History
The area stretching from the eastern shore of Lake Washington to the Cascade foothills and from Mill Creek south to Renton has grown to become a vibrant, thriving region with over 600,000 residents—nearly equal in population to Seattle. The Eastside is the home of a vigorous business community, including five of the largest public companies in Washington. Eastside residents are among the most affluent and best educated in the nation. Bellevue is rapidly emerging from its historical status as a suburban adjunct to Seattle, becoming a significant city in its own right. Market research on the Eastside in 2004 showed a strong desire for PACE. According to Hebert Research, a nationally acclaimed market research firm, Eastside audiences increasingly demand convenient access to high quality entertainment on this side of the Lake [Hebert Research results]. This flourishing urban center needs a cultural facility to serve residents who, according to professional marketing surveys, are reluctant to endure the traffic and travel complications inherent in attending events in Seattle.
"A Magnificent Addition"
In 1988, Eastside planners put forth a vision to expand cultural opportunities with a major performance hall and several smaller venues. Community theatres such as the Kirkland Performance Center, the Village Theatre, the Theatre at Meydenbauer, and the recently opened Northshore Performing Arts Center each serve audiences of 600 or less and have partly fulfilled this vision in recent years. With a seating capacity of 2,000, PACE will be the largest performing arts venue east of the Lake.
Bellevue leaders commissioned a business study in the late '80s that determined such a facility could be created, supported, and sustained. Since then, the vision of a 2,000-seat performance space gained greater acceptance in the region, including endorsement by both the King County Council and the Bellevue City Council which, in a 2002 resolution, recognized a strong Eastside market for PACE and declared it "a magnificent addition to Bellevue and the surrounding region."
PACE Given Nonprofit Status
In 2002, PACE was formed as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with a 21-member Board of Directors, an Executive Director, and a commitment by the Kemper Development Company to donate the property for the site, which had been purchased for that purpose in 2001 for $8 million. In 2003, through a competitive, nationwide review, the Board of Directors selected Pfeiffer Partners as the architectural firm. Soon after, Pfeiffer Partners began work on a conceptual design for a 2,000-seat theatre on the donated site. With input from the early project team that included acoustic engineers and theatre designers, a concept model was completed in 2004. The Board of Directors approved a project budget estimate of $100 million which included land acquisition, design and building costs, and a $10 million permanent endowment [current Board of Directors].
Campaign For PACE Leadership
In 2005, the focus turned to raising money with the hiring of a Director of Development to put together the internal infrastructure needed to undertake the Eastside's largest capital and endowment campaign. In 2006, Campaign For PACE was launched with the announcement of Karen and Chuck Lytle and Betty and Kemper Freeman, Jr. as Campaign Co-Chairs. That same year, founding Executive Director Richard Collins announced his intention to retire.
New Executive Director and CEO Hired
In December 2006, after a nine month national search, the PACE Board of Directors named John Haynes as PACE's new Executive Director and CEO. John has vast experience in managing performing arts centers around the country and most recently served as founding Executive Director of the DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Notre Dame, where he was responsible for fundraising, design, construction, opening, programming, and management of a five-theatre complex and academic center. He assumed his new role with PACE in January 2007.
Schematic Design Phase Complete
Originally, the Schematic Design phase was slated for completion in January 2007. However, with the arrival of Mr. Haynes as the new Executive Director and CEO, extra time was added for him to become familiar with the project and to take advantage of his expertise at this critical juncture. Final design and cost estimates are now complete. The result of months of design and analysis is a clearly defined plan that meets the exacting requirements and expectations of a major venue, with a comprehensive scope, budget, and schedule. The Schematic Design for PACE includes all the important elements required of a 2,000-seat performance facility to provide the optimum audience and artist experience, and to reflect the vibrancy, diversity, and level of sophistication of the growing Eastside region.
New Project Budget and Campaign Goal Approved
On March 29, 2007, the PACE Board of Directors approved a construction budget of $114 million and revision of the Campaign For PACE goal from $100 million to $160 million. The finalized design adds 25,000 square feet, bringing the total square footage of the project to 135,000. These design additions provide programmatic enhancements devoted to unprecedented access and physical connection to Bellevue's burgeoning downtown infrastructure. The new budget also provides for important functional improvements to the performance hall and factors in the 25% escalation of construction costs our region has experienced in the past four years. The new Campaign goal includes $8 million in land; $11 million in design and engineering; $114 million in construction costs; $2 million in furnishings and equipment; $6 million in soft costs; $9 million in fundraising and administrative costs; and $10 million for a permanent endowment to support ongoing PACE operations.
Project Timeline
The Design Development phase started in April 2008. At that time the project team will continue to define the room dimensions, materials, and exact placements of components inside and outside the building. The Construction Documents phase will begin in early 2009, Construction will commence in Summer 2009, and the Grand Opening of the new Center is slated for 2011.