Next door to McCaw Hall where the Seattle Opera performs, Mercer Arena sits condemned and empty (we hope). Seattle Opera is reviving plans to change that. The Seattle institution plans on knocking down the building at Fourth Avenue North and Mercer Street and constructing a four-story, 105,000-square-foot facility for themselves. Dubbed Seattle Opera at the Center, it would house their administrative offices, storage rooms, scene assembly, as well as rehearsal, community and education spaces. The Opera currently leases space in South Lake Union's Fred Rogers Building, but to have a spot next door to their performance space is too good to pass up. While the city currently owns the land, Seattle Opera signed a lease in 2007 when they originally wanted to move forward with plans before the recession tabled them. The $60 million project will be paid for mostly with private donations, but with the help of some federal, state, county and city funds. Assuming design approval, call for construction to begin in 2017. NBBJ is the architect.
· Seattle Opera unveils plans for new Seattle Center building [DJC]
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