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| Pulliam Community Building after renovation. | |
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On two separate occasions, the Community Foundation has sponsored community discussions about Downtown Loveland and brought in respected former congressman and four-term mayor of Indianapolis, Bill Hudnut. Mr. Hudnut pointed out that Loveland is the envy of many downtowns with a centrally located grocery store. But Loveland lacks a Downtown events center. By removing the fixed seating in the Pulliam auditorium and opening up over 4000 square feet of flat hardwood floor, downtown Loveland can have that center of attraction. This idea can wipe off the dust and polish a gem of a building so that it becomes vibrant again. It is a shame that this community asset is not accessed to its full potential. We need to modify and use it before we lose it. Consider the impact on downtown if 100-300 people were regularly attending events at the Pulliam. That could equate to 10,000-20,000 more visitors annually patronizing Downtown shops and eateries. UNC marketing professor James Reardon, in a retail market analysis for Downtown Loveland, reported that a successful downtown needed these key elements: a destination with a consistent theme, a mix of day and nighttime uses, entertainment such as live music, historical, artistic, romantic, music, and more. Through this plan, the auditorium meets the criteria like no other Downtown venue of its size can.
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Hardwood Floor When hearing of this idea, people’s first reaction is that they cannot believe that Downtown has such large floor space available. Many don’t even know the building exists. With the auditorium seats removed, the facility instantly becomes more flexible to host a myriad of events:
Features of the Facility The building provides the key features needed for events:
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| ©2011 NLRehme |
