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Glenn & Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center facts for kids
| Glenn & Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center | |
|---|---|
Southeast corner
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| Former names | Trinity Lutheran Church |
| General information | |
| Type | Arts center |
| Location | Hillsboro, Oregon, United States |
| Coordinates | 45°31′22″N 122°58′55″W / 45.52278°N 122.98194°W |
| Construction started | 1947 |
| Completed | 1949 |
| Owner | City of Hillsboro |
| Landlord | Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Floor area | 15,664 square feet (1,455.2 m2) |
The Glenn & Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center is a cool place in downtown Hillsboro, Oregon. It's a spot where you can enjoy different kinds of art and performances. The center opened in 2004. It's inside a beautiful red stone building that was built in 1949. This building used to be a Lutheran church. The city of Hillsboro owns this three-story building. They run it through their Parks and Recreation Department.
The Walters Cultural Arts Center has space for art shows. It also has classrooms where you can learn about art. There's even a big hall that can seat 200 people for shows. The building has two floors above ground and one basement level. In total, it has about 15,664 square feet (1,455.2 m2) of space. You can find it on East Main Street. The Washington County Courthouse and the Hillsboro Civic Center are nearby. The center is named after Glenn and Viola Walters. They were a local couple who gave $1 million to help create this amazing place. Their gift helped buy the building and pay for its big makeover.
Contents
How the Arts Center Began
From Church to Art Hub
The building where the art center is now used to be a church. It was home to the Trinity Lutheran Church congregation. This church group started way back in 1917. They got their first church building in 1923. By the 1940s, the church needed a bigger place. So, in 1941, they bought land on Fifth Avenue and East Main Street in downtown Hillsboro.
A rock quarry in Camas, Washington, offered the church a special deal. They could have as much red rock as they wanted for just $1,000. The church only had to pay to move the rock to Hillsboro. Building the new church started in 1947. It was finished and ready in 1949. By the late 1990s, the Trinity Lutheran Church needed even more space. They began building a brand new church campus in another part of the city.
A New Purpose for the Old Building
The church didn't want their old building to be torn down. They also didn't want to sell it to just anyone. At the same time, the city of Hillsboro was looking for a place for an arts center. The idea for a community arts and culture center was part of the city's "Hillsboro 2020 Vision." This plan was made in 2000. It aimed to make Hillsboro a better place to live.
In November 2000, Hillsboro bought the church building. They paid $1.325 million for it. Most of this money came from a generous gift. Glenn and Viola Walters donated $1 million to the city in 1999. They wanted to help pay for an arts center. The Walters family had earned their money from running a plant nursery in the area.
Making the Dream a Reality
The city hoped to open the new arts center in late 2001. But there were some delays. Later, they aimed for late 2002. Finally, in December 2002, work began to change the church into an arts and culture center. WaterLeaf Architecture & Interiors designed all the changes. The building sits on a large lot, about 54,648 square feet (5,077.0 m2) in size.
The renovations included many updates. They added a new roof and created a new main entrance. An elevator was also put in. To make the new entrance, workers carefully removed some of the hand-quarried stone walls. This made a window opening larger. The remodeling also made the building safer in case of earthquakes. It also made the building easier for everyone to use, following the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). City officials wanted to keep the old charm of the building.
The total cost for all the renovations was $2.4 million. The city paid for 60% of these costs. Some money for the center came from selling special bricks to the public. These bricks were then used in the outdoor areas.
Opening Day and Beyond
The Glenn & Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center officially opened on March 16, 2004. The total cost for the whole project, including buying the building, was about $3.5 million. The center gets money to operate from the city and from fees people pay to use it. In 2009, a new classical music concert series started there. A book club about arts and culture also began. In April 2010, the Oregon Mandolin Orchestra played their first concert at the center.
Exploring the Building
The center is located on Main Street at Fifth Avenue in downtown Hillsboro. It's just two blocks from the Hillsboro Central/3rd Avenue Transit Center MAX light rail station. The building covers 15,664 square feet (1,455.2 m2) of space. Inside, you'll find five classrooms, a lobby, and meeting rooms. There's also a box office, an art gallery, and a large auditorium. The main parts of the building have beautiful rock walls. The auditorium has high, arched ceilings and colorful stained-glass windows. The building used to have a stone chimney. But during the renovation, the chimney was removed. An elevator was put in its place to meet ADA rules.
The center is shaped like a "T" and has three levels. The basement level has classrooms. These are used for art classes like pottery, sculptures, and ceramics. The second floor has the exhibition gallery space. This is where visual art shows are held. There are also multipurpose rooms on this floor. On the main level is the 2,000-square-foot (190 m2) auditorium. This used to be the church's main worship area. The auditorium can seat up to 200 people. It's used for concerts, talks, plays, and other events.
Outside, there's a garden and a lawn area to the east. There's also a small stage outside. This stage is used for outdoor events like summer concerts when the weather is nice. A new wheelchair ramp was added to the east side. This is where the new entrance was created. The building also has two outdoor terraces and a kitchen area inside.
What Happens at the Center
The Walters Cultural Arts Center was planned to help downtown Hillsboro grow. It works with the Hillsboro Civic Center to bring more people to the area. This center is the city's first building just for art. City leaders hoped it would attract artists and art lovers. They also hoped it would encourage art studios to open nearby. The goal was to have art festivals and events that would bring people downtown. Before, most businesses closed by 6:00 p.m. when workers left for the day. The center can also be rented out for private parties and events.
Many different types of performances happen at the Walters Cultural Arts Center. You can see opera, folk music, country music, and spoken word acts. This includes poetry readings and lectures. Art exhibits have featured themes like "Organic" and "Questioning Functionality." These shows have included different art forms. You might see interior design, crafts, sculptures, and fine art.