City to take up Brewery issue

Carson City supervisors will decide Thursday if they will give the Brewery Arts Center money needed for an expansion.

Supervisors decided in early March to give the center $675,000 toward the purchase of St. Teresa of Avila Church, the Henry David House and the Stewart-Nye House.

Now the center has decided not to buy the Stewart-Nye House and the city wants to take another look at the BAC's plans.

"It's my understanding that what the Brewery Arts Center wanted to do originally and what they're capable of doing now are two different things," Supervisor Richard Staub said.

Staub said the Legislature turned down a request from the center for $750,000 earlier this year.

Brewery Arts Director Joe McCarthy said he wasn't surprised that the city wants to reevaluate the center's plans.

"It's just a clarification of the motion, so I can explain where we're at," he said.

Although the Legislature turned down the center's request, lobbying for state funds generated positive publicity for the project, McCarthy said.

"It gave us a high profile as a legitimate project with long-term consequences that have an economic benefit for our community," McCarthy said.

Although their plans have changed, the money received from the city would be used as originally planned - as a down payment on the church.

"We want to use the money specifically to buy the church and get it off the market," he said. "We have no plans at this time to buy the rectory next door (the Stewart-Nye House)."

The Brewery Arts Center estimates that the entire project will cost about $6 million - the remainder of the money coming from fund-raising and private donors, McCarthy said.

Staub said he supports the center's plans but needs a clear report of the project.

"I'd kind of like to have it on the record," he said.

McCarthy said once the church and the Henry David House have been purchased, the center will determine exactly how it will put the properties to use.

"We're going to determine what the community wants us to do with that property," he said. "Then at that point in time we'll determine what we need to do," he said.

McCarthy said the church would be a perfect place for a concert hall and hopes to add extra classrooms, prop and costume storage, rehearsal and performance spaces, an outdoor stage and a public park to the center's facilities.