By: Liz Monnier
Our space that we call home was once the Western Union Telegraph office, later a warehouse for Dad’s Root beer and then Doubleday Brothers Printing Company. A cistern was discovered under what is now Cinema Center’s theatre. And believe it or not the building sits on the site of the original Fort Wayne. So, yes there have been reports of friendly spirits visiting our hallways now and then! Before we all moved in during the fall of 1991 both floors of the building were entirely open with a huge steel beam diagonally supporting the building from the south lower to the north upper. Hall Community Arts Center was dedicated in memory of William and Sarah Niezer Hall in 1992. Arch’s office was located in what we now call our Crayon Room. Artlink had their gallery in the lower part shared with Cinema Center and we all kept a calendar of meeting dates sharing the conference room upstairs. With Artlink and Arch moving to new spaces, we rarely needed the conference room and for years the Fort Wayne Dance Collective has been advocating for an elevator.
So, we are thrilled that the renovation work is done and now it’s time to play. With this new 2nd floor lobby we are making lots of plans to make it a welcoming and functional space. Soon there will be television monitors linked to cameras in the studios so parents no longer need to be crowded at the end of the hall to watch their young dancers. Within a few days, new chairs will arrive and we’ll have cubbies for students to stash their shoes and belongings. Cassie is working on a fresh new bulletin board, and look for more surprises as the fall season continues. Special thanks to Anthony Wayne Services Foundation and Arts United for their generous funding to support these wonderful changes to our space! Some of the changes and additions are also due to a grant from the Foellinger Foundation including a marley dance floor that we’ll use for in house and off-site performances, additional instruments for Fort Wayne Taiko and the wonderful new computers we now have in the office! If you haven’t been to 437 East Berry Street please stop by and see how the walls have come down and feel free to share your thoughts and about this new space!