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SYRACUSE -ÊSyracuse Park Department, along with Prince Alexander Architects Inc., is proceeding with phase two of the design development services for the community center project.
Park Department Superintendent Susan Neff said Monday the department has the preliminary architectural drawings. User costs for the various groups who may want space in the building also have been tabulated.
The community center committee is meeting with the groups to present projected costs and to determine whether the group wishes to retain their square footage. The groups may reduce the footage or withdraw from the project altogether.
"We've been meeting with them for quite a while," Neff said. She said the department has had public meetings on the project during the past several months.
The building design will be altered according to what the various groups decide. The community center will be at Lakeside Park on Long Drive, Syracuse. The park itself has 7-1/2 acres. An additional four acres of land were donated. Not all the land will be used.
"We want to keep some of the space as nice, green land," Neff said.
She said they hope to be done with phase two by March 31.
"If there's any other groups that think they want to be a part of the building, they need to get ahold of us right away," Neff said.
Several groups are interested in being a part of the community center, she said.
"As of yet, the museum wants to, but they don't have the money to keep how much space they want," she said.
While there is no real commitment yet from any particular group, Neff said, they really don't expect any until the end of March.
The park department will go ahead with construction even if no groups commit to the building. Neff said groundbreaking may occur in 2000.
"We've been needing to replace the restrooms and concession building," she said.
A garage and an indoor multi-purpose pavilion also will be added. The pavilion, once built, will be rented out for weddings, birthdays or other occasions.
The current projected cost of the community center is $2.6 million, provided all the groups remain interested. Neff said the park department has already applied for Build Indiana Funds. As it gets closer to deadlines for other grants, Neff said, the department will apply for those, too. They also have had discussions with local foundations.
Once they get past phase two, phase three will include fine tuning the details, Neff said.
Any group interested in joining the community center project can contact the park department at 457-3440.
Their website is www.syracuseparks.org.
