Author: Julie Schickling

HPIC’s Fundraising Sprint

REBUILD HPIC!

What are we asking:

  • Help Support HPIC’s 9 Month Fundraising Sprint
  • Fundraising Goal & Timeline: Raise $2.6m in 9 months or less, for a total of $3.4m
  • Groundbreaking in Fall of 2023 depends on 80% of funding by Q3 of 2023
  • Planned opening in late 2024
  • Need the community’s Time + Talent + Treasure now to make this happen quickly!

Why are we asking:

  • We must preserve this gathering place to connect with our neighbors and spotlight local artists – this is a unique venue for our neighborhood, even as gathering places and performance venues are being lost in Seattle
  • Creating this venue for art, music and performance is a magnet for community connection
  • Centering inclusivity makes this a safe space for everyone who wants to participate and connect

How it works once it’s open:

  • Regular music and performance-based events for local artists with an open invite to community
  • Space stays solvent as a rental space for arts & culture, indoor exercise like dance and yoga, event rental space (quinceaneras, graduations, etc), and civic events for local issues and candidate forums.
  • Connection point for community experiencing food insecurity
  • Eco friendly and sustainable space with updated heating/cooling, healthier ventilation with connection between indoors and outdoors, rain garden, solar panels and more

Where your money goes:

  • We have selected Metis Construction, Inc as contractor for the building. Metis did a ROM (Rough Order of Magnitude) look at pricing for the building and the estimate is $3.1m. Here are some initial efforts toward cost-cutting:
    • Value engineering, as the design process continues
    • Potentially reclaiming and reusing materials from the remains of the old building
    • Planning volunteer work parties when possible
  • Design (architectural, structural, survey, mechanical, electrical, other consultants and permitting costs are expected to be around $300k
  • Total fundraising goal = $3.4m
  • We are planning a phased approach, with the goal of Phase 1 to get the building open and certified for occupancy so that we have a gathering space again and can continue to fundraise and generate income in the time-honored tradition of HPIC.

Funding – here’s what we have so far:

  • $500k insurance
  • $250k insurance on building completion
  • $50k community donations
  • $400k BFA grant (pending full funding by state legislature)
  • = $1.2M

“Hope” is the thing with feathers

 

 

 

Our artist volunteers create street signs every quarter that are displayed outside HPIC along busy SW Holden St as a greeting and inspiration for pedestrians and for the drivers so often stuck in traffic along this route.

Thanks to Emily Dickinson, poet, and artist collaborators, from left, Judith Camann, Kelly Lyles, Kay Kirkpatrick and Monica Cavagnaro for bringing a spot of hope and a chance to reflect to travellers on Holden.

Here’s the complete poem:

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet – never – in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of me.

The rebuild begins with a design – and we want your input!​

So many talented people live in our neighborhood, including award-winning architect Matt Wittman, of Wittman Estes. He’s been a long-time HPIC supporter, and he and his firm are passionate about designing the rebuild. Wittman Estes has been unanimously selected by the Board to help us envision and create the space for our next hundred years.

Meet Matt virtually at our next Town Hall, where he will help us to gather input from the community about what the future of HPIC could be, from programs we offer to the space we hold them in.

Weds December 15
7pm
Zoom recording of Town Hall Meeting #2

Matt and his wife and partner in the firm, Landscape Architect Jody Estes, have lived in Highland Park for years, attending family Movie Nights way back when, and many Corner Bars too. Wittman Estes has been honored with numerous awards, including the national award winning Tsuga Townhomes on Highland Park Way. In acknowledgement and support of HPIC’s volunteer spirit and our community, Matt and Jody, principals of the firm, have pledged to contribute a generous amount of their time pro-bono.Matt and his team have helped us to develop an on-line survey to gather input from you regarding the re-visioning of the building – Take the HPIC Community Priority Questionnaire here.