FARMINGTON — The Planning Board is set Monday to consider approval of the proposed construction of the Emery Community Arts Center on the University of Maine at Farmington campus.
The board will take up the site review application and soil erosion control/storm water management application at 7 p.m. Oct. 19 in the Planning Board meeting room, downstairs at the municipal building.
The design of the project, which underwent some changes after people voiced concerns, has been revamped.
The board did a site walk in late August to see the new proposal that eliminated a contemporary glass facade that would have encompassed the north portion of UMF’s Alumni Theater and brought the structure closer to the Farmington Public Library and UMF’s Merrill Hall.
The plans now call for a longer building running adjacent to the west side of Alumni Theater and Dearborn Gymnasium. The entrance to the center would be from the Academy Street side that will provide handicap access and a better, less congested lobby area for Alumni Theater.
Direct access to the center would be from a current parking lot behind the psychology building or what was a Methodist Church, and Brinkman House.
The plans still include a 100-seat multipurpose performance area, large barn doors opening onto the campus green — an area between university buildings on High and Main streets — and an art quad off Academy Street with a drop off/pickup loop.
One of the organizations previously concerned about the design’s affect on the historical buildings in the area was the Farmington Public Library Board of Trustees. The library is next to Alumni Theater and Merrill Hall.
However, trustees released a statement after review of the new design.
“The Farmington Public Library is grateful to the university and DesignLab Architects for responding to the concerns of library representatives and those of the community,” the statement said. “The proposed design of Emery Community Arts Center is one that the entire arts community can embrace and will be a benefit to the citizens of Farmington and surrounding areas.”
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