COME CELEBRATE THE NEW COMMUNITY BUILDING
By William for CrossDove Writers / http://mcpherson-country-ks.com/
(THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY CROSSDOVE MARKETING)
After nearly two years of renovations, the McPherson Community Building is set to celebrate its reformation on Tuesday, September 17 with a ribbon cutting ceremony to be held at 5:00 p.m., followed by tours and refreshments from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The public is invited.
The Community Building is located at 122 E. Marlin and has been a community icon since the 1930’s and was recently listed in the last year on the National Register of Historic Places.
When the Community Building was built in 1928, it became an important gathering place for community events including the gymnasium which became the home court for the McPherson Globe Refiners basketball team. The Globe Refiners had the group of athletes which became the core for the first Olympic gold medal championship won in 1936.
Historically, the auditorium began to serve as a venue for theater performances, talent shows and movies and eventually the building began to host community dinners, carnivals, fairs and fundraisers.
Eleven years ago, in 2008, voters chose to support the building’s renovation with a half-cent sales tax and preparation began that included studies, committees and discussions before the final project was designed by architect GLMV from Wichita with the design/build contractor being Hutton Construction of McPherson.
Removal of the metal siding on the north side of the building was the first show of renovations in 2017. Removing the metal siding returned the front façade to its original design.
Since then, the gymnasium has been restored to its original 1930’s style with an exposed ceiling, wooden floors and a three-sided balcony. The design for the new gym floor showcases the Globe Oil and Refining Company and the current CHS Refinery. CHS contributed support to the revitalization efforts. The court will be accessible for full-court basketball and volleyball, while cross-courts are also available for numerous sports.
Other renovations include having the auditorium converted from a theater to a convention space with meeting rooms on the second-floor balcony. One item unique with the new design is that the level floor that was placed over the old seating area can be removed if future generations determine the need to reverse the space back to a theater.
The stage area has been converted into an industrial kitchen for community meals and special events.
Eventually the meeting rooms upstairs will be named to honor both the building history and the City of McPherson. These rooms will hold 10 to 20 people in a conference-style setting with a television screen and video conferencing capability.
Industrial renovations include new rooftop heating and air conditioning systems, wireless internet, a large projector and projection wall, a built-in sound system and an elevator.
McPherson recently hired Nick McQueen as Event Manager for the renovated Community Building. Those interested in renting space or taking any tours may contact Mr. McQueen at nickm@mcpcity.com or 620-798-7788.
(Check us out at www.facebook.com/mcphersoncountyks/