s central =
location
for Beck Center’s theater patrons, students and donors, the =
majority of
whom reside in Lakewood, Cleveland, Bay Village, Rocky River, and =
Westlake; and
ease of access by public transportation. <o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-left:.5in'><font size=3D3 =
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%'>The <st1:PersonName
w:st=3D"on">Board</st1:PersonName> recognizes that it may be necessary =
to
establish satellite locations in order to adequately serve arts =
education and
performance audiences throughout these <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName
 w:st=3D"on">West</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">Shore</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
communities.  Planning for additional sites will continue as part =
of the <st1:place
w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Beck</st1:PlaceName> =
<st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>’s
strategic planning process.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:200%'><font size=3D3 =
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%'>    &nbsp=
;       “We are committed
to working with the <st1:PersonName w:st=3D"on">Board</st1:PersonName> =
and staff
of <st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Beck</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType>
to develop a new arts center in <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Lakewood</st1:City></st1:place>
that is one of the finest in the country.” says Mayor Thomas =
<st1:PersonName
w:st=3D"on">George</st1:PersonName>.  “We will do everything =
we can to help
find the funding that is needed.”<font color=3Dblue><span =
style=3D'color:
blue'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>

&=
nbsp; “The district and its board members
are very excited about this education partnership.” notes Dr. =
David Estrop, Superintendent of the =
Lakewood
City Schools. “By working together we plan to =
build on
the strength of the high quality programs each of us offers to provide =
greater
opportunities for students and their families.”<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%'> “Our
<st1:PersonName w:st=3D"on">Board</st1:PersonName> is committed to =
strengthening
the <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Beck</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
 w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> through this =
collaborative
partnership.” says <st1:PersonName =
w:st=3D"on">Board</st1:PersonName> Chairman,
<st1:PersonName w:st=3D"on">Fred</st1:PersonName>erick Unger.  =
“We look
forward to working closely with the City of <st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Lakewood</st1:City>,
the <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Lakewood</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
 w:st=3D"on">City</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">School =
District</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
and Cox Communications in developing the facilities and programs that =
will be
critical to fulfilling our mission of educating and entertaining Greater
Clevelanders well into the next 75 =
years.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%'>A
community forum will be scheduled to brief residents on Beck’s =
strategic
planning process, as well as to update them on the creation of a concept =
for an
arts district in <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Lakewood</st1:City></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>=

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter =
style=3D'text-align:center;line-height:200%'><font
size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%'>###<o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

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