During the City of Three Rivers’ annual Organizational Meeting Monday evening, City Commissioners approved a measure to sell the former Carnegie Library building to the Carnegie Center for the Arts (CCA) and to excuse the Three Rivers Woman’s Club (TRWC) from any remaining obligations regarding its current lease of the building. Mayor Tom Lowry cast a “no” vote for the sale.
Roughly four decades ago, TRWC funded the building’s restoration and founded the CCA to occupy and make use of it. TRWC has continued to lease the building from the city, subleasing it to CCA. Monday’s decision follows a months-long negotiation in which the commission had asked the CCA to come to a mutually agreeable lease agreement that would have allowed TRWC to continue to lease office and meeting space there. However, the two parties were unable to come to an agreement.
At issue was whether CCA would grant TRWC key access to the building as a leaseholder. TRWC leadership said they were happy with a proposed lease agreement but wanted to be able to have key access to the building to be able to reach their office space. CCA Executive Director Donna Grubbs and several CCA board members said they did not wish to grant key access as a liability issue. Instead, CCA wanted to continue a current arrangement in which TRWC must either come during CCA’s open hours or contact Grubbs for access.
Mayor Tom Lowry and several city commissioners asked CCA to consider granting key access so the lease and the property sale could move forward. Last week, City Manager Joe Bippus said he had been informed that TRWC had received a proposed lease agreement but voted to turn it down. TRWC’s Jenny Koski was present at Monday’s meeting, and said her organization “felt it best for both organizations” for TRWC “to move on” and find its own, new space.
Lowry called CCA’s proposed lease agreement “not only inappropriate but insulting.” He said CCA leadership was “inconsiderate” to the TRWC and said the CCA’s membership has been declining “because of the poor quality of what they do” under current leadership.
Lowry said some of the CCA’s programs are “a shadow of their former selves.” He said Grubbs and some CCA board members “need to step down,” that they are “destroying” the CCA, and that their “public battle with (TRWC)” guaranteed them “a reputation that is not very good.” Lowry said removing the TRWC’s member base was “just plain stupid.” Lowry said, “I’m disappointed in the Carnegie Center, for the board and its Executive Director, and I wish most of them would resign.” Lowry said he felt the CCA doesn’t deserve to own the building.
“The Woman’s Club saved that building when nobody else would in the 60s and 70s,” Lowry said. “And then, by the way, they created the Carnegie Center. Then, this current board just said, ‘take a hike.’”
Speaking of one particular CCA board member, who he kept anonymous, Lowry said, he is “famous” among current and past board members “for the last 20 years.” That person, Lowry alleged, once said, “I hate art, I just hate art,” during a board meeting. When asked why he served, Lowry said the person said, “you’ve got to do something for your community, and I like kids.” Lowry said, “well, I applaud that attitude, but I think it’s time for that person to step down.” He said the person’s comments show “where the (CCA) board is at the moment.”
Commissioner Clayton Lyczynski II said he is encouraged by TRWC’s decision to find its own, new space. “I think it’s been terrible, in general, the way it’s been handled,” Lyczynski said. “I will say that I’m actually looking forward to the Women’s Club being able to make their own place and being able to stake their own claim and be able to display their own history, and to really tell their story.”
Lyczynski continued, “I think that their future is extremely bright, and coming out of this with the opportunity to really highlight who they are and what they bring to the community. So, while its terrible circumstances, I’m actually really excited for the Women’s Club in their near future.”
The building’s sale price will be $54,000. CCA’s ownership of the building will permit it to undertake over $200,000 worth of critical repairs to the building.
Dave Vago is a writer and columnist for Watershed Voice. A Philadelphia native with roots in Three Rivers, Vago is a planning consultant to history and community development organizations and is the former Executive Director of the Three Rivers DDA/Main Street program.
