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Ashland rejects idea of taking historic hall OSF wants to make room for new theater By JOHN DARLING ASHLAND -- Citing inadequate space and excessive costs, the city Wednesday rejected the proposal to move Oregon Shakespeare Festival's historic Carpenter Hall. Shakespeare festival officials, however, repeated their intention to preserve, but still move, the building from its home across from the Elizabethan Theatre to the site of the old Hillah Temple. The festival needs to move the historic structure to make room for a new Black Swan Theatre in time for the 2002 season. Festival officials on Wednesday also issued a statement saying "staff and board members all believe in the importance of retaining Carpenter Hall as a public space and we have concluded that moving it to a new location is the best option." In rejecting Carpenter as a city building, City Manager Mike Freeman said it doesn't meet the city's space needs downtown. The building would need to be moved in several pieces and the floor plan reconfigured. Also, according to a study conducted by city administrators, new restrooms and improvements required by the Americans with Disabilities Act would further drive up costs, he said. The building was offered free to the city, with moving expenses put at $50,000. "There was a pretty uniform consensus all along that it (Carpenter) was not what we wanted," Mayor Cathy Shaw said, "but we needed the feasibility study to know if the dollar figures and size would make it worthwhile. It just wasn't cost-effective." Meanwhile, festival officials are in talks with several interested parties about the hall's new home, the release said. Festival Manager Paul Nicholson is on vacation and spokespeople did not specify options being considered. However, Shaw said the Oak Street Tank and Steel site, owned by filmmaker and developer Alan Sandler, is considered a strong possibility as a new spot for Carpenter Hall. The site is at Oak and A Streets, behind Cantwell's Market. Sandler was not available for comment. The city is studying the 8,000-square-foot Hillah Temple for office space, possibly for workers in public works, planning and community development or finance, Shaw said. The use of Hillah for City Council meetings is no longer being considered, Freeman said, but the open space on the main floor is being studied for offices or for a one-stop planning application desk. A second floor may be created within the present shell, he added. Berry Architects of Eugene is planning to remodel the structure, which fronts on Lithia Park and cost the city $650,000. New Shakespeare festival board Chairwoman Marty Lemke said the festival is "absolutely dedicated" to preserving the 1923 classical revival structure, designed by noted architect Frank Clark as a Christian Science church. The festival is not considering incorporating Carpenter into any new theater design, she said. "We are going to build a new theater (on the Carpenter site) and plans call for a very flexible space." Historic preservationists say the hall should stay where it is. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA