At the old Salz Tannery, the commercial leather manufacturer that made the luggage used by President Harry S. Truman, they were called the Tanyard Building and the Beam House building. At the Tannery Arts Center, the creative epicenter that the Santa Cruz Redevelopment Agency is cultivating on the 8.2-acre former factory grounds, they will be called the Digital Media and Creative Arts Center.
This fall will see the rollout of the second component of the Tannery—28 artist workspaces varying in size from 300 to 3,000 square feet. (The first component, live/work loft spaces for artists on a tight budget, opened in 2009.) The two buildings required major renovations—structural work, electrical, heating and new floors—that have taken more than 18 months to complete. Now they’re ready for tenants, and the development partner, Minneapolis-based Artspace, is working to narrow down the list of prospects from people who’ve been lined up for a couple of years.
“We are now in the process of talking with some of the folks who have been interested for several years in occupying spaces within the studios, and taking that interest and translating it into folks who are ready to lease space,” says Greg Handberg, Senior Vice President for Properties.
Before artists can move in, though, Artspace must finalize the terms of a lease that will allow the developer to operate the property on behalf the Santa Cruz Redevelopment Agency, which owns the property.
The project was buffeted by several setbacks: the economic downturn has made it more difficult for nonprofits like Artspace to get funding, and the debate over funding for redevelopment agencies also presented a significant obstacle. At this point, though, “We’re very close to signing,” says Katherine Donovan with the city’s redevelopment office. All parties expect the lease agreement to be finalized by Oct. 1.
The third and final component of the project, a performing arts complex set to include a fully-equipped 230-seat theater that will house the Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre and a restaurant, is still in the fundraising stages. Construction on that project is expected to start in a year and a half.