Two measures that pave the way for a comprehensive renovation of the Society of the Four Arts have received their first approval from the City Council.
In a series of unanimous approvals – first as a local planning authority and then as a development review committee – the council voted on August 12 to provisionally approve two applications from the Four Arts.
Here’s a look at the requests and how they are paving the way for the Four Arts’ planned multi-million dollar renovation.
What did the Four Arts require?
The first request was for the city to amend the future zoning in its master plan and rezone three parcels of its 10-acre Midtown property to private group use to be consistent with the rest of the site.
The second objective was to incorporate the entire Four Arts property into the newly created development area for cultural institutions, for which the Four Arts had successfully applied and which was approved by the city council earlier this year.
Why did the Four Arts make these demands?
The Four Arts is planning a renovation and expansion project estimated to cost $200 million. But before applying for those changes, the organization first proposed the Cultural Facilities Zoning Code. Four Arts officials and supporters said that would reduce the need for a number of variances because the property is currently zoned for single-family residential.
If the proposals before the city are finally approved by the City Council on second reading, Four Arts’ zoning will be changed to implement this district for the first time in Palm Beach.
More: Following zoning approval, Four Arts proposes comprehensive renovation plan for Palm Beach
Which parts of the Four Arts would be renovated?
The long-awaited, $200 million renovations to the Esther B. O’Keeffe Building and the Rovensky Administration Building are part of a long-term vision to create a unified experience for members and visitors after years of consolidating parcels and buildings created some space and access issues, Four Arts officials told city officials.
Both buildings have been converted to other uses: the O’Keeffe Building was originally the Embassy Club designed by Addison Mizner, and the Rovensky was a three-story former apartment building whose ground floor once housed a car dealership.
The O’Keeffe building will undergo a major renovation to expand and modernize the Gubelmann Auditorium and art gallery, Philip Rylands, president and CEO of Four Arts, previously told the Palm Beach Daily News.
The auditorium will lose up to 50 seats in the proposed design, but the stage will be larger and an extension to the west will create a backstage area with dressing rooms, a catering area, offices, a loading dock and a reception area. The plans include double the number of toilets, a ladies’ lounge and a family toilet.
Seats in the auditorium will be arranged to provide a better line of sight from each row, soundproofing will be improved and the air conditioning system will be upgraded to allow better air circulation with less noise, Rylands said.
A new box office will replace the current ticket booths in the O’Keeffe building. The gallery space will be reconfigured and expanded, and a fourth room will provide a more natural flow between the galleries.
The Rovensky building will be expanded to the north, essentially taking up what is now an employee parking lot, plans show. The children’s library would move to the ground floor and have its own entrance in the building on the north side. A ground floor entrance hall would still open to the east, and administrative offices would also be located on the ground floor.
The second and third floors would house all of the Four Arts’ administrative offices.
What did the Council say?
After several meetings this year to discuss the Four Arts’ proposals, the Council’s first approval came on August 12 without much discussion.
Wayne Bergman, director of planning, zoning and construction, described the two measures as “internal matters.”
The council unanimously supported the Four Arts’ request for a new zoning district when dozens of the organization’s supporters filled the Palm Beach Assembly Hall earlier this year.
What happens next?
The amendment to the master plan to change the future land use of the three Four Arts properties must first be submitted to the state for review before the council can give final approval. State agencies have 30 days to send comments to the city, after which both applications will go back to the council for final review.
Kristina Webb is a reporter for the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. Reach her at [email protected]. Subscribe today to support our journalism.
