thedailytimes.com : Your 24/7 news source

With less than two months until the first public performance at the Clayton Center for the Arts, workers and officials are getting ready to punch the ball into the end zone.

City officials Wednesday evening granted a certificate of occupancy to Maryville College to begin the move-in process, said Barry Brooke, executive vice president of commercial development for property development and management firm Lawler-Wood. The firm is acting as the owner's representative on the project.

A certificate of occupancy for the main performance hall and flexible theater should be granted in mid-January, Brooke said. Contractors are still putting the finishing touches on the emergency, theatrical and major dimming systems in the two areas, he said.

"This is just one more milestone in a project that's been going on for 10 years," said Mike Merida, a Messer Construction project executive. "The Clayton Center has been an excitement and joy for Messer to build, but it's really about what goes on after we leave. We firmly believe this is a place to inspire the community and want this building to be a reflection of it."

Workers plan to start moving in items for the scene shop and art, photography and printmaking classrooms on Jan. 11, Brooke said. Final furniture move-in is scheduled for Jan. 22, he said.

Maryville High School's orchestra will perform at 2 p.m. Feb. 14, 2010 in the main performance hall, said John Cherry, marketing director for the Clayton Center for the Arts.

Finishing touches

The Clayton Center's two buildings will house a 1,200-seat performance hall, a 250-seat recital hall, a 200-seat flexible theater, a grand lobby with a 250-capacity dining area, three gallery/exhibit spaces and an outdoor arts plaza that can be used for special events.

"We're thrilled to be a part of this project particularly in light of the weather we've had over the last 15 months. The project team has worked really hard to accomplish the mission, and we're right at the goal line," Brooke said.

Officials have made a significant push to get to this phase. Workers have logged more than 600,000 man-hours on the project, Brooke said. Between 220 and 250 workers have been on-site every day for the last two weeks, said Andy Derenski, a Messer Construction project executive.

Workers will be installing paver beds in the outdoor plaza next week, Brooke said.

Contractors are currently completing the grand lobby's handrails. Workers have to cut each section of railing, apply a lacquer finish and then install each piece, Brooke said. They are also installing cherry wood trim throughout the building.

Pit lift installed

On Tuesday, workers started laying the orchestra pit floor. Contractors recently installed an estimated $150,000 pit lift that will give more flexibility to Clayton Center for the Arts staff when they arrange performances. Cherry said the lift will allow staff to:

Offer additional seating;

Extend the stage; or

Utilize an orchestra to back up the theatrical productions.

Contractors are now in the project's final fit, finish and cleaning phase, Brooke said. Workers are projected to finish their final cleaning in three weeks, Derenski said. He estimated workers will be wrapping up the project's punch list and tying up loose ends until mid-February.

Workers will complete the outdoor arts plaza's fountain in March, Derenski said. The project's last item, however, will be to hang the 120 hand-blown glass bulbs from each chandelier in the grand lobby, he said.