Crooked Tree Arts Center Traverse City - the new entity resulting from the recent merger of Petoskey's Crooked Tree Arts Center and ArtCenter Traverse City - has submitted a business plan to city staff for the group's proposed use of the city-owned Carnegie Building on Sixth Street. The plan comes on the heels of History Center of Traverse City's announcement this week that the organization is terminating its lease agreement with the city and vacating the Carnegie Building in 30 days.

In its business plan, Crooked Tree Arts Center Traverse City proposes to use "the entire Carnegie Building" if available, or at a minimum, the building's Cornwell Addition with "occasional use of the upper Carnegie Building" for special events and exhibits. The organization says it will maintain the interior of the building at no cost to the city, cover utilities and carry liability and content insurance; however, it requests the city be responsible for "the core and shell of the building," including its exterior and heating, plumbing and electrical systems, and to maintain property insurance on the building. The organization says it will also pay for improvements that "may be required to serve (our) use of the building."

Crooked Tree is requesting an initial occupancy term of three years, with an option to renew for five additional three-year periods. The organization noted that if required, it would facilitate the management, security and maintenance of the city's Con Foster collection during a transition period, and could continue hosting the collection in the building for the first three years. Thanks to the merger, Crooked Tree Arts Center Traverse City now has "an annual budget exceeding $2 million, an endowment fund of approximately $5 million, a membership of over 3,300 and a staff of 14," according to the proposal. The organization says it will use the Carnegie Building for visual arts programming, shows, workshops, exhibits, lectures, competitions, classes and fundraising activities.

A community public input session is scheduled for next Wednesday, October 22 at 7pm at the Carnegie Building to gather feedback on potential uses for the facility, including Crooked Tree's proposal. An ad hoc committee of the city commission facilitating the session is expected to make a recommendation on the best use for the building to commissioners by December.