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Hall apparently staying put MT file photo Historic Carpenter Hall evidently won't be moved to make room for a new Oregon Shakespeare Festival theater, sources say. Festival wants to build on city parking lot, sources say By WENDY SIPOREN ASHLAND -- Oregon Shakespeare Festival's plans to build a new theater to replace the cramped Black Swan apparently won't come at the expense of historic Carpenter Hall. The festival is proposing to build the new theater entirely on the city-owned Hargadine Street parking lot, with additional parking under the building, sources say. OSF Executive Director Paul Nicholson refused to comment on the information Tuesday. Detailed plans on the size and location of the proposed new theater are expected to be announced at a press conference this morning. "We are relieved that the future of Carpenter Hall is safe," said historic preservation advocate George Kramer. "I'm pleased that they have listened to the community." The festival's initial plans to build at Pioneer and Hargadine -- made public in February -- drew immediate fire from local historic preservationists who say the 1923 colonial revival structure is an integral part of the historic downtown. Others are concerned that the new theater, which would seat 200 more than the 138-seat Black Swan, would eat up scarce public parking downtown. Theater officials say the Black Swan -- originally a used-car showroom -- no longer meets the artistic needs of the festival. The dressing rooms are cramped and there's a pillar in the middle of the stage. The Carpenter Hall space was needed, they say, because the footprint of the Black Swan is too small and the owners of the adjacent building -- now leased to Starbucks -- would not sell. Artistic Director Libby Appel also said building on the Black Swan site would mean OSF would go a season or two without a third theater, causing financial strain on the festival and community. Kramer said he was assured by Nicholson Monday that the festival planned to save Carpenter Hall and that the new design would respond to concerns about parking. "We always said there was a solution that would work for them and save Carpenter Hall," said Kramer. "Basically, what I always wanted them to do was to just listen to the community." Mayor Cathy Shaw had nothing but praise for the festival's new plans. "I think it's great that they have ... worked out a solution based on community input," she said, adding the festival's new plans represent not so much of an about-face, but a response to a trial balloon. "Sometimes you have to put out a plan for people to push against," said Shaw. "When the community reacts in a strong way and you adjust course ... you wind up with a better plan." Kramer also praised the festival's decision, but said festival representatives still have work to do to gain final approval from the city. "I admire them for their willingness to go back to the drawing board," he said. "(But) really this is just the beginning of the discussion for me. This is the discussion I wanted to begin six months ago. "We look forward to working with them to come up with a solution that lets them get their new theater and keeps the character of downtown intact," Kramer said. "He's (Nicholson) going to need to appease a whole lot of other folks besides the historic preservation people." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA