It is the dream of every non-profit organization to own its own building. For
folk dance groups, the idea of a building with free span space, a sprung
hardwood floor, a stage for the band and a place for dancers to congregate is
even grander. In September 1999, this dream came true for Tapestry Folkdance
Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, just short of 16 years after the organization’s
birth. The building is all that we ever dreamed and has pulled together the
dance community in ways never before imagined.
In November 1998, faced with a huge increase in rent and a cut in available
rental space where we had been for 11 years, the Tapestry Board of Directors
faced a major decision. After leasing different spaces over the years, should
the organization pursue another lease situation or bite the bullet and purchase
a building? To remain at our venue was sure death for Tapestry. The situation
was grave because a cut in time available to us also meant a sharp decrease in
revenues. This would have made it impossible to pay the huge increase in rent.
Our programs had grown over the years to require the concurrent use of two
spaces during the weekend and some weeknights. We did look for rental space, but
did not find any place that would have been suitable. Our time line was short;
our choices few.
We worked quickly and underestimated how much time and energy it would take.
But, in just one month we investigated the daunting possibilities of staying and
paying exorbitant rent and looked at over 50 properties for possible rental.
None of them would work for one reason or another. Two real estate agents, both
folk dancers, offered to help us look for commercial space we could develop.
They were not coming up with much. At the December 1998 Board of Directors
meeting, Lisa Strong, then President of the Board, reported seeing a building
while riding her bike to Tapestry. It had a domed roof, looked huge and was just
going on the market. In fact, the real estate company was putting up the FOR
SALE sign as she was riding by. She stopped and walked in for a brief tour.
Later in the meeting, the Board of Directors voted to begin the process of
purchasing the building. One month later, in mid-January 1999, we were in the
midst of a Capital Campaign and for the next few months, purchase negotiations
for the building, budget development and lots of other details were covered. The
events happened so fast, it is hard to remember the chronology and the details.
When we began our Capital Campaign, we had some idea of how much it all would
cost and wondered if it really was possible to raise close to $200,000. In past
fund raising efforts, the most we had ever raised was $6,000. As the campaign
progressed and we researched how much it would really cost to purchase,
renovate and operate a building, we began to get a more realistic idea of how
much money we really had to raise – way more than we initially thought! To our
surprise and delight, as soon as the campaign began, the contributions began
pouring in. By the end of December, before the campaign officially began, board
and staff members had contributed over $12,000. By the end of the fiscal year,
June 1999, we had raised $173,685. There were days when all the staff did was
process checks. In December 1999, our grant request to the McKnight Foundation
for $123,000 was approved. In the past, the largest grant we had ever received
was for $8,000. We were ecstatic! The statement from Rip Rapson, President of
The McKnight Foundation aptly summarizes this new chapter in Tapestry’s history:
"The amazing outpouring of volunteer effort to create Tapestry’s new home makes
it an even more wonderful place to congregate, dance, learn, and celebrate. We
are pleased to offer our support and wish you the very best." As of the writing
of this article, nearly $350,000 has been raised in our Capital Campaign. This
includes the McKnight Foundation money, one donation of $20,000 and over 385
donations of $6,000 or less. . In addition, we have a $290,000 mortgage, and had
some smaller personal loans (now repaid) that tied us over until other
contributions were raised. The entire project is a tribute to folk dancers in
the Twin Cities and beyond. We couldn’t have done any of it without their
support.
During the late winter and spring months real estate negotiations were
carried out, discussions with the City of Minneapolis for a parking variance
occurred, and plans for the new building and its cost were discussed with an
architect and building contractor. During this whirlwind, regular programming
continued including International, Contra, Swing, English Country and
Scandinavian Dancing, and occasional special workshops were offered. A third
part-time staff person, Mary Kay Schladweiler, was hired to focus on the
programming while the other two part-time staff people directed the building
related activities. Lydia McAnerney, External Relations Coordinator, guided us
through parking variances and fund raising. Beth Hennessy, Executive Director,
took care of budgets and loan applications. It’s hard to believe all this took
so much time, but there never seemed to be enough of it in one day to get
everything done.
By mid-March, the purchase agreement was signed, the closing date loomed and
contributions continued to pour in. These included support from the local dance
community as well as from dancers who had moved away or stopped dancing but
remained loyal to Tapestry. On May 21, the purchase was complete; on May 22 we
had an open house at the new building. Demolition began that same day, and by
May 23, the entire building was gutted. All the interior walls for 7 or 8 rooms,
the electrical system and the suspended ceiling were removed. We had found out
that, in order to meet the change of occupancy for the building, everything in
the building had to be replaced to meet building codes. Over the course of the
renovations, May 22 to September 17, three paid contractors (all dancers), Tom
Barnes, Jan Raven and Demi Miller, coordinated over 200 volunteers in the
demolition and renovation of the space. Volunteers donated over 2000 hours to
help with building and insulating walls, installing electrical systems,
painting, and laying a sprung plywood floor (the under layer of the hardwood
floor we hope to install in the next year) and other tasks. Volunteers also
donated professional expertise. The architect, Bill Jacobsen (a Scandinavian
dancer) donated more than 75% of his time. One of the electricians, Jim Garrity,
donated over 50 hours. Len MacEachron, one of Tapestry’s most loyal supporters
who attends nearly all our Contra Dances, is over 80 and donated over 300 hours
of volunteer time. He worked nearly every day! It seemed that when we needed
someone with expertise, they would appear from the dance community. We even had
a lawyer from a prominent Minneapolis law firm donate her services for the real
estate negotiations and purchase. When she left the firm, another professional
helped guide our application through the proper channels to have a property tax
exemption granted by the city.
Our first event in the new building was a wonderful Contra Dance with Wild
Asparagus on Friday, September 17th, just 10 months from the time we
found out we needed to find a new home. (We received the final occupancy
approval from the Fire Marshall at 2 p.m. that same afternoon)! The smiles on
everyone’s face during that and the subsequent events were proof that this had
been a worthwhile endeavor.
To see the change in the dance community is a tribute to what owning a
building has done for Tapestry. While the process took about three times as much
money as we originally expected and more time and energy than one could imagine,
it is something we’d do again though not right away. The Contra Dance
community has grown – over 225 people were at the last Contra Dance when Pig’s
Eye Landing played. The International community has become closer knit and their
support continues to be strongly demonstrated in many ways. The local community
has shown its support through participation in events, assistance from the local
neighborhood organization and press coverage. The entire process of raising
money and renovating the building created friendships across dance communities
within Tapestry. It has raised the commitment to the building and to the
organization. By including volunteers in the process all the way along, we built
more than a building. It raised awareness and support about Tapestry in the
local neighborhood and created a loyalty that will ensure a strong community for
years to come. We would welcome any folk dancers to come see what a strong and
committed community can do by visiting us at our new home in the Longfellow
Community in south Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Reprinted by permission from the CDSS News #154, May June 2000.
