Charleston City Council gives green light to Gaillard overhaul

June 16, 2010

Charleston City Council on Tuesday endorsed Mayor Joe Riley's $142 million plan to overhaul the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, unanimously approving four contracts and putting some of the funding pieces in place.

The votes followed a presentation from Riley on why improvements and additions to the 1960s building are needed, as well as a public hearing in which residents and business representatives spoke in favor of and against the plan.

A majority of speakers supported the plan.

Helen Hill, executive director of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, was among those speaking in favor of the plan. She and her staff work daily to sell Charleston and its assets, she said, and the renovation will make it easier to sell the Gaillard Auditorium.

"I will tell you, it's really hard to sell the Gaillard right now," Hill said.

Several opponents of the plan said times are too tough to invest in a renovation now and that other city projects, such as neighborhood and sidewalks, need attention first.

Riley repeated a presentation he made to the community in early June proposing the extensive renovation.

"When it was built it was the only thing in the region," Riley said about the Gaillard Auditorium. "Barnum & Bailey had a circus on the stage."

Now, he said, the facility is uncompetitive with other large venues in the Charleston area. The exhibition hall is underutilized because it cannot be subdivided, isn't up to date and doesn't have food service. The performance hall is too large for most productions, and the acoustics are poor, Riley said.

"The magnificence of the sound is lost in the space," he said.

Riley said the plans will transform the Gaillard into a "world-class performance hall." Plans also call for adding city offices on the site for several departments now leasing space throughout the peninsula.

Riley has said now is the time to move forward because construction costs are down from recent years and because of a $20 million commitment from an anonymous donor.

The $142 million plan relies on an additional $50 million in private donations, yet to be found. The city's portion of the funding will not require a tax increase, Riley has said. Council members on Tuesday approved two contracts that will be funded by the anonymous private donor who has pledged $20 million.

At the donor's request, David M. Schwarz Architects will provide conceptual designs under a $4.6 million contract. Also at the donor's request, The Project Group Inc. will provide project management and cost estimations services under a $2.6 million contract.

City Council approved two additional contracts for the project, which it will fund using revenue from a tax increment financing district.

Earl Swenson Associates Inc. will provide detailed architectural plans under a $12.3 million contract. National Development Council will help the city utilize a relatively new form of federal tax credits under a $90,000 contract.

Also on Tuesday, City Council voted to extend the tenure of the King Street Gateway tax increment financing district, created in 1993, by 10 years to pay for about $30 million of the project costs. That district was set to expire in the next few years.

The city has asked Charleston County Council and the Charleston County School Board to authorize the extension of the tax district as well and allow the Gaillard Auditorium renovation to be eligible for the funding the district provides. By doing so, those local governments would be giving up future revenue for the sake of the project.

County Council voted last week to allow those changes. The school board has approved the inclusion of the project in the tax district, Riley said Tuesday, but has not yet decided whether it will give up its future tax dollars.

Riley said the school board's approval of the extension isn't required for the project to move forward but would be beneficial.

The county asked for the work to include 20% minority participation, which Riley said is the same standard the city already requires. During City Council's debate, several members asked that they receive monthly reports on minority participation.

Plans call for construction to being in August 2012 and for the facility, to be called Gaillard Center, to open in September 2014.