City completes Tateuchi Center research | Council to take report on Feb. 9

The city of Bellevue has completed a logistical review of how the city may be able to partner with the not-for-profit group behind the Tateuchi Center to accomplish its capital financing goals for constructing the performing arts center.

By Brandon Macz • January 29, 2015 1:42 pm
The Bellevue Arts Commission has completed a logistical review of how the city may be able to partner with the not-for-profit group behind the Tateuchi Center to accomplish its capital financing goals for constructing the performing arts center.
The Bellevue Arts Commission has completed a logistical review of how the city may be able to partner with the not-for-profit group behind the Tateuchi Center to accomplish its capital financing goals for constructing the performing arts center.

The city of Bellevue has completed a logistical review of how the city may be able to partner with the not-for-profit group behind the Tateuchi Center to accomplish its capital financing goals for constructing the performing arts center.

City staff joined with Performing Arts Center Eastside executive director John Haynes on Tuesday to provide a presentation of its work and design plans for the Tateuchi Center to downtown residents.

City arts specialist Mary Pat Byrne said legal and financial research has been completed regarding the feasibility of a public-private partnership between the city and PACE, and a consultant’s independent review of operating pro forma has led both sides to agree on the right budget for the project.

Currently the city is exploring committing $10 million to $20 million toward the performing arts center’s capital costs, PACE having raised about $65 million since 2002. Haynes said $132 million needs to be raised to complete the project. If the city gets on board, Byrne said governance of the performing arts center may need to change from the PACE board model now in play.

The arts commission and PACE will provide a report on their findings and potential partnership options to the City Council on Feb. 9.”We think it’s going to be a series of baby steps,” Byrne said of the process moving forward.

Haynes told residents about interest from major performance companies like the Seattle Symphony and Pacific Northwest Ballet in playing at the Tateuchi Center when complete, as well as how the project will benefit the public.

A 5,500-square-foot “studio theatre” would be used for arts education classes, black box performing space for smaller or emerging performance companies, social events and more.

“We think it’s the right project and Bellevue is exactly the right place for it,” Haynes said.

Haynes said his professional assessment of the project so far leads him to believe construction won’t occur before summer 2017, and the project is expected to take two years to complete.

Neither the BAC nor PACE provided what kind of funding mechanism could be used by the city through a public-private partnership, and Byrne said that is a discussion for the City Council.