Design: Stephen Sparn Architects

We hope you saw the story Thursday morning in the Camera – a substantial endowment from The Boedecker Foundation has funded an art house movie theater to be built in The Dairy Center for the Arts.

The Boedecker Foundation’s generous support is a catalyst for transition of The Dairy Center, which many of us remember when it was a milk processing plant, into a world class arts center.

The endowment will also seed the future operations of The Dairy Center, helping to make sure that The Dairy is around and functioning for a long, long time.

George Boedecker Jr., a local philanthropist whose entrepreneurial ventures included Quiznos and Crocs, told us, “We feel that the Dairy Center project fits nicely with some of our core values at The Foundation. This project represents an excellent example of good people coming together in a united effort to enhance the lives of children and families throughout a community. We’re very pleased to be a part of such a forward-thinking endeavor.”

What’s more, his is the initial donation for a community campaign to fund the new face of The Dairy, including a beautiful glass atrium that will complete the repurposing of The Dairy’s historic building. Adding a small amount of square footage to the front of The Dairy building assures that growing crowds will be able to enjoy adequate space and easier access to multiple events with a safer, ADA-compliant, convenient entry.

The new theater, at the south end of the building in a space that formerly housed CATV, will offer high-quality viewing for arts-related cinema programming, including films and documentaries, broadcasts of operas and live theater, with state of the art acoustics. It can accommodate live performances or speakers as well. Working through Emerging Cinema, a digital provider of original content, programming will include international film festival presentations, first run independent/international films, high definition productions of concerts, operas, live theater and documentaries, as well as children’s programming and other educational programs.

The new façade will enclose a large portion of the outside patio, adding a safe, dramatic and convenient entrance along with programming and gallery space. The new entrance will provide easy exit in case of emergency, allowing people to leave safely through the same entrance where they entered, and will ensure complete ADA compliance. The City of Boulder, owner of the building, will contribute funding.

Improved energy efficiency will allow greater sustainability through zone control and energy savings in heating and cooling systems, and the project incorporates alternative sources of energy, including passive solar, day lighting and the first phase of a solar array.

The larger lobby provides additional programmable space, allowing simultaneous access to separate events and added display space using movable walls and partitions. As you well know, crowds routinely pack the main lobby and other venues in the building. Nearly 150,000 community members enjoy The Dairy as artists, students or audience each year, and attendance at events is up an amazing 38 percent compared with the same time last year, with an 8 percent increase in the number of performances offered.

Architect Stephen Sparn, a longtime friend and supporter of The Dairy Center and a former board member, has donated services to develop initial plans. Deneuve Construction Services provided estimating services. Board member Jon Chambers of Chambers Architecture and Design also has worked on the theater design. The project will stimulate the local economy during construction, and later as an improved venue for Boulder’s thriving arts community. Nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences contribute more than $25 million and 800 jobs annually to Boulder’s economy.

George B. Boedecker Jr., founder and former CEO of Crocs Shoes, established his Boulder-based private, non-solicited foundation with the mission of providing critical resources to nonprofit organizations that inspire positive change within diverse communities around the world. He served as CEO and as a member of the Crocs board of directors from its inception through December, 2004.  During that span, Crocs grew from a company with eight employees into a billion-dollar industry. From 1996 to 2002, Mr. Boedecker was an executive of Quiznos Corp. and was a founder and managing member of Oregon Food Concepts LLC. More information on the man and his foundation can be found at www.boefoundation.org.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

• Make a donation. Click here , or call Executive Director Rich Harris. 303-440-7826
• Talk to your friends. Let them know about the great things going on at The Dairy and urge them to get involved.
• Volunteer. Help us with fundraising, social events, programming.
• Visit The Dairy. Lots of great entertainment going on. Click here for details.

Call Rich Harris 303-440-7826 or email him at rich@thedairy.org.

As always, thanks for your support.

Richard Polk, Chair, The Dairy Center Board of Directors
Richard Reeves, Vice Chair
Amy Hartman, Secretary
Gregory Johnson, Treasurer
Angelique Espinoza, Boulder City Council Representative
Donna Gartenmann, Boulder Arts Commission Representative
Trevor Bynum
Jon Chambers
Susan Deans
Stacey Kramer
Padraic I. McCoy
Catherine Moll
Kevin Mynatt
Sharon Nehls