Allens Lane Art Center - PhillyBlog

talkradiobug · #1 (**permalink**) 03-03-2007, 11:57 AM

What is happening at Allens Lane Art Center?

It seems defunct.

thomast · #2 (**permalink**) 03-03-2007, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by talkradiobug

What is happening at Allens Lane Art Center?

It seems defunct.

From the front page of their website:

Quote:

Renovations Finally Set to Begin!

Allens Lane is the recipient of a $1,000,000 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant thanks to the hard work of State Senator LeAnna Washington! Work is scheduled to start very soon, however we still need your help. The total project cost is $1,500,000, and so far we've raised an additional $375,000. With only $125,000 left to go, we need your support more than ever. Please consider making a donation today. Click here for ways to donate. Thank you for your support!

Contruction will affect programming in the following ways:

Summer Day Camp - running June through August as usual
Classes - next session will be Fall 2007*
Allens Lane Theater - dark for the season (see theater page for 2007 - 08 season)
Gallery - next exhibit will be Fall 2007
New project - Artist Database (see Gallery page)
The Children's and Teen Theater class and all Dance Program classes taught by Kim Williams will continue to run during the renovations. They will be held at Springside School. Please register as usual and/or call 215-248-0546 for more information.

To receive email updates about the project and program schedules, go to "contact" and sign up for the mailing list. Thank you for your patience during this exciting time!

The project includes: upgraded art & dance studios; new theater equipment and lighting; all new restrooms; new heat & air conditioning systems; new wall, ceiling and floor surfaces in most rooms; lighting upgrades and many cosmetic improvements. The exterior will look more attractive, with new windows, fire stairs and clean stone.

LarryforMayor · #3 (**permalink**) 03-03-2007, 09:04 PM

I remember when I went to summer camp there when I was 10! Boy I miss those days...

NWPhillyRealtor · #4 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 10:34 PM

I went to summer camp there too! When did you go? I went from about 1970-74. God am I old!! If you went there, do you remember Foe the counselor? I can still see him with his tie die jeans playing the piano and singing "Lean on Me". He wrote me a poem that started, "Playing ball and going on Hikes is much more fun than getting hit by Bikes" when I was 8 and got 27 stitches in my leg from a kid running into me with his bike. He was so cool and I really looked up to him and he was probably all of 18!!

Here is a neat story. When I was at Allen's Lane they used the neighbor's pool for the kids to swim in. I got my certificates and badges for learning to swim in that pool (still have them!). So when I met my wife, she was commuting from Brooklyn and going to Temple. When she was in Philly she would stay with her friends who live in the carriage house that the pool is now a part of. We got married in her firiend' garden in 2001 right next to the same pool that I learned to swim in 30 years before. Isn't that cool!

That place was magical to me as a kid. I still remember riding my bike every day to camp with my sister behind me on hers coming from Mt Airy Ave down Allens Lane. There was an area right at Allens and Lincoln Drive where it was always really overgrown because no one lived there and the city never cut the grass. We called it "The Jungle" as we rode through it and the grasses and leaves would reach out for our faces and body. I can still feel them.

Thanks for bringing back those memories!

talkradiobug · #5 (**permalink**) 03-06-2007, 09:28 AM

Unfortunately ALAC has been closed since November and construction has not yet begun. The 2006/2007 theater season did not exist. As a matter of fact, the Germantown teacher that had his neck broken was a stage director at Allens Lane.

Something appears to be wrong. Probably lack of funds despite promises by Representative Washington and others.

ALAC is a good place. It would be sad to lose it.

azion · #6 (**permalink**) 03-06-2007, 03:01 PM

The State Representative for the Allens Lane Art Center is Cherelle Parker; Leanne Washington has moved onto the PA Senate.

-Z

allenslane · #7 (**permalink**) 03-16-2007, 10:06 AM

I just wanted to let you know that the planning part of the project took way longer than we thought. It's still moving along and we should start the actual construction very soon. I know we've been saying that for awhile now, but we just had no idea of the many, many steps that needed to be accomplished before actually starting. It's too bad we cancelled the programming for the year, but we thought we were going to start much sooner. We still hope to be finished in time for Summer Day Camp (mid-June). It's going to be great when it's done. Much nicer art & dance studios, theater improvements, etc.

The funds are committed, that's not the problem at all. In addition to the 1 million that Sen. Washington got for us, Rep. Dwight Evans pledged another $250,000! And we've received donations of about $80,000 from individuals. The more we receive, the more we can to do the building.

It's nice to hear so many great memories that people have of Allens Lane. We are far from defunct, just in a resting stage before a big growth spurt. The poor condition of the building was really holding us back, so these renovations are well worth being closed for a little while. I'll update the website when we actually start work.