Reprint from the Progress Times - February 9, 2007
©Progress Times 200 - All Rights Reserved

Designs For Fine Arts Facilities Spur Criticism

By Kathy Olivarez

No one seemed happy with plans for two new fine arts facilities to be built on each high school campus Monday, February 5, at a Facilities Committee Meeting of the Mission Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees.

Eli Ochoa of ERO presented the preliminary plans, which were within the $4 million budget set for each of the two facilities. The plans included 344-seat auditoriums for each campus along with boys and girls dressing rooms, space for costume storage, a mechanical room, a 2,780 square foot stage and rooms for prop construction and storage. Also included were 3,000 square foot lobbies with restrooms in the front of the buildings.

Under IFA guidelines for bond money only 150-seats may be paid for with IFA funds unless there is a way to use additional space for classrooms.

Ochoa proposed dividing the 200-seat additional space into two rooms with moveable dividers, creating two 100-seat classrooms. These classrooms could be used for subjects related to fine arts such as drama or speech classes. By creating classrooms, the hope was that more IFA money could be used for financing.

In order to bring the buildings in on budget, Ochoa recommended an underhung rigging system be used in lieu of a mounted rigging system on top of a walking grid structure. It would result in a lower stage loft and eliminate the need for fire safety curtains. By keeping the stage loft area less than 50 feet, fire-safety curtains are not required.

Ochoa said if repairs are needed to the curtains, they would have be contracted out since the walking grid above the curtains would be cut to save money.

Costs for HVAC noise control would be aided by use of duct lining instead of the traditional use of over-sized ducts that absorb noise. Cost of oversizing the ducts is much greater than cost of the duct lining.

Instead of building folds in the walls to provide the right acoustics, acoustical wall panels would be attached to the walls to create the same effect at a much smaller cost.

Coach Luis Canales told the committee he did not feel the facility was big enough. He felt the district should spend more and get more seats. The 344 seats were not enough to hold a full grade level, and multiple performances of programs would be needed.

He also questioned who would use the 100-seat lecture halls. He realized the district had cost constraints but felt the facility was too small.

Superintendent Oscar Rodriguez reminded everyone the auditoriums were designed to be teaching facilities, not to serve as community auditoriums. IFA funds allow a maximum of 150 seats in teaching facilities. The only way to get additional seating was to convert additional seating into classroom space. He said class meetings would continue to be held in the gyms.

Rodriguez was asked if the state would approve the 344-seat auditorium if IFA funds only supported 150-seat facilities. He said he did not know. The district would not know until the plans are submitted to the state for consideration.

Asked if seats in the classroom area would be equipped with pull-up desks for writing, Ochoa said there were no plans for the desks as they would require more space and fewer seats could be incorporated into the space.

Janie Connelly, principal of Mission High School, did not think the partitioned rooms would make good classrooms without providing students with a writing surface.

Asked how she envisioned the rooms being used, Pat Masso, Veterans Memorial High School (VMHS) principal, said they could be used for multiple groups.

Rodriguez said they must have permanent assigned classes and suggested that drama or choir might use them. They would not be used for core academic classes.

VMHS teacher James Hodgson said he was familiar with auditoriums and said that function and flow are important in designing an auditorium. He felt more seats would be needed for the growing population.

He questioned how students would be kept off the open stage area when they left the partitioned classrooms. He felt there were not sufficient classrooms and said if the lobby were eliminated three classrooms could be created.

Ochoa said the lobby met standards but it could be eliminated completely if desired.

This prompted Norie Garza to say she would rather have additional seating instead of the lobby. She was again reminded of IFA funding limitations.

Both Ochoa and Rodriguez reminded the audience this was the first presentation on the fine arts auditoriums and changes can be made in the layout. They said the district will not know until it is presented to the state for approval whether the two-100-seat partitioned classrooms will be approved.

Villarreal reminded those present that fine arts facilities were meant for instruction, not as large auditoriums that served the community.

It was suggested perhaps a joint project could be done with the city at a later date to provide a larger auditorium and a civic center.

The board considered five options for moving tennis courts at MHS to make room for the new auditorium. The option favored by most took in a small portion of the practice soccer field. Other options considered would have taken most of the visitor parking at Tom Landry Stadium.