$13M Donor, Beaverton Arts Center Name To Be Revealed July 17

From BVA: On July 17, the Beaverton Arts Foundation will announce the anonymous lead donor who has pledged $13 million to the new center for the arts in Beaverton, as well as the official name of the facility, which was previously referred to as the Beaverton Center for the Arts. The announcement will take place at 10:30 a.m. at the site for the center, nestled adjacent to The Round, between SW Cedar Hills Boulevard and SW Hall Boulevard “The dream of a vibrant stage and central gathering place for our diverse community has been in the hearts and minds of residents for many years,” said Lani Faith, executive director for the Beaverton Arts Foundation, the fundraising partner for the new center for the arts. “With this generous pledge from our anonymous donor - and a new name - we are able to pursue this legacy vision for leading arts patrons with deep roots in the community.” The center for the arts also received a $1 million gift from Arlene Schnitzer and Jordan Schnitzer through The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation. “The Schnitzer Family has long been Beaverton property owners and we’re honored to help support the first performing arts center of its kind to be built in the Portland-metro area in more than 30 years,” said Jordan D. Schnitzer, president of Harsh Investment Properties. The facility will include a 550 seat multi-purpose theater, classrooms, meeting and conference rooms, rehearsal and workshop space, art gallery, outdoor plaza, café, lobby and informal gathering areas.

The center will be accompanied by a public parking structure and just steps away from light-rail transit. “It’s been both a personal dream and a community-driven vision to have a dedicated home for arts and culture in Beaverton. It will be a stage for inspiration and creativity to shine, a place for people to feel connected,” said Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle. The anonymous lead donor’s pledge represents nearly one third of the total project funds needed to build the center - $46 million - 80 percent of which has already been identified through public and private philanthropic investment, including transient lodging tax (TLT) collected by the City of Beaverton. “I’m very excited about the many possibilities at the center. We are designing a welcoming and professional facility to showcase excellent artists and groups from across the metro region, as well as a variety of touring programs, said Chris Ayzoukian, general manager for the new center. “This, along with dedicated creative studios for teaching artists, will position the center as a leader, and a destination for residents and visitors alike.” The center for the arts is a City of Beaverton project. Design development is underway, and both construction and funding timelines anticipate groundbreaking at the end of 2019 upon the completion of fundraising goals, with grand opening in early spring 2021.

Rendering Image via Beaverton Arts Foundation