By Matt Smith/msmith@trcle.com
—
The Building of America Network selected the recently opened Cleburne Conference Center as one of its Building of America award winners.
The award, according to a BOAN press release, “Honors the country’s most innovative, unique and challenging projects, projects that are particularly noteworthy, or that give back to their respective communities.”
Cleburne Assistant City Manager Rick Holden dubbed the recognition a great achievement for the city, and a wonderful way to spread word of the center far and wide.
“It’s very nice that someone from outside our area recognized the value of the conference center,” Holden said. “Carl Watson [Cleburne tourism director] has already forwarded the release article they put out to a number of associations he deals with that have an interest in conference centers. So, this is a great promotional tool for us, to get word of the conference center and what Cleburne has to offer out there, that doesn’t cost us anything.”
BOAN, based in Michigan, began publishing in 1996.
The organization awards projects that represent the best in renovation and new construction in a variety of categories. Those categories include commercial, retail, mixed use, historical renovation, health care, education, religion, governmental and others.
The network strives to bring owners, designers and construction companies nationwide together by profiling new construction and renovation projects in a case-study format. The idea being to inspire ideas and provide a tool whereby builders and owners can learn from the experience of others on other projects.
BOAN’s website contains more than 50,000 links and receives millions of searches each year.
The Cleburne Conference Center project grew out of a desire to renovate the existing Cleburne Civic Center and add to it.
The existing building received upgrades to the exhibit hall, kitchen and office areas. Additions included a lobby area and a 10,000 square foot exhibit hall. Also added into the center is the new Cleburne Performing Arts Center, a sloped-floor theatre containing 297 seats and a fully functioning stage and sound and lighting system.
City officials hope the conference center will attract local use, and inspire out-of-town residents to book the center for seminars, conferences and other events.
The performing arts center stages productions by the Greater Cleburne Carnegie Players and a host of other cultural and entertainment events.
City funds paid for renovations to the existing building. The additions, and the performing arts center, were funded by the Cleburne 4B Economic Development Corporation. 4B, a city sales tax increase approved by voters in 2002, funds quality-of-life projects for the city.
“The new space, in conjunction with the existing building’s modifications, will give the city the capability to host larger and more diverse types of events,” said Richard Williams, principal for GSBS Architects, who designed the renovations. “One of the main design goals for the project was to create a facility that can accommodate several functions of varying sizes both independently and simultaneously.”
Holden said the recognition comes as somewhat, though not a total, surprise.
“We had indication a few months ago from Harrison, Walker and Harper [the center’s contractor] that they had been approached by BOAN,” Holden said. “They [HWH] asked us for some information regarding the project, which they submitted to BOAN for review.”
On the web:
www.buildingofamerica.com
