ArtSpace shares plans for new space

Jun. 3—LIMA — ArtSpace/Lima executive director Sally Windle said it might take two years before the building the art gallery recently purchased next door could be usable, but it would be well worth the effort.

In a presentation to the Lima Rotary Club on Monday afternoon, Windle shared plans for the building to be cleaned, remodeled and extended into ArtSpace's main existing gallery, with the end-goal of becoming an art museum.

"An art gallery is a rotating gallery, meaning we don't have things up for an extended period, but we also have a lot of great things in our storage that we have not shown," she said. "And we can't show them because we don't have permanent space in our building, so that's going to be the perfect opportunity for the new building to have a permanent collection displayed. And when it's on display, like a museum, you'll go from gallery to museum, which is really exciting."

Work to clean up the next-door space, which was formerly occupied by Vivace, began as soon as the purchase, made possible by a donation, took place. ArtSpace has already reached the point of being ready to replace beams and introduce electricity to prepare for construction.

Plans call for the ArtSpace gift shop to be turned into an entrance to the new section, which will feature a gallery with 15-foot high ceilings on the first floor and a second floor at the top meeting with the third floor of the old section.

To do that, ArtSpace will have to clear tables, chairs and junk left over from the previous tenants, as well as getting a new roof on the building after replacing beams, something that could take three months depending on construction schedules.

The donor responsible for funding the purchase will also help ArtSpace raise capital to fund these renovations.

"Right now, we aren't asking the community to be a part of it, but we will be doing some fundraising because this is not ours," Windle said. "This is a community's space, and we want to make it as nice as we can. And I will always continue to write grants because that's what it takes, as well."

Generous community members have already offered help.

"People have already stepped up and offered to do the floors and help with the HVAC system," Windle said. "If you're generous like that, you can never underestimate how generous this community is. They always step up."

ArtSpace announced the purchase of the space next door in October last year.

Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.