Facility could be open for classes by April

The idea of an Eden Prairie Art Center became a reality last year thanks to a generous gift from the Sampson family. This year started out with another generous gift from that same family –  $35,000 to help open that new Art Center.

Last year, around this time, the city announced the Sampson family would be willing to donate a facility that could function as the city Art Center. The building was the studio of Roger Sampson, a retired businessman with a talent for glasswork and a passion for art.

Roger Sampson passed away in 2006, but his family wanted to honor his legacy with the donation of the 5,400-square-foot building at 7650 Equitable Drive. The city of Eden Prairie accepted that gift last spring and appointed a taskforce to start planning possible programs. The hope had been to open the facility by this January, but those plans changed when the council opted to hold off funding renovations of the facility this fall to see if the donated funds could cover the costs of bringing the building up to code.

The city did fund an expansion of the facility’s parking lot to add 26 stalls – a capital cost of $91,000. Meanwhile, a fundraising group, Friends of the Art Center, formed to bring in funding, but found that donors were hesitant to fund the facility until it was open.

The donation of $35,000 from Elaine Sampson and Family was accepted during Tuesday’s council meeting. About $29,000 of the funds should cover the renovation (which includes adding a second bathroom). Any remainder would go to art-making equipment such as kilns or pottery wheels.

The donation “puts us past a couple hurdles,” noted Parks and Recreation Director Jay Lotthammer, in an interview.

One of those hurdles is that the Friends of the Art Center has heard from other organizations that would be willing to donate but only with the contingency that the facility be open.

“It also gets us to the point where we would be able to hold classes in the building.”

That’s a critical point, he added, because what other communities have seen is,  “When you have that Art Center it really gives you a boost.”

During Tuesday’s meeting Council Member Kathy Nelson had a similar thought.

Once open, “I think the money will start coming in,” she said.

The Friends of the Art Center has already received an $8,500 donation from the Eden Prairie Foundation that could be used for pottery equipment. The group is in the process of seeking grants from a number of organizations and will be holding a fundraiser this January.

Lotthammer told council members that it was estimated that it would cost $83,000 for the interior renovations. But Lotthammer met with the contractor and whittled it down to $29,000 – enough to bring the building up to code, but not make additional improvements such as replacing the garage area with more of a storefront.

Lotthammer said they would be able to teach classes in potentially pottery, painting and drawing  and would not need to draw any additional capital costs from the city. He estimated it could be open for classes by April.

“I’m quite excited about being able to get this open to the public,” said Nelson.