New Home

NWT’s quest for a new home

UPDATE ON NEAR WEST THEATRE'S CAMPAIGN

Read our latest detailed updates here:

· Near West Theatre's portion of the $30 million Gordon Square Arts District campaign is $6.82 million. An increase from $6.22 million, requested in hopes of pursuing a super-energy-efficient "Passivhaus" design of NWT's new theater building, was approved by the GSAD Board on Feb. 15, 2012.

· As of Jan. 31, 2012, funds pledged, received, and committed toward Near West Theatre's portion of the wider GSAD campaign were $4.36 million.

· With the value of donated building materials estimated so far at $200,000, just over $2.25 million is needed to complete Near West's portion of the GSAD campaign.

· The Near West Theatre portion of the campaign needs to be completed by June 2012 in order to meet the conditions of $1M pledge from a local family foundation.

· Funds raised in the GSAD campaign will provide Near West with a new, fully accessible, air-conditioned facility on West 67^th Street, just north of Detroit Avenue (behind the Near West Lofts building). The European "Passivhaus" design currently being considered would save the nonprofit theater at least 80 percent on yearly energy costs -- which otherwise, besides salaries, would be the single largest expense of running the building. Click on "Big NWT Vision" above for an explanation and analysis of "Passivhaus" design, its impact, and details on costs of the overall building project.

· The design is by Richard Fleischman Architects of Cleveland. The facility includes a full basement (for future build-out), a lobby, auditorium, and a plaza leading from the corner of West 67^th Street and Detroit Avenue to the building entryway.

· If the right support is rallied and the 2012 fundraising goal is met, groundbreaking could take place later in 2012 and Near West Theatre could open its first season in its new building in the fall of 2013.