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Ashland's OSF expansion scheduled for 2nd hearing By WENDY SIPOREN ASHLAND -- Concerns about the loss of Ashland's small-town character alternated with glowing praise for the contributions the Oregon Shakespeare Festival has made to the local economy during a public hearing Tuesday on the festival's plans to build a new theater behind Carpenter Hall. The City Council continued discussion of the proposal to build a 13,000-square-foot theater complex in a city-owned parking lot to the November 16 council meeting after they only had time to hear eight of the 30 people who wished to testify. "When do we say enough is enough?" questioned Bill Street. "I don't see that (festival's plans) as a solution to the growth and transportation problems that we need to address as a city." The festival proposes to build a new theater to replace the cramped Black Swan. It would accommodate 260 patrons in three-sided seating and 350 patrons in arena or in-the-round seating. Plans also call for constructing a two-tiered parking structure at the south end of the parking lot, with the top tier at Hargadine Street level and the second level below ground. This would add 36 spaces to the current 84. Supporters said the project was necessary to ensure the continued economic vitality of the festival. "It was a grim town," said Duane Smith of the Ashland of 36 years ago, complete with wigwam burners and broken storefront windows. "The festival built the town." OSF Executive Director Paul Nicholson said he has also begun discussion with Mark Antony Hotel owner Doug Neuman about the possibility of extending the lower level of the parking structure to First Street, behind the Mark Antony. Even before public testimony was heard, council members expressed some reservation about the festival's proposal to recoup some of the costs of the project -- estimated at $8 to $10 million -- by charging for parking in the new lot. Councilman Don Laws said he would like to see any paid parking in the city subsidize a mass transit system, and he would enter any lease negotiations for the parking lot with that prejudice. Those opposed to the project questioned whether the festival needed any handouts and urged the city to try to get a public performing space such as Carpenter Hall in exchange for the use of the parking lot. The Hargadine parking lot was constructed in 1971 with a federal Economic Development Agency Grant to the city that was matched dollar for dollar by festival funds. As a condition of the grant, the land was given to the city. Nicholson said the new theater has the potential to increase attendance by 8 percent -- with most of that occurring in the spring and fall. The festival estimates that this growth would result in an additional $169,000 coming directly to the city in the form of hotel/motel and food and beverage taxes, some of which goes back to the festival in the form of grants. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA