A small project, but a nice example of some of the restoration and reuse projects occuring. It's called the Irving building, and it used to house the Mesa Arts Center (see above); it's on Center St., in DT Mesa.
Restored Historic Irving goes Artsy
Josh Kelley
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 14, 2007 05:31 PM
The Creative and Performing Arts Department for Mesa Public Schools soon will move downtown into Historic Irving, the former home of the Mesa Arts Center and the oldest standing school building in the district.
The building was constructed in 1934 and is undergoing a $3.4 million renovation intended to make the design and landscaping as close to that of the original structure as possible. The renovation at 155 N. Center Street is scheduled for completion in mid-May, and the arts department plans to move in over the summer.
"We're excited. It's a beautiful building. It's got soul," said Rod Castillo, director of Creative and Performing Arts. "We anticipate we'll have a great deal more access and use because teachers will be able to find us."
The arts department offers teachers resources, including art kits, materials for projects, cultural artifacts, traveling exhibits and prints used by volunteers to teach elementary children about art masterpieces. But to get to the building where those supplies are stored, teachers must trek through a parking lot of buses at the district's large complex at Stapley and University drives. Now those supplies will be moved into the 26,000-square-foot Historic Irving.
"It also puts us downtown in the arts district, if you will," Castillo said. "It's just a natural good place for us to be."
The building will provide storage space for donated musical instruments and meeting space for in-service training.
There is a small auditorium that has been refurbished and seats 120 to 140. It likely will be used for performances by the district's harp ensemble and possibly for oratory events such as poetry readings.
"We feel that's a great compliment to the downtown area as far as completing the arts center and art galleries and everything that's happening downtown in Mesa," said Jill Benza, assistant superintendent for business and support services.
Years ago, the district stopped using Historic Irving as a school and let the city take over the building with the understanding that it would be returned to the district if the city stopped using it, Benza said. When the new Mesa Arts Center opened, the building was vacated, allowing the district to retake it.
"We put a lot of effort into putting it back the way it was when it was new," said Dennis Gearhart, the district's construction director. "It's part of the historic society."
The original wood flooring was left in place and sanded and re-finished. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems were upgraded, including the air conditioning. Window panes were replaced but the original frames were kept as was the building's concrete trim. Old photos were used to restore original color and landscaping.
Gearhart said the cost of restoring the building's original features was minimal.
"We just did the research," he said.
pulled from www.azcentral.com