Powerhouse awarded grant for continued renovations

The Economic Development Initiative and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded a $285,000 grant to the Powerhouse Community Arts Center to perform further renovations to the facility.

However, not all of the renovations and additions coming to the Powerhouse through the grant will be visual or apparent.

“In this renovation, it’s actually the things that you won’t see,” said Wayne Andrews, director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and the Powerhouse. “The Powerhouse needs things like backstage lighting and other technical areas that we are going to have to build to help with certain arts areas.”

Andrews said this is part of an ongoing campaign to renovate the building.

The Powerhouse, owned by the city of Oxford, passed the approval of the Powerhouse grant Tuesday at the Board of Aldermen meeting.

“Because the Powerhouse is a city-owned building, the money has to be approved by the city before the grant can be worked out,” Andrews said. “The process takes a while because of paperwork and reports to see if we are a valid agency to accept for the renovations.”

Last year, renovations to the Powerhouse included new lighting and sound equipment.

This year, Andrews said he is sure the renovations the grant will make possible will go even further to help with the stage areas that need more extensive work.

“This will be an ongoing renovation to enhance the former 1920 building to get tools for programming for the arts groups,” Andrews said.

Andrews said there will be many new inside additions to the Powerhouse, as well as outside additions like a sculpture to help spice the place up.

Tim Akers, city planner of Oxford, is helping work out compliance to the grant. After the grant is worked through, Akers will help hire the appropriate people to make sure the renovation plans are carried out.

The start date for the renovations is still unknown and design is still a while away, Andrews said.

The engineers and design group of the renovation project have not been selected; however, after the grant paperwork is complete, a project team will be assigned.

Andrews said Howorth Institutes has helped them on previous renovations and are hoping they will lend a hand in this project.

“We have worked hard for years to move the building forward, and every step we take in advancing the building we are looking forward to,” Andrews said.

Previous grants to the Powerhouse were donated by organizations such as Housing and Urban Development, the Mississippi Arts Commission and the City of Oxford.