Concerned residents pitched the Center for Visual and Performing Arts as a good fit for the Munster Parks and Recreation Department, which could host more community programming and benefit from the momentum of an energized group of supporters.
But a Munster Town Council member cautioned that a town purchase would not be a "slam dunk" and would be "a big decision."
Dozens of residents turned out for the third straight Town Council meeting to comment on the future of the art center at 1040 Ridge Road. They proposed surrounding it with a garden of native plants, pursuing public-private partnerships and seeking grants and state READI funds.
But Town Council President David Nellans warned residents not to get too optimistic about a town intervention to stop the School Town of Munster from buying the property and turning part of it into an administration office.
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"With respect to the arts center, it's still under contract and under program with the School Town of Munster," he said. "All we're doing is fielding questions and comments about what you feel about things. We have both pros and cons. The art center is a very big decision if the Town of Munster is even able to look at it. There's due diligence and appraisals. It's not a slam dunk if it comes our way. It may not be readily available for us to acquire, in all honesty. Let's keep that in mind."
Four residents spoke out against the town acquiring the Center for Visual and Performing Arts at the meeting. Hundreds of residents have emailed the town or have spoken at council meetings asking for it to take some action to preserve the arts center that's served as a cultural hub for the last 35 years.
The town received 49 emails in support of the town investigating a purchase, or some other intervention, and four emails not in support since the last Town Council meeting, Clerk-Treasurer Wendy Mis said.
Opponents raised concerns about the potential cost of such a purchase. The CVPA has been appraised at $10.7 million and School Town of Munster Superintendent Bret Heller said the Community Foundation's asking price was just $5.5 million because it was looking to exit the theater and events business.
"We do not need to spend millions on this building," David Gold said.
Tom Jurich said the town should have higher priorities, like taking care of roads, maintaining adequate police staffing and making sure water lines don't break.
"No one has any idea of how much this is going to cost," he said. "The town has that clubhouse in Centennial Park. How's that working out? It's a sinkhole both literally and figuratively."
Heller has said the school was reaching out to the town about the Center for Visual and Performing Arts since so many members of the public asked the town to buy it to keep it going as an arts center. The school district is looking at turning part of it into administrative offices while maintaining at least some of the arts programming, though it's not interested in staging events, which likely would mean curtains for the Theatre at the Center and Trama Catering.
Heller said last week the school would see what the town was interested in doing, as its impression had been it was the only potential buyer.
Linda Johnson said the overwhelming majority of people just want to see the Center for Visual and Performing Arts stay and maintain the same programming. She asked why the school had not surveyed the community and parents to ask them their opinions.
"I hope and pray the Town of Munster in some way finds it in their heart to give it a shot."
Carol Moore said it would be a big mistake for the School Town of Munster to acquire the building, saying it was supposed to educate children and not run an arts center.
"It fits logically with the parts department programs they're running," she said. "Don Powers built it specifically to house the South Shore Arts. If that building is sold, lots of businesses are going to be hurt by losing that building. It gives us something to be proud of."
Marie Arteaga, general manager for Trama Catering, said the ballroom hosted nine different events over the weekend.
"We're working 12-hour to 16-hour days," she said. "We're hosting another nine events this week alone. The CVPA belongs here in Munster. Look at what happened after they shuttered the Star Plaza. In the years after, businesses closed and restaurants suffered."
Tracie Martin suggested planting a wildflower garden around it and using it to host more events like young professional cocktail hours and daddy-daughter date nights. She said grant-writers could help secure the funding.
"You can mobilize the energy of the Save the CVPA Group, which could become the Friends of the CVPA Group," she said. "There are so many people who love that theater and the programs and the art classes and would volunteer."
Many communities like Carmel, Fishers, Shipshewana, Elkhart and Lake Forest maintain arts centers, Carolyn Jacobs said.
"The fanciest suburbs and nice communities are investing in the arts," she said. "They see it as economic development. You can go after grants like from the Indiana Destination Development Corporation and READI. We don't want this to turn into a second Star Plaza."
The town is currently taking a wait-and-see approach.
"It's a long road," Nellans said. "There's not a freeway to the top. We appreciate all your comments. It's something where we have to see what happens."
A look back at Northwest Indiana businesses that closed in 2023
A look back at Region businesses that closed in 2023
Beer Geeks, one of the Region's first, most beloved and most influential craft beer bars, closed after more than a decade and is being reimagined as a new concept.
The landmark 88-year-old castle-shaped White Castle in Whiting is coming down to be replaced with a newer, larger, more modern White Castle restaurant.
A longtime staple in downtown Crown Point poured its last drink.
The longtime Westforth Sports gun shop is closing.
The Silver Line Building Products plant at 16801 Exchange Ave. will be shuttered permanently.
Brewfest in Highland will close in what's been called "an end of an era."
David's Bridal filed for bankruptcy and could close all stores if no buyer emerges to save it.
The 88-year-old Whiting White Castle will be remembered with displays at museums in two different states.
For years, the "millionaire's club" met every morning in the corner booth of the historic 88-year-old White Castle at Indianapolis Boulevard and 119th Street in downtown Whiting. The landmark restaurant served its final slider Tuesday.
One of Northwest Indiana's most popular and enduring hobby shops is looking for a buyer after the longtime owner died.
J&L This N That Consignment Shop, a popular thrift store, closed in downtown Whiting after a run of several years.
A Calumet Region institution, Calumet Fisheries on the far South Side of Chicago, is temporarily closed after failing a city health inspection.
Just days after reopening after city health inspectors shut it down, Calumet Fisheries suffered a major fire.
Pepe's Mexican Restaurant is no mas in Valparaiso.
Beer Geeks in Highland rebranded as B-Side Bar & Lounge and then closed within a few months.
Troubled retailer Bed Bath and Beyond will permanently close its Valparaiso location as it shutters more stores nationwide as it looks to restructure and shrink its footprint to save the struggling business.
Peoples Bank has shuttered its branch in downtown Hammond.
Viking Artisan Ales will soon pour its last craft beer at its Merrillville taproom.
Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom is closing after 15 years at one of Northwest Indiana's most prominent highway interchanges.
The Chicago Auto Show, the nation's largest auto show, returns to McCormick Place Saturday, running through Feb. 19.