FLORENCE — The city of Florence is set to give $3 million toward the construction Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center.
Mayor Stephen J. Wukela will present FMU President Dr. Fred Carter with the check at 11 a.m. Thursday at the site of the former McLeod hospital building across from the center’s construction site on West Cheves Street.
“The city is proud to participate in the construction of the Performing Arts Center,” Wukela said. “Without question, this fantastic facility will be a great asset to the city and assist efforts at downtown revitalization. I want to thank Francis Marion University and the Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation and all the others who made this possible.”
The $3 million contribution represents the last of three contributions and commitments the city has made to the FMU project.
The city’s first contribution to the project was made Oct. 9, 2006, when Florence City Council conveyed many parcels of property, acquired by the city for a total cost of more than $2 million to the university. The $2 million in acquisition costs were funded by more than $1.7 million from the city and a $300,000 Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation grant.
The city’s second contribution and commitment to the project was made via the city’s previous commitment to provide parking for the FMU Performing Arts Center.
The center will serve as an instructional space for FMU’s fine arts programs and a venue for national traveling music, dance and theater productions. It also will serve as one of the “anchors” in downtown Florence intended to draw private business into the area.
Malcolm Holzman is the center’s architect. MB Kahn Coastal Division was selected as the contractor for the center’s construction by the governing board in November after its $27,722,218 bid was judged the lowest. The bid is less than the $30 million projected by the governing board before the bidding process for the construction contract.
With soft costs and such alternative projects as the sculpture garden and the amphitheater, the project cost will come to $32,881,000.
The base cost of the project is being paid for with money donated by the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation, the state of South Carolina and the city of Florence.
The alternative costs are being paid for by private donations, one of which was a $325,000 donation by BB&T in September toward the amphitheatre. Another gift was given earlier this month by Florence resident Adele Kassab toward the sculpture garden.
The center is set to be completed in fall 2010.
Laura Sims, managing director for the center, said Florence residents who want to keep abreast of updates related to the construction can join an e-mail club by e-mailing fmupac@fmarion.edu and asking for updates on the building.
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