Astor House proposal: Museum of Reinterpretation

MUSEUM OF REINTERPRETATION ASTOR HOUSE PROPOSAL

WITH THE SUPPORT OF

THE GOLDEN CIVIC FOUNDATION 2018

MISSION We propose to transform the Astor House into The Museum of Reinterpretation, an active arts and culture center for exhibits and events with the mission of building local close-knit community. Key to its success is its ability to adapt to the community feedback and reflect the needs of the city as it changes over time.

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A. COVER LETTER SUMMARY: The Museum of Reinterpretation is a community arts and culture center built by and for Goldenites. Through exhibits, events, and education, the Museum of Reinterpretation develops an invested creative community.

RFP CONSIDERATIONS: 1. Proposed Use The Museum of Reinterpretation activates the Astor House by transforming it into an arts and culture center that offers exciting, contemporary, and seasonally rotating exhibits, events, and education.

2. Team Qualifications Our team is made up of long-time Goldenites with a committed investment in this community. From business owners like Sarah Lobosky, to artists and architects like Pat Madison and Angela Schwab, our board has decades of diverse experience to support this vision. Additionally, we collaborate with landscape architects from Civitas, GLDN Collective, as well as neighbors to the Astor House such as the Valdez family.

3. Preservation The Museum of Reinterpretation does not intend an invasive remodel of the space.

On Rick Gardener’s recommendation, we would refinish the space to a spare, economic, Civil War-era style. This would minimize risk to the building as it would maintain its historic feel, inside and out, without irreversible alterations.

This use further preserves Golden’s intangible heritage, which is its tight-knit, community feeling. We also want to keep the park as an incorporated element of the property as it has been historically.

4. Financials After initial start-up, the Museum of Reinterpretation will be financially selfsustaining and will not need yearly operational support from the city.

Furthermore, it vitalizes the downtown by offering unique things to do, keeping people shopping and eating downtown longer, as well as drawing them west toward Arapahoe St. 5. “The Astor House is ill suited for any stand-alone museum.”

We understand that the feasibility study for the Beer Museum discouraged a museum use of the space. What we propose is a reconceptualization of the idea of a museum as a community space. The Museum of Reinterpretation is really an arts and culture center for all of Golden. We chose the word museum because it immediately signals a space that is open to the public in a way that ‘center’ does not. Additionally, this space is far from “stand-alone.” In fact, its foundation is collaboration with other institutions and individuals in Golden. Furthermore, the Astor House was saved in the 1970s for the express purpose of being a public museum. For examples of similar successful institutions around the country see Appendix III. 6. The Museum of Reinterpretation meets all of Golden 2030’s aims.

Our mission aligns perfectly with the City’s published vision for the future. We support both community engagement of people of all ages and development of economic vitality downtown. For a point-by-point review of how we support the Golden 2030 vision, see Appendix II.

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ADDITIONAL MUSEUM OF REINTERPRETATION STRENGTHS: 1. Golden Driven: Built by Community The Museum of Reinterpretation has the grassroots support of Golden. We invest in development and collaboration with community. From the Colorado School of Mines to small businesses to individual citizens, we aim to create a space that actively drives participation and investment from all of Golden.

Exhibits and events would engage community participation as they are created.

The development of this proposal was conducted the same way: talking to Golden politicians, families, business owners, young people, former Astor House volunteers, and local organizations, and incorporating their voices. For qualitative and quantitative community engagement information, as well as testimonials from community members, see Appendix I. 2. Community Building: Built for Community The Museum of Reinterpretation does not transplant a single community in Golden and stick it in the Astor House, but rather creates a hub, where many communities can be tied together. It is a space for regular face-to-face interaction for locals, along activities for locals and tourists alike. Additionally, our model fulfills nearly all of Golden 2030’s aims. For an in-depth overview of exactly how the Museum of Reinterpretation matches Golden 2030, see Appendix II. 3. Contemporary/Unique This space will be unlike anything you can find in Golden, Denver, or anywhere else. Not only will the uniqueness of the space draw an audience into Golden, it have them returning again and again for recurring events and changing exhibits.

4. Adaptability Leads to Inevitable Success The Museum of Reinterpretation is highly flexible, with exhibits and activities that can be changed quickly. It also engages community feedback in order to analyze past programming, and develop future programming. This means that if something is not working, we can leave that behind and try something new.

Similarly if something is successful, the space can move in that direction.

Through this process, success is assured.

5. Concept of Reinterpretation The reasons we chose the concept of Reinterpretation are twofold. First, we are reinterpreting the historic Astor House for a contemporary community. It has always been a public gathering-place. This would remain true, but in a way that is engaging and exciting to Golden in 2018 and moving forward. Secondly, the core process of the museum is reinterpretation: after each exhibit, event, and educational program, we receive community feedback and use that information to reinterpret how the space works in future. It is always an active, living space.

Primary Contact: Abigail Lahnert

501 18th St Golden, CO 80401

720-363-6647

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B. PROPOSED USE IF LEASING:

THE MUSEUM OF REINTERPRETATION FUNCTIONALITY: The Museum of Reinterpretation is an arts and culture center made by and for the Golden community. It serves Golden by providing unique community exhibits, events and education that change throughout the year so there is always a reason to return. The flexibility of the concept allows the Museum of Reinterpretation to change and grow as Golden does.

The goal of this project is to create connected creative community in Golden. We aim to give people the opportunity to engage regularly in face-to-face interaction that goes deeper than talking about the weather.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “MUSEUM”?

Why are museums perceived as boring? Why are they seen as pretentious? Perhaps because we typically understand museums as spaces where we look at objects and information provided by an institution, rather than places participating in meaning-making ourselves. At traditional museums there is an expectation to observe, learn, and then go home. We redefine the word ‘museum.’. While we wholeheartedly believe in museums as spaces of observation and learning, we know that they also have the potential to be sites of community. Places where ‘interactive’ does not simply mean exhibits you can touch, but rather a space where people gather to invest in experiences and each other. Places where you observe, learn, and go home having made connections with others.

We also chose to use the word museum because people looking online for places to visit are likely to assume museums are open to the public, while the same might not be true of ‘centers’ or other spaces.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “REINTERPRETATION”?

Reinterpretation is the driving concept of the space for two reasons. Firstly, we are reinterpreting the historic Astor House for contemporary Golden. The Astor House has always been a gathering place open to the public, and under our model, that remains the case. However, the nature of that gathering should adapt to fit a contemporary community, rather than one in the 1880s. Secondly, reinterpretation is the process by which the museum functions. After each programmed event or exhibit, we get feedback from the community and reinterpret our space towards their desires.

The concept is inherently broad to allow for flexibility and diversity in content. One exhibit might have artists reinterpreting a written text visually, and the next might be a research-based exhibit revealing a new perspective on Golden history. While some museums are able to present one subject for one audience, historically the Astor House has been unable to support itself that way. The solution is in being many things for many audiences under one common theme. The strength of a concept-driven space is that it can be flexible enough to incorporate different organizations and interests in a single space and community.

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KEY PROJECT GOALS: •

•

•

•

•

•

Community Building o Fosters interactions between Golden communities o Allows community members to participate in the museum space. o Community partnerships Concept Driven o Loosely ties together changing exhibits o Allows for diversity o Protects intangible heritage of Golden Contemporary/Unique o Appeals to a young crowd, as well as older, progressive citizens o Something you can’t find in Denver (or anywhere) o Maintains character of Golden Changing Exhibits o Different exhibits appeal to different audiences o Keeps the space active/reason to return Accessible o low entrance fee o inclusive to all Financially Sustainable o Self-Sustaining because content is varied and tailored to the demand of Goldenites, and costs are matched to revenues. o Contributes to economic vitality of Golden Community

EXHIBITS The first primary function of the Museum of Reinterpretation is to house unusual, entertaining, everchanging exhibits. The Astor House has already been a museum, highlighting its history as a boarding house. The failure of this museum lay in the static nature of the content and its inability to engage the community. Even while providing interesting historical context, the space did not compel visitors to return and see the same thing again. The Museum of Reinterpretation would offer a more engaging experience. Not only would the rooms in the museum each house distinct exhibits to interest diverse audiences, these exhibits would also change on a regular basis. This creates an impetus to return to the space and see what’s new. Attendance at events gives citizens another reason to visit and generates interest in exhibits as well.

For example, one exhibit might be a collaboration with students and professors at Colorado School of Mines reinterpreting how we understand our geological landscape. The next might be involved with the Golden History Museum interviewing living members of the Ute, Arapahoe, and Shoshone tribes to amplify historical narratives than the standard miner/cowboy story. In this way, the exhibits serve to knit people together. Rather than serving as a space for a single community that already exists, it will strive to bring those communities together to build something new.

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EXAMPLE EXHIBITS: Exhibits explore a broad range of subject matter, from history to art to social science and beyond, tied together cohesively under the Reinterpretation concept.

Example I: Invite members of the community to move their bookshelves to the museum space. Include placards describing the person and their background, but allow the bookshelf itself to serve as a kind of portrait of the person.

• Example II: Send a piece of writing to 15 different artists to interpret and host an exhibition of the work they created.

• Example III: Exhibit several objects and images on the wall, each with two or more contradictory placards providing context for it. The viewer does not know which of the placards, if any, are accurate, forcing them to question how they understand and choose narratives.

• Example IV: Investigating other facets of the “western” narrative. Much of Golden is centered around telling the story of the Wild West, complete with miners, cowboys, and pioneers. An exhibit in the Museum of Reinterpretation might complicate this story by highlighting narratives such as those of the Native American tribes from the area or the roles of women, freed slaves, and children. In this exhibition, the museum would engage in conversation with other sites in town such as the Golden History Museum and Visitor’s Center. Could include collaboration with Buffalo Bill Days.

• More Ideas: Collaboration with the School of Mines (students and faculty) to develop an exhibition.

Exhibitions highlighting artists, exhibition on the “intermediary,” installation art, exhibit about all the other towns named Golden in the country, exhibit of flood history, DIY spaces of Denver, exhibition about Dr. Seuss tying the political messages in his books to real world politics, exhibitions centered around persons, places, and oddities of interest, exhibition about Clear Creek RV park, exhibition exploring ‘golden’ (color, material, town, etc.), exhibitions exploring something mundane in a new light, exhibitions with participation from community, “Museum in a Box” where people can pay to get mailed a mini museum.

Certain exhibits would be in collaboration with ‘experts,’ either from within the community or from elsewhere. These experts would give gallery talks about the display near the time of exhibit opening.

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EVENTS The second primary function is as a community event space. The space would host both recurring and one-time events on its grounds. One-time events might include things like weddings in the park, small concerts, performances, and lectures. These events would be aimed at audiences both inside and outside of Golden. Recurring events would be designed to build an active cultural community within Golden. These events might include things like swing dancing, art workshops, book clubs, music, and film series. They would occur on a weekly or monthly basis, allowing people to gather and get to know one another over time.

Events are a key part of the design of the Museum of Reinterpretation because while people are unlikely to visit an exhibit they have already seen, they will come again and again for events.

This is evident in the music venue at New Terrain Brewing, as well as the vibrant communities that call the Mercury CafĂŠ in Denver home. Together, these two functionalities create a space in which visitors can enter at any time and have something to do, whether or not an event is happening. At the same time, those who walk past the building everyday have reasons to revisit the space and participate in the community. Furthermore, transforming the Astor House with its layers of history into a community space would itself be a reinterpretation of its original function as a boarding house, where people lived and communed together.

Potential Monthly Event Schedule:

APRIL Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday 1

Saturday 2

Open Mic

3

4 Swing Dance

10

CLOSED

11 Swing Dance

17

5

18

CLOSED

CLOSED

6 CLOSED

12

19

CLOSED

CLOSED

Swing Dance 13

Swing Dance

14

20

CLOSED

26

CLOSED

15

21

27 Swing Dance

Open Mic

22

Film Screening

Live Music

16 Art Workshop

23 Night of One Acts

Art Workshop

28

9 Film Screening

Lecture

Swing Dance 25

8 Storytelling night

Swing Dance

Swing Dance 24

7

29

Night of One Acts 30

Open Mic

Live Music

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EXAMPLE EVENTS: Partnerships are a huge part of the framework for both exhibits and events at the Museum of Reinterpretation. The museum is far from “stand-alone” because it constantly works in tandem with other organizations. For example, plays and one acts performed at the Museum might be in partnership with Miner’s Alley Playhouse. One acts might be too short to be viable in the Miner’s Alley space, but would be perfect at the Astor House. Art workshops highlighting local artists are another example: Marcie Miller could teach intro glass blowing, or Judy Madison could teach hand building with clay Community Outreach:

Art: •

Art workshops (children, teens, and adults)

•

Dancing (swing, salsa, etc.)

•

Storytelling nights

•

Live model drawing

•

Live Music

•

Plays/One Acts

•

Outdoor Cafe

•

Open Mic nights

•

Board/Card game nights

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Performance Art

•

Kids’ movie night

•

Gallery Talks

•

Partnerships

Learning:

•

Sponsorships

•

Lecture series

•

Publication

•

Film series

•

Website

•

Reading groups/classes

•

Language practice/intercambio

•

Bookstore

•

Small research library

•

Birthdays/Celebrations

•

Skill shares

•

Weddings

•

Office parties

Rental:

Events that require food could be serviced by local food trucks or with a partnership with Dean and Aimee Valdez, owners of Old Capitol Grill, as a means to activate the alleyway space, which has been discussed.

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EDUCATION The Museum of Reinterpretation is committed to providing space for engaged learning for people both in and out of school. Our Interpretive Learning Institute offers classes taught by members of the community about their favorite subjects. Classes would be relaxed, but allow people outside of a university structure to continue actively studying with one another.

Collaboration with professors at Mines, experts in the community, and other institutions such as the Golden History Museum would be key. Examples of classes could be guided book clubs, kids’ art workshops, informational nature and historic walks, and skill building/skill share classes. Further, there would be a research library in the museum office where patrons would be able to check out the books used to research the exhibits and learn more.

BUILT BY AND FOR A CONTEMPORARY GOLDEN The goal of the is not to erase the history of the Astor House, but rather to explore the core of its historical narratives and reenergize the space for contemporary Golden with them in mind. The goal of The Museum of Reinterpretation is not to compete with or replicate anything already found in Golden, but rather to draw connections between different communities. The Museum of Reinterpretation is a space for local partners to help experiment and curate both exhibits and events that might not fall cleanly under their mission statements.

The space would be far from “stand-alone.” In fact, the very core of its mission is mutuality and partnership building. The method this proposal was developed by proves our commitment to the community and collaboration (see Appendix I and II).

NOTE ON UNIQUENESS Uniqueness is key to the success of this space. Not only would it strive to be unlike anything already in Golden, but it would also aim to be unlike anything in Denver, Boulder, and beyond.

Uniqueness allows the museum to have a larger audience of curious museum-goers. In fact, a network of highly successful odd, small museums have found success around the world by engaging with a following who seek these singular experiences (see Appendix III). By tapping into this community as well, the Museum of Reinterpretation would develop local, regional, and potentially national/international audiences. The Colorado Railroad Museum is a great example of how having a larger audience for a niche experience can be a financial boon for a space, as many visitors to the CRRM come from all over the world.

The Astor House has always been a space open to the public in Golden, and is a historical landmark in the town. Many find the space too small, strange, or unwieldy to do anything with, but for what we propose the space is perfect.

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OTHER CAPABILITIES: The Museum Shop: The check in desk of the museum would also include a small museum shop that houses publications about the various exhibits, museum t-shirts, as well as space to sell work both textual and visual by local artists and those who collaborate with the museum.

Museum of Reinterpretation at _________: Another way to incorporate the museum into the community is to have small pop-up exhibits in various spaces around town, expected and unexpected. For example, an office of some kind could have an odd miniature diorama displayed in their space with a placard from the museum, or a sculpture could be placed in a neglected planter. The museum would advertise the locations of these pop ups on the website and in the physical space, which would encourage visitors to seek them out.

This could include sponsorship from the places we pop-up. In this way, sponsorship itself becomes community building instead of just revenue producing. There would be a similar sponsorship pedestal in the museum where a small exhibit would be created in reference to the sponsor. See a large version of this at Foss Company’s new space on Washington St.

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The Wandering Inch Plant: An inch plant is a vine-like plant that only needs one inch of plant matter to be repotted in order to grow. The museum would have a large ‘mother’ plant. Each contributor, sponsor, and artist associated with the space would be given part of the community plant to take home and grow in their own space, thus creating a physical network to represent the metaphorical one.

Public Bathroom: The bathroom on the lower level of the MOR would be available for free public use. This includes as a bathroom facility for the Golden History Museum during their summer camps, as well as during downtown events such as the Art Festival and Buffalo Bill Days.

PARKING CONSIDERATIONS: Though the Astor House does not have extra parking requirements, the Museum of Reinterpretation is aware of the limited parking in the downtown Golden area. Astor House neighbor Steve Schafer of Meyer Hardware brought this to our attention.

During the daytime, most of the visitors to the Museum of Reinterpretation will be people coming to downtown for other things such as shopping or the Coors tour, meaning it is an additional service to those already parking, rather than a space that increases the demand on the parking infrastructure.

At nighttime, when there will be events that may involve more people in need of parking, two considerations are being made. The first is that the Museum of Reinterpretation will be open later than most regular businesses in Golden, meaning that parking will be more available during the Museum of Reinterpretation’s most active hours. The second consideration is that we are currently in conversation with Mesa Meadows Land Co to use their employee parking lot, located less than a block form the Astor House, for the Museum of Reinterpretation at night.

POSSIBLE HOURS: Monday: Closed Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 12pm-10:30pm Thursday:12pm-8pm Friday: 12pm-10:30pm Saturday: 10am-10:30pm Sunday: 10am-8pm (Possible hours determined through the hours of similar institutions such as the Museum of Jurassic Technology.)

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ALIGNMENT WITH GOLDEN GOALS Goldenite Voices: We have conducted both qualitative and quantitative research directly involving the Golden Community which can be viewed in-depth in Appendix I. Through this research, it was determined that the community wants the Astor House to be a culture center for art and events that is open as a public amenity.

I have spoken with small business owners like Dean and Aimee Valdez (Old Capital Grill), Lynn Conrad (Baby Doe’s), and Steve Schafer (Meyer Hardware), many of the City Councilors, local families such as Brian and Julia Reed and their kids, former Astor House Volunteers such as Diane M., employees of the Golden History Museum like Nathan Richie and Rachel Steck, members of the Parks, Rec and Museum as well as Historic Preservation Boards, the Golden Optimists, GLDN Collective of young Goldenites, Mines students like Christian Schmelzel, the entire Golden Civic Foundation, architects such as Angela Schwab and Peter Ewers, local landscape architects Craig Vickers and Amirah Shahid of CIVITAS, and many others.

Stated City Goals: Connected Community, Initiative #2: Encourage and develop “local” (special) events that bring the community together and help create community without attracting large numbers of non-residents.

This is one of three overarching initiatives to create connected community emphasized on the City of Golden’s website. While events like the Golden Summer Jam and the yearly Gala and Auction create local gathering spaces for Golden twice a year, the Museum of Reinterpretation would provide this every week. While the recurring nature of events encourages local connected community because out of towners wouldn’t necessarily be able to come every week, it also does not alienate tourists who are helping Golden thrive by excluding them from participation either.

This initiative #2 is the heart of the Museum of Reinterpretation’s mission.

Councilor Individual Commentaries: In each of the councilor commentaries, there are strong statements about education, volunteerism, the importance of community, the value of supporting non-profits, or all of these.

The Museum of Reinterpretation supports all of these aims and helps develop their presence in Golden.

Golden 2030: We have also explored the Golden 2030 Vision Comprehensive and Downtown Character Plans. The Museum of Reinterpretation serves to fulfill nearly all of the stated goals and objectives of the city as we move through the next ten years. There is an in-depth breakdown of specific goals from each plan and how the Museum of Reinterpretation serves those goals in Appendix II. The main strength of the Museum of Reinterpretation is that it simultaneously supports close community among locals, without discouraging progress and development. While it provides a community hub for locals, it also vitalizes downtown by providing another activity to keep people in Golden longer. The contemporary nature of the space welcomes both the new and the old of Golden.

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C. NOTICE OF INTENT TO PURCHASE We do not intend to purchase the building. We propose to lease the building from its owner.

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C. QUALIFICATIONS: ABIGAIL LAHNERT | FOUNDER | CURATOR Abigail Lahnert holds degrees in anthropology and studio art. She has completed 3 research grants about community art, including a Carson Grant funded by the Mellon foundation to research Museums of the Odd. For this grant, she travelled around the world from L.A. to New Orleans to Zagreb visiting odd museums and interviewing their owners.

Through this project she became an expert on how museums like this can function and build communities around them. She has conceived and created exhibits such as the Institute of Connection at the Mark O’Hatfeild Library in Salem, OR and the Bistro Rotating Gallery at the Bistro Willamette. The two other research grants were an ethnography of swing dance community in Portland, OR, investigating how that community impacted the lives of its members, and an 8-month daily drawing project exploring how we build identity via archives. Abigail was born and raised in Golden and understands how it has grown and changed the last two decades. She has worked for the Golden Civic Foundation planning events such as the Golden Summer Jam and annual Gala. Through working for the GCF she has grown even closer with members of the community and asked them to share their own ideas and aspirations for the Astor House with her, many of which have been incorporated into this project plan. There is nothing else she would prefer to do more than run this space.

Rick Gardener said, “Something I've told others before, is that what the Astor House most truly needs is someone who will be dedicated to it, devote their whole attention to it, and not be distracted by having a focus elsewhere. It's been adversely affected in its most recent era when it's not had these things. It would be best served if it were fully focused upon and made the center of the best attention and care.”

Abigail is seeking the opportunity to devote herself entirely to this building and the community it will house.

SARAH LOBOSKY | BOARD MEMBER | MESA MEADOWS LAND CO. Sarah Labosky is a fifth generation Coloradan. Her family, the Foss Family, has lived in Golden since 1913. She started working for Mesa Meadows Land Company 20 years ago and is now a Vice President and serves on the board of directors. She’s also an advisor for the board of the Golden Civic Foundation and has been a past board president. She is passionate about the Golden Civic Foundation’s small business loan program. Sarah holds a BSBA from University of Denver in Finance and a Masters of Science from the Colorado School of Mines in Mineral Economics with a specialization in quantitative business research methods. When she’s not leasing & managing properties in Golden you can find her volunteering, checking out museums and playing with her rowdy family.

Sarah became involved in the Museum of Reinterpretation because of her enthusiasm for bringing fresh ideas, new attractions and vitality to Golden. She is especially excited about the MOR’s ability to serve the entire community.

M.L. RICHARDSON | BOARD MEMBER | ATTORNEY M.L. is a long-time Goldenite who has served on various city boards over the years, including the Golden Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the West Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Jeffco Economic Development Corporation, and Chair of various committees serving Jefferson County. She currently sits on the board of the Golden Civic Foundation.

She has been a practicing lawyer for many years with an in-depth knowledge of land management and contract negotiation. She is currently the Director of Strategy and Sustainable Development at APC. She is thrilled at the potential of the Museum of Reinterpretation to add some spice to downtown Golden and build an invested community.

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PAT MADISON | BOARD MEMBER | ARTIST Pat Madison is a long time Goldenite committed to building a better Golden. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Golden, on the board of both the Golden Civic Foundation and Miners Alley, and co-founder of Golden Software, Inc. He has further served on many ad-hoc committees servicing the Golden community. Not only does he have extensive civic and business experience in Golden, he is also the artist behind the large fish and butterfly statues by Clear Creek, which are landmarks in town. Pat is excited to be involved with the MOR and hopes to see it find a home in the Astor House.

ANGELA SCHWAB | BOARD MEMBER | ARCHITECT Angela Schwab is an architect and artist who has lived in Colorado for exactly half her life. She previously served on the City of Golden Planning Commission, where she worked with Planning staff to define criteria for ensuring that new development in Golden considered the opportunities, views, and character abundant in Golden’s unique setting. In her previous life as an artist, Angela earned a BFA in ceramics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and ran a small ceramic production studio in the RiNo Arts District in Denver; her work has been published in major design publications and exhibited in design shows from New York to Denver and Tokyo to Milan. As an architect with Anderson Hallas Architects in Golden, Angela has a passion for designing civic projects like libraries, schools, and Judicial Centers that serve the populations of rural communities throughout Colorado. Angela supports the Museum of Reinterpretation because she admires its goals of strengthening our community by providing a venue for unique exhibitions and quirky, creative personalities to connect and thrive.

GLDN | COLLABORATOR | ART COLLECTIVE GLDN is a network of musicians, artists, and creatives who call Golden home. The foundation is built upon Golden High School students who have pursued inspirational crafts. Upon reflection of the creative community centered around a shared experience of growing up in west Denver, there was a realization that many of us look to Denver or Boulder for our creative expression. Recognizing the lack of venues to showcase our interests in our hometown, we challenged ourselves to build an infrastructure to represent our perspective in the same town that created it. The seed that was planted grew into opening a pop up gallery in the former Golden Mill, before construction began on the concept food court and beer hall. We utilized the space for one month to share our passions with the community. With all of the walls in the 6,000 square foot building covered with art and our three sanctioned events that sold out, we accomplished our goal of sharing our vision with our town. The GLDN Mill sold many art pieces, hosted a few hundred individuals at our events, and we were able to pay the musicians and artists handsomely for their contribution. By honoring our strength of putting on events, in which all walks of life can feel comfortable, we strive to continue serving the curious and creative community. We operate as a network, enlisting individuals based on their skill sets, and rewarding them to do so. Going forward we intend to grow our community and continue to represent the under represented. We will foster our operations, putting music and art on a platform, showcasing the uniqueness of the Golden.

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E. Financials: FINANCIAL OVERVIEW: Within 5 years, the Museum of Reinterpretation will be self-sustaining. Developing a community arts and culture center in the heart of Golden will help vitalize downtown by keeping people in the area longer and growing their investment in the community.

The financial plan for the MOR is based on several sound financial principles: 1. Keep overhead cost low, in fact, extremely low in the start up phase.

2. Utilize the upstairs office space as a revenue generator by compatible enterprises.

3. Grow organically and at a pace matched by revenues.

4. Evolve rapidly to align events and exhibits with demand. The MOR will be successful because it will evolve events and exhibits until it achieves success.

5. Build out the Astor House generically (and historically) so it can be used for almost any purpose now and in the future.

The short term financial plan for the MOR is to minimize start up costs such that they will be covered by a combination of revenue and public support. While commitments for pub4lic support from districts and foundations cannot be made yet, the interest for future significant public support once the City of Golden is on board has been established.

The long term plan is for the MOR to be self sustaining through revenue generation by matching costs to actual revenues and by increasing revenues through evolution of the events and exhibits to align with revenue producing demand. In addition, growth of the museum will occur through grant applications, alignment with larger institutions, and increased demand as the MOR's reputation grows.

The financial plan outlined below is conservative. It assumes the Astor House and Park is remodeled into a functional state by its owner. It is conservative in that it assumes a similar level of attendance as the Astor House Museum of 2014, whereas successful progressive institutions in other communities have much larger attendance and budgets. It is also conservative in that it does not include possible revenue from sources that may arise in the future, such as internet based business, or unique event offerings in alignment with other venues in Golden.

Golden Driven: Built by Community

Community Building: Built for Community

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5-YEAR PRO FORMA: Revenue

Year 1 21120

Year 2 21120

Year 3 24000

Year 4 24000

Year 5 28000

20,000

20,000

30,000

30,000

50,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

5,000

7,500

10,000

12,500

15,000

2,500

5,000

5,000

7,500

7,500

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

5,000

10,000

10,000

15,000

15,000

2,000 97,620

2,500 119,120

3,000 146,000

3,500 167,500

4,000 205,500

Year 1 40,000 0 24,000

Year 2 40,000 10,000 24,000

Year 3 45,000 20,000 24,000

Year 4 45,000 30,000 24,000

Year 5 50,000 40,000 24,000

24,000

24,000

30,000

30,000

35,000

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

Total Expenses

20,000 111,000

25,000 126,500

30,000 153,000

35,000 168,500

40,000 194,000

Net Cash Flow

-13,380

-7,380

-7,000

-1,000

11,500

Office Rent (880*$24) Sponsorships (Business, Foundations, Development Groups) Admission (4000 visitors @ $5/per) Recurring Events (Swing dancing, concerts, workshops, summer camps, etc) Rentals (Weddings, Corporate Events,etc) One Time Events (Olde Golden Christmas, Buffalo Bill Days,etc.)

Shop (art, collectibles, jewelry, books. shirts, etc.)

Grants (Research, nonprofit subsidies, etc) Donations ($50/day *200 days) Total Revenue

Expenses Director Assistant Director Rent @ $2000/mo Exhibits (materials, labor, installation hardware, etc.)

Misc. (marketing, cleaning supplies, office supplies etc.)

Events (instructors, art materials, food, etc.)

We have proven ability to cover the negative revenue of the first four years with donations.

Example donors include Gabriella Vogt for $10,000, the Lahnert Family for $10,000 and donations from Angela Schwab, the Golden Civic Foundation, and others.

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START UP STRUCTURE: Structurally, after initial start-up, the museum would have one salaried employee, paid contract workers, and a team of volunteers. The salaried employee is the Director, who oversees curation/creation of exhibits, event coordination, commercial sponsorships, grant writing, and maintenance of the space. This position would be full time with a salary of $40,000, less than the current market value for a museum curator. Contracted workers would do miscellaneous tasks for the space, with the money for their labor being included in the exhibits budget. Overseeing the actions of these employees would be a Board of Directors, which is made up of people in Golden with an interest in cultural downtown development, including Sarah Labosky, Pat Madison, Angela Schwab, and M.L. Richardson. Ideally, the Director would begin in early 2019, and contract work could begin upon opening the museum.

WORK FLOW DIAGRAM:

This work flow diagram demonstrates how the Museum of Reinterpretation gets from where the Astor House is now to opening, and then the cycle through which it functions on a regular basis.

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BREAKDOWN OF REVENUE: Office Rent: Projected rent based on current market cost for office space in Golden.

Admissions: projected revenue based on a conservative 10 visitors a day at $5.

Recurring events: projected revenue base on a conservative 10-20 person participation in each event at $10 each.

One-time events: projected revenue based on an event during the Candlelight Walk and one during Buffalo Bill Days. Potential for summer camps during school breaks.

Rentals: projected revenue based on 6 private events a year, for example weddings, office parties, and small conferences, but the aim would be for more.

Museum Shop: projected revenue based on $170 worth of sales a month. Contents of shop includes books, merchandise, local art, sponsor artifacts, etc.

Sponsorships: The three forms of sponsorship are off-site installations, the pedestal, and event sponsors. Offsite sponsorships are Museum of Reinterpretation at_________, in which we set up small exhibits at other locations. We advertise these exhibits online and at the museum. The sponsorship pedestal will be in the museum shop and will have a small exhibit related to the sponsor. It will be labeled with the sponsors name. Event sponsors can have their name on onetime events or recurring events. For example, Swing Dancing Sundays sponsored by the Golden Civic Foundation.

Grants: projected revenue based on previous grants from the SCFD, Boettcher Foundation, Miller-Coors, Golden Civic Foundation, the City of Golden, the DDA, Confluence, and others to similar institutions in Golden. Similar groups would be approached for the start up funds for the museum.

VITILIZATION OF DOWNTOWN: A huge economic benefit of the Museum of Reinterpretation is its value to the surrounding businesses and restaurants. Instead of competing with local shops and eateries, it provides another way to bring customers into those spaces. Additionally, through the sponsorship program, it actively directs visitors to local businesses.

START UP COSTS: In our proposal, the owner of the building is responsible for the initial outfitting of the Astor House in order to make it usable. In one scenario, the owner of the building is responsible for maintenance, and after a few years of rent forgiveness while the leasing tenant (The Museum of Reinterpretation) gets its feet on the ground, the leasing tenant would pay rent to the owner.

However, the Museum of Reinterpretation itself will be self-sustaining and able to cover its own operations.

One financial scenario for the start up phase we’ve imagined if the city remains the owner involves basic outfitting of the Astor House to be funded by both the city and the DDA, with aid from the Golden Civic Foundation.

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Start Up Fees Design Fees Renovation Park

40,000 500,000 $120/ft + 80,000 safety net 65,000

These numbers are from consultation with Brant Lahnert structural engineer and CFO at KL&A who has built buildings from scratch for $180 per square foot. The city has already put the infrastructure money into the building, so this would be for interior detailing.

The Museum of Reinterpretation requires very little infrastructure for start-up. We would work with the owner to remodel to a budget with a plan to upgrade the facility over time as the funds became available and the art and culture center becomes successful.

INSURANCE: The Museum of Reinterpretation has the ability to procure the appropriate insurance in partnership with a local non-profit, such as the Golden Civic Foundation. Evidence of this is shown by our collaborator the GLDN Collective, which procured $2,000,000 dollar insurance for the Golden Mill by partnering with Foothills Art Center for their pop-up in October. We estimate the cost to be around $2,500 annually.

PARTNERSHIP: Because the Museum of Reinterpretation does not require the whole building for its community operations, reserving the second floor for office space, we are open to partnerships with other proposing teams who might wish to occupy the upstairs in a symbiotic manner. The Museum of Reinterpretation would partner well with many other uses for the Astor House. We are open to and interested in opportunities to join with other entities to make the Astor House a robust community center.

Specifically, we have discussed possibility of partnership with Civitas Landscape Architects Craig Vickers and Amirah Shahid believe our proposal to be highly compatible with their proposal for the yard and kitchen alterations to the park section of the Astor House. Here is a rendering of their concept:

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F. PRESERVATION PLAN: ECONOMIC HISTORIC OUTFITTING: The Museum of Reinterpretation does not necessitate or recommend large changes to the space.

The façade would remain untouched, as would the basic layout of the interior. Based on recommendations from local historian Rick Gardener, we would aim to outfit the space sparely, in Civil War-era detail or something similarly simple. While this outfitting preserves the history of the space, it is also economic, because it’s plain. Also on Gardener’s recommendation, we would aim to preserve and highlight interesting architecture that points to the history of the space, such as evidence of the fire. The inside would simply need to be up to code with walls, lights, exits, and usable bathrooms.

LOW RISK: Unlike a restaurant, or a business that involves a lot of build-out, the Museum of Reinterpretation provides low risk to the building, because it will not be outfitted to a highly invasive or specific use. This means that even decades in the future, the space would be usable for something else if that becomes necessary. We would be excited to continue working with Rick, the Historic Preservation Board, or other architects with specializing in historic preservation in Golden throughout the process.

INTANGIBLE HERITAGE: We aim to preserve not only the physical building, but also the small-town feeling of Golden, which is a key to the sense of belonging that many community members feel. We are not erasing the past uses of the Astor House- we are reinterpreting them.

The concept of the Museum of Reinterpretation is in alignment with the wishes of the citizens who in the 70s taxed themselves in order to save the building, because back then it was saved with the express purpose of being a museum.

Furthermore, in 2015 the dilapidation of the Astor House structure necessitated a closure for rehabilitation. During the closure, staff considered options for the space. They had four criteria for potential uses: “1) the historic integrity of Astor House would be maintained, 2) the building would be operated as a public museum, 3) the museum content would connect to Golden’s history and be widely appealing, and 4) the museum would be self-sustaining.” The Museum of Reinterpretation fulfills all four of these requirements, without being static like the old Astor House Museum was and many other traditional museums are.

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APPENDIX I: COMMUNITY RESEARCH In order to get a sense of what the citizens of Golden actually want, we conducted an informal community survey with a few basic questions. People were able to write in their own options if none provided were suitable. The survey was conducted via google forums, and we had no ability to modify results.

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From the information gathered, two things citizens want became very clear. The first is that the community desires a community art and culture center. The second is that the Astor House remains in the hands of the City. As a cultural non-profit, Museum of Reinterpretation concept fulfills both of these desires.

The Museum of Reinterpretation has spoken with The Golden Civic Foundation, The Golden Optimists, Rick Gardener, Peter Ewers, Steve Gleuck, neighbors to the space such as the Valdez Family (Old Capitol Grill) and Steve Schafer (Meyer Hardware), Nathan Richie, Mayor Marjorie Sloan, Councilpersons Casey Brown, Paul Haseman, Laura Weinberg and Jim Dale, Golden History Museum employees, former Astor House volunteers, small business owners, Suzy Stuzman (Golden Optimists, Historic Preservation Board), Miner’s Alley, CIVITAS, GLDN Collective, and many individual citizens during the development process of this proposal. The proposal has grown from community involvement and likewise the museum would be run with this same intentionality and outreach.

Testimonials: Suzanne Stuzmann (Golden Optimists, Historic Preservation Board) I am providing a letter of support for the proposal for the Astor House to be developed as the Museum of Reinterpretation. I have lived in Golden for more than 30 years and have served (and continue to serve) on a number of Golden boards and commissions. I had a 35 year career with the National Park Service as a landscape architect and park planner, and have been involved with museum planning, interpretation, cultural resource management.

The Museum of Reinterpretation is a creative idea that can do a lot of good things. It provides a small scale place for community to come together for a variety of events, forums, and discussions.

It provides an opportunity to have endless different types exhibits that would be refreshed periodically to draw in and enrich both Golden residents and tourists. It is a space that can tie together a number of other community partners and activities. All of these activities can continue the spirit of the Astor House as a local boarding house and local gathering place. Most importantly, it keeps the building in the public arena. Even if it does not generate as much income as leasing the building for a private use, it is important that the Astor House, a vital Golden asset saved by local residents, remain a public facility.

I support the idea of the Museum of Reinterpretation because it respects the integrity and fabric of the Astor House in which the city has invested so much, it interprets the spirit of the boarding house as a public meeting space and offers a flexible museum that will serve Golden residents of all ages and visitors.

Thank you,

17331 Rimrock Drive Golden, CO 80401

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GLDN Collective (Wes Hughes, Lily Conrad, Christian McDonnell, Katharine Louise, other GHS Grads) As we recognized the opportunity for growth in the Golden creative community, it was no surprise that others had noticed the vacuum of unique and boundary-defying endeavors in our incredible town. When we were approached about the Museum of Reinterpretation our inspiration blossomed. Hearing that the proposition and the intention of the space was so close our core values, we were honored to ask to be involved. Our original plan with the GLDN Mill was to operate as more of a community space, with workshops, classes, and creative events, but we were limited by the temporary nature of our project. The Museum of Reinterpretation delivers all of that and more, with a fixed location that can build customers week to week, and year to year. This will quickly become one of the most interesting and talked about spaces in Golden and the Denver metro area. The idea alone has been spreading so quickly and with much excitement. It was very clear as we came to the end of our lease at the Mill that this was a underserved niche in our area. We had sparked a conversation that asked for local creative representation, uniting our people, and enjoying our diversity under one roof. So when we told our customers about the Museum of Reinterpretation, they lit up and wanted to be involved. I am quite positive many of them have sent letters to our local representatives. This is guaranteed to be a successful endeavor, one that honors the roots of the Astor House and builds upon Goldens uniqueness.

GLDN plans to help with events, community activities, presenting artists, and installation work.

We will help with promotions and advertising, increasing the value of the space. We are happy to be involved with day to day operations, including staffing. We have learned a lot from our weeks at the GLDN Mill, and are very excited to contribute to the Museum of Reinterpretation. We have a lot of ideas to bring revenue to the space, and even more ideas of how to engage the community. We are very excited to help bring this plan to fruition, and believe that it will incredible for Golden.

Julia Reed (Golden Family Doctor, Mother) I am writing in support for the proposal of the Museum of Reinterpretation (MOR) as the designated use of the Astor House. I have lived in Golden for over 20 years and believe that the MOR would be an amazing addition to our community. It would help to maintain the small-town character of Golden and support the council’s Connected Community Initiative #2.

This space could provide a multi-use location where different groups can gather and connect face-to-face. It will help build local community but also be a place that would attract tourists.

The MOR would serve as a site of support and enrichment for all ages and many different groups. I have 2 middle school age children, who would benefit from this space as well as younger kids with a wide range of options from summer camp activities to storytelling/film events, to arts and craft events. Our family could gather for live music on weekends, for guided bookclubs, swing dancing, and all sorts of opportunities.

I hope you seriously consider the proposal for the MOR. I feel this would be a great addition to our wonderful community!

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Dean and Aimee Valdez (Business Owners, Neighbors to the Astor House)

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APPENDIX II: GOLDEN VISION 2030 ALIGNMENT Comprehensive Plan Goals: Golden Vision 2030 Goals Specific Goal and Strategies Section 1: Goals, Strategies, Decisions Value Theme A: Accessible We value being a community and Walkable which is walkable, bikeable, and accessible to all.

Goal 1: Safe, convenient, wellmaintained biking and walking opportunities.

Value Theme B: Active Outdoors/Environment

Goal 2: Maintaining proximity to open space and natural beauty Strategy 2.3: Identify opportunities to create additional public open spaces in the urban environment, such as City and neighborhood parks, plazas, pocket parks, courtyards and “parklets.” If well designed, these spaces can become “places” that function like urban living rooms where the community meets.

Goal 3: Support the health and well-being of our community and provide indoor and outdoor facilities, organized activities and programs to support active living for all ages.

Value Theme C: Safe Clean Quiet Neighborhoods

Strategy 3.4: Create public spaces with seating, such as small plazas, pocket parks and parklets that can be activated with children’s play areas, tables and chairs for community gathering, as well as programmed with entertainment or educational activities for all ages.

Goal 1: We will be a place where we can go anywhere at any time and feel safe Strategy 1.3: Zone for a mix of uses where possible. This keeps areas active with people pursuing different activities at all different

How the Museum of Reinterpretation Serves that Goal The MOR would reopen public access to Astor House and associated park as a public amenity.

The MOR would provide bike racks for those with bikes in Golden.

Potential for exhibit highlighting biking culture in Golden.

The MOR has met with Cevitas Landscape Architecture to develop a plan for the grounds and associated park of the Astor House. Paired with the activation of the park space for events, the park will become an “urban living room” where people can spend their lunch break, summer camps can meet, and community can flourish.

The MOR at the Astor House would be both an indoor and outdoor site for organized activities and programs, catered to people of all ages, which is one of our key goals.

The associated park would have seating in the summertime perhaps with a food truck, concerts, lectures, plays etc. for both education and entertainment.

The MOR would be open later than many Golden businesses. Because it is located in relation to Miner’s Alley, there would be more activity on Arapahoe where it is typically quieter at night. This would make the park, parking lots, alley-way, and public bathrooms safer.

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times of day to deter criminal activity.

Value Theme D: Local Businesses and Downtown

Goal 1: We believe that it is important to maintain an environment which encourages a variety of quality and locally owned businesses and restaurants so that residents of Golden can purchase locally while continuing to encourage visitors to visit Golden and support our local businesses.

Strategy 1.1 Continue marketing campaigns to encourage residents and visitors alike to patronize Golden businesses.

Goal 2: We will encourage/promote downtown events and activities that enhance life and connect people.

Strategy 2.1 The success of downtown events is one of Golden’s greatest strengths, and the challenge will be to maintain this level of activities and continue to build on these accomplishments.

Strategy 2.2 Continue to provide the resources needed for planning and marketing of downtown events, and develop new ideas for connecting the community through these activities.

Goal 3: We value the character of downtown (its size and varied architecture). Therefore, it is important to preserve, enhance and complement the historic buildings downtown with both public and private investments.

The streetscape, walkability and accessibility are critical in this effort.

Strategy 3.1 Work with the Historic Board to create incentives for preserving and restoring historic buildings.

The MOR would serve as a regular gathering place for locals, but also offer another interesting amenity to the city to visitors while they are here. While the core community would be locals, exhibits and events will be fully accessible to visitors.

The space would serve local needs for cultural community space while drawing visitors in as a unique experience, such as MeowWolf does in Sante Fe.

The MOR hosts diverse weekly social events as well as houses the Interpretive Learning Institute, an education environment outside of schools. Activities that cause people to connect on a deeper level.

The MOR would also be able to support existing events, such as the Arts Festival, the Candlelight Walk, and Buffalo Bill Days as another venue and hub of activity. Both of these uses would support community connection.

The MOR has spoken with Rick Gardener and would love to collaborate with the Historic Preservation board for their recommendations about the preservation of the Astor House.

The MOR has no intention of altering the façade of the space, or doing any extensive or invasive changes to basic interior structure.

The MOR would be part of the creation of the Arapahoe St. corridor by activating one end of the space

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and beautifying the grounds.

Strategy 3.2 Continue to enhance the downtown by maintaining Washington Avenue, as well as by funding streetscape improvements to other downtown streets, especially those east of Washington Avenue, that will be important to the future of Golden.

Goal 4: We value joint efforts by business people, volunteers and city government as important drivers to promote business success and preserve the historic look and feel of Golden.

Strategy 4.2 Stress the importance of historic preservation to the character of Golden to both current and prospective business people in the community.

Strategy 4.3 Land use cases shall be evaluated according to the following considerations. 1. How will the project fit into Golden’s community of cooperative business interests to create further success?

Value Theme E – Convenience/ Amenities

Goal 2: We value the convenience of services and amenities within Golden (including schools, work, shopping, medical, cultural and recreational opportunities).

Strategy 2.3 Land use cases shall be evaluated according to the following considerations. 1. How does the project improve access to amenities, or contribute to a more diverse offering of services needed in the community?

The MOR hosts collaborative exhibits between MOR staff, small businesses, community experts, and other organizations in Golden. Ex. the Foss Archives pop-up in collaboration with the Foss Family/Mesa Meadows Land Co. gave a contemporary experience of Foss history.

The MOR would add something entirely unique to Golden, making it more of a destination for new businesses. Innovative sponsorships within the MOR model serve not only to help fund the activities of the museum, but actually encourage visitors to visit the businesses who sponsor by placing small exhibits in their spaces. In this way, people are being directed to the MOR from certain businesses, and to certain businesses from the MOR. Young people in Golden often go to Denver to experience regular cultural community, but Golden is perfectly located to offer such experiences as well. The MOR would not replicate a service already offered in Golden, but rather add something exciting and contemporary to Golden’s social fabric.

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Value Theme FHistory/Education

Goal 2: We value an excellence in quality and pride of the preservation and promotion of the arts and their place in providing and supporting community connections and values.

Strategy 2.1 Develop a guiding document that creates a vision for the role of art in the community.

This would express strategies for supporting the arts as well as art education.

Goal 3: We value community organizations/collaboration between public and private groups to allow for preservation of our historical and cultural assets, while providing continuity with the future.

Value Theme G- Family and Kid Friendly

Goal 1: We will foster a sense of family in our community that is safe for our children.

Strategy 1.1 Create family friendly public amenities that are safe for children to play and interact with one another in parks and open space, as well as in more urban “hardscape” environments such as public plazas.

Goal 2: We value a kid friendly environment, with family activities and events both indoors and outdoors.

Strategy 2.1 Design educational and recreational programs that cater to seniors, children and families through institutions such as the Golden Community Center, the library, the museums in town, or in community parks and open space.

The MOR is a space where arts of all kinds are given a venue to be seen and heard. Music, open mics, and collaborations with Miner’s Alley, the Foothills Art Center, GLDN, and the Golden History Museum are all opportunities for art and exhibition to bring Goldenites closer together.

The MOR further would be a space for art workshops and continued learning after school.

The MOR’s sponsorship program is explicitly oriented towards connecting the Astor House/MOR with small businesses in Golden.

The MOR would also partner with both public and private institutions while developing exhibits. For example, one exhibit might partner with CSM and the next with GHM. The MOR will offer exhibits and events for all ages, including children’s art workshops and movie nights in the park in the summertime. The park would become usable for children to play in, including as a lunch spot for local summer camps. Some exhibits may even incorporate the participation of our children.

The MOR would utilize both the Astor House and the associated park for events, creating indoor and outdoor activity space.

Again, the MOR would develop programming accessible for all ages, in collaboration with the organizations listed in strategy 2.1.

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Value Theme HFriendliness/Neightbors

Goal 1: We value having friendly and welcoming neighbors that create helpful, caring and respectful neighborhoods.

Strategy 1.1 Provide opportunities for neighbors to interact, whether through organized events or activities in the neighborhood or through casual contact in public spaces.

Goal 2: We value being a connected Golden community through events, parks, local merchants, organizations, schools, government, trails and Clear Creek.

Strategy 2.1 Promote a continuation of the cooperative and open spirit that keeps the community and its institutions connected, and inspires people to seek new ways to work together to make Golden a better place.

Value Theme I – Sense of Community

Strategy 2.2 Discover new possibilities to form partnerships between merchants, schools, museums, government and other organizations to solve community problems and create opportunities.

Goal 1: We value the small town feel that includes the best of both worlds, a natural environment and proximity to a metropolitan area.

Strategy 1.1 Maintain Golden’s small town identity and traditions while also reaching out to takea dvantage of the opportunities associated with being part of a thriving metropolitan region that constantly produces new ideas, jobs and lifestyles.

Goal 2: We value a community supported by a diversity of people, generations, activities, public spaces and amenities, enhanced by intimate and social connections

The MOR would work to develop positive relationships with those businesses around it. The MOR also provides a space where locals can interact face-to-face on a regular basis, and not just small talk. During art and educational events, people are prompted to speak to one another at a deeper level, about their values, which brings them more intimately together.

The MOR is structurally designed to encourage and develop connections between communities in Golden.

Rather than placing one community into the Astor House, the MOR would draw connections between communities by providing opportunities for them to overlap and share space. For example, the partnership between Foss Company and the MOR up in their commercial space currently.

The MOR actively works in two directions, the first is building that small town feeling via regular face to face interaction and tradition. The second is developing a highly contemporary space that is innovative and forward thinking.

Again, the MOR is geared towards inclusivity. Not only are it’s activities and amenities varied, but the means by which they are developed actively involves the

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Value Theme JBelonging/Volunteerism

and a sense of security and tradition.

participation of the community itself.

Strategy 2.1 Create public places and events that cater to people of all ages and backgrounds in order to bring the community together

The MOR would be a public space to bring the community together for deeper interaction than simple small talk.

Goal 1: We are a community that provides multiple and varied opportunities to be involved and serve others based on common interest and focus.

Goal 2: We are a community that respects all of its citizens – their needs, contributions and desire to be involved – regardless of age or life circumstances.

Goal 3: We are a community that seeks active engagement and collaboration among residents when making decisions regarding future city policy and direction.

Goal 4: We are a community that encourages volunteerism, civic involvement, personal responsibility, care for others and respectful sharing of values and opinions of all ages, backgrounds and needs.

The MOR offers programming and content that is diverse but cohesive under a single concept. It provides space for people to learn and explore new things and old interests together.

The MOR has events that cater to all ages. Throughout this proposal process I have spoken with 20somethings, older groups such as the Golden Optimists, as well as parents and families to gather their input.

The MOR uses visitor input as a direct part of its process. After events and exhibits, feedback from the community will allow us to develop future programming tailored to the community’s needs and desires. The MOR has also engaged the community during the process of preparing this proposal.

The MOR would be run in part by volunteer effort, providing another space for people to participate in their community. Additionally, the Interpretive Learning Institute would provide space for townspeople to share their opinions and values in a safe and education oriented environment.

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Downtown Character Plan Goals: Section: Specific Goals: Executive Summary: Maintain the current, small town, Guiding Principles and historic character of Golden.

Executive Summary: Streetscape/façade Improvements

Continued and increased cleanup of downtown streets, sidewalks, and Miners and Prospectors Alleys

Existing vision, goals, policies and strategies: The Vision

Golden is a pleasant place to live, work, and visit. The city is a community that blends old and new in a manner that respects and maintains a timeless character based on its rich past and a bold vision for the future.

How the MOR serves this Aim: The MOR reinterprets the history of Golden for today’s citizens.

As the Astor House used to be a gathering place, the MOR would be the same. Small town character is based around knowing others in your town, the MOR’s goal is to foster face-toface thinking and investment in others.

While downtown continues to grow, the support of visible, accessible community spaces becomes vital. The MOR at the Astor House would be one site that would maintain community character while allowing other parts of Golden to develop more aggressively.

The Astor House is the perfect size for an operation of this kind in proportion to the population of Golden. It keeps the Golden feeling while adding an energetic space.

The MOR would offer a space for a more contemporary look at art as well as for art practices that are performance oriented. It would not only be a space to view art, but a space for artist to skill share and make work.

The Astor House is in direct relationship with the alleyways, by increasing organized, non-bar activity in this area, it would improve the overall look, feel, and safety of the space.

The MOR’s express mission is the blending of old and new. It preserves the Astor House and it’s public nature, while reinterpreting it in exciting contemporary ways for the future of Golden.

Informal social interaction and formal associations are both important aspects of life in Golden. Residents feel they are

The MOR would provide an accessible space for people t o go casual for informal social interaction, while through the

Balance growth and redevelopment pressures and the need to maintain community character.

Emphasize recreational gathering places of an appropriate scale for downtown.

Increase the emphasis on public art, but consider more organized approach, and not focusing only on bronzes.

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part of Golden as a whole

Existing vision, goals, policies and strategies:

Preserving its friendly smalltown and Main Street character.

Summary of Downtown Goals and Policies-Character

Making downtown an inviting place where activities, such as special events, would occur to attract visitors and gather townspeople.

Existing vision, goals, policies and strategies: Summary of Downtown Goals and Policies-Land Use

Existing vision, goals, policies and strategies: Summary of Downtown Goals and Policies- Economic Vitality

Encouraging growth primarily through infill and redevelopment within the existing fabric and character of downtown and which is compatible with surrounding neighborhoods

Encouraging revitalization and redevelopment of highly visible and underutilized areas to realize image, livability and economic benefits, especially on strategic parcels along Washington Ave Promoting destination, stopover, or day-visit tourism, while providing activities and programs for both tourism and non-tourism businesses.

Encouraging connections with

Interpretive Learning Institute, provide space for people to meet and engage with more formal programming. It would be a hub for Golden.

The MOR provides space for face to face interaction among locals, meaning as Golden grows, people will still walk down the street and recognize one another, which makes it feel like a small town.

The MOR has both regular and special events that are both accessible and affordable— meaning inclusive to all. The uniqueness of the space attracts visitors, while it gathers community members with regularity.

The MOR would take the Astor House, which is currently dead space in the heart of the city, and turn it into an active community hub. Rather than keeping it closed to the public as offices or as it stands now, it would build relationships with the nearby neighborhoods, Mines, and small businesses.

The Astor House is a highly visible landmark in Golden. The MOR activating it as a community space would be great for the image and livability of that part of Golden.

The MOR has specific outlines for local, regional, and international engagement with the space. The regularity and involvement of the community in events and exhibits would help bolster local community feelings of belonging. The exhibit space and events would offer another activity for tourists visiting the site. The unusual and interesting nature of the exhibits could draw an international audience, as seen with other similar institutions.

The MOR explicitly would like

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Coors Tour, Visitor Center and Colorado School of Mines that will support the growth of downtown.

Top Issues and Research: A- Desired Mix of Land uses in Character Zones

1.Increased unique retail uses and convenience uses for downtown residents and visitors.

2. Increased office employment uses.

3. Public uses and community cultural and recreation uses

Top Issues and Research:

Retain distinct architectural features that give the downtown its distinguishing character. This goal is accomplished by recognizing and respecting the architectural features of downtown’s most distinguished historic structures.

B- Downtown Design Standards and Guidelines

Top Issues and Research: J-Increasing Cultural and Entertainment Opportunities

One of the more popular suggestion categories was for additional facilities such as a band shell, a small movie theater, music venues or jazz clubs, and a stage for poetry readings or open mike events. There is also a strong desire to continue and expand the community events that are held in Downtown Golden, such as a monthly art walk, the art festival, more live music and outdoor concerts, and a longer season for the movies in the park series.

A fundamental component of Golden’s cultural attractions is its historic architecture. Most people who commented on the architecture in Golden value the historic buildings. These people emphasized the importance of preserving this part of Downtown Golden’s character and pointed out that Golden’s history is what makes it unique from other towns.

to partner with CSM to develop programming for and with their students and staff. The MOR would be interested in doing the same with Coors, CoorsTek, and the Visitor center.

The MOR would offer a museum shop that would also sell works by local jewelers and artists among other things.

The MOR offers half of the building space for office use.

The MOR is a community use specifically for culture and recreation.

The MOR will not alter the exterior of the Astor House at all and will keep the interior similar to its historic layout. The MOR further preserves the distinguishing character of the Astor House by reinterpreting its former use and allowing it to be open to the public.

The MOR serves no one single purpose, but rather fulfills many of these goals all in one space.

One night it can be a jazz venue, and the next a movie theater.

Furthermore, the MOR would provide a site of support and expansion for local art events that already happen, such as the art festival as well as another venue for the movies in the park series.

The MOR preserves public access to the Astor House, as well as the historic façade, giving citizens access to this cultural attraction in town.

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APPENDIX III: SIMILAR SUCCESSFUL INSTITUTIONS Museum of Jurassic Technology: A highly-curated, conceptual museum in a strip mall in L.A. The entrance makes it feel a bit hole-in-the-wall, but the exhibit space itself is a large maze of darkly-lit rooms all full of oddities. The main purpose of this museum is to explore what and how we know, and how we know that our knowledge is “true.” The exhibits range from displays about mobile living to cat’s cradle (courtesy of the International String Figure Institution), to an in-depth exploration of Geoffrey Sonnabend and his theory of memory which spans 3 rooms and may or may not be true. Cell phones are not allowed within the space so that visitors can’t look anything up to fact-check. The second floor has a small theater, a tea-room, and a rooftop garden complete with a columbarium full of doves. Viewers direct themselves throughout the space and it can take a full day to get through the whole thing.

Center for Land Use Interpretation: Right next door to the Museum of Jurassic Technology is this museum, which deals less in conceptual thought experiments about knowing, and more with observational research. IT explores the interaction of man and nature in conjunction, rather than nature or urban landscapes as self-contained environments. The exhibit there when I visited was “Dry Lakes of The Mojave” and consisted of photos and topo maps of every single dry lake in the Mojave Desert, accompanied by a description of how humans use that land (which is by and large for bombing and car racing.) The exhibit space is small, but behind the front desk is an office space full of research materials and work spaces for continuing research. The space is a lot more academic.

Valaslavasay Panorama: This museum, also in L.A., occupies an old theater in a semi-rundown residential area. It celebrates the old art of oil panoramas. A small info desk where tickets used to be sold now takes donations. To the right is a small shop of handmade goods, and to the left is the theater, which is dusty and holds events. Before the theater space, a small winding spiral stair leads up to a dark round room with an oil panorama of an arctic landscape accompanied by music and lights directing attention to different parts of the painting. Past the theater is a picturesque overgrown garden with gazebos and water features. There is also an exhibit of an authentic eskimo home with an interactive postcard element. It felt like a celebration and manifestation of one person’s particular interests.

Museum of Broken Relationships: This museum is found on Hollywood Boulevard in L.A. in an building with a pure white interior. On white pedestals are artifacts that people have mailed in from their broken relationships, which are not necessarily romantic in nature, but also includes relationships broken by death or growing up. Everyone working the museum was very posh and modern and there were advertisements for the museum's social media sites.

Bad Art Museum: The Bad Art Museum is in the basement of the Somerville Theater in Somerville, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. It has two other locations in Boston that I did not visit. The exhibit space is a basement room in the theater accessible only with the purchase of a movie ticket. The room is oddly shaped and ill-kept, with some paintings hung on the walls but many just leaning against the wall on the floor. There were two large conch-shaped red velvet couches in the center of the room. It has themed rotating exhibits. The one there during my visits was Poor-Traits which consisted of badly done portraits of celebrities along with portraits people had done of their friends and family that had turned out looking like celebrities.

Abita Mystery House: A labyrinth of oddities collected and created by John Preble in Abita Springs, Louisiana. The exhibits range widely, from a comb collection, to a small house full of hot sauce bottles, to a “live” 32 inch alligator, to a series of small dioramas of Southern life that move with a click of a button. Many of his collections have been donated by visitors to the museum, which is also called the “Useless Crap Museum” or UCM. The walls, ceiling, and parts of the floor are completely coated in art and objects so the viewer always has somewhere new to look, some new surprise to discover. John Preble is also a fine artist, and on occasion he lets visitors into his studio, which looks much like the rest of the

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museum. In this studio, he makes both odd exhibits for the Mystery House, as well as prints and paintings of his own.

Davis Museum: The world’s smallest contemporary art museum in Barcelona, Spain. The museum is housed in the second floor of the personal home of Davis Lisboa, the founder. Each exhibition has a single artwork displayed in a glass voting box. Visitors got to vote on whether or not they liked the work using a sign. A photo of their response is then posted to Facebook. The museum is free to attend, open 24 hours a day, and recognized by the Spanish Government as a legitimate museum. It has hosted work by both known and unknown artists, including household names like Yoko Ono. Lisboa uses the museum format to challenge large institutional art museum spaces. He gives lectures, hosts off site exhibitions, and includes social media as a key part of his museum practice.

MeowWolf: An adult playground in Sante Fe, Mexico and soon our own Denver, CO. People travel worldwide to visit MeowWolf, which now makes millions but started as a DIY art space. MeowWolf is committed to inclusivity and supporting local art near its locations. In the future, it could be a potential funder for the Museum of Reinterpretation.

In Denver: Dikeou Collection: Housed on the 5th story of a skyscraper in the heart of downtown, this collection of contemporary art is displayed in a suite of old offices. It is free to the public, hosts events, has off-site pop-up exhibitions, and publishes both an email newsletter and a magazine.

Mercury Café: Located in downtown Denver, the Mercury Café hosts a vibrant community participating in swing dance, poetry nights, puppet shows, music acts, tarot, workshops, and locally grown food. The community at the Mercury Café returns week after week, sometimes more than once a week, and has grown to almost overflow the space on Sunday nights. It has been a keystone of Denver for decades.

Denver Zine Library: Part of the PlatteForum space, where artists rent out studios, the DZL offers a place for people to come, browse, and check out zines, old and new. There are also zines for sale, workshops, and thours offered. The Zine library is 15 years old and completely volunteer run. It shares a space with Sent(a)mental studios, an artist workspace devoted to mental health and youth empowerment.

Denver Community Museum: This was an intentionally temporary project from 2008-2009 in which exhibit content was solicited from the community and placed in an un-leased storefront space in downtown Denver. It was an approachable, interactive space that developed a regular community around its exhibitions.

We are happy to take you on a tour of institutions like the one we propose in Denver. Let us know if you have interest in this offer.

Center For Land Use Interpretation L.A., California

Museum of Broken Relationships Zagreb, Croatia

Mercury Café Denver, Colorado

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APPENDIX IV: DRAWINGS

Museum Shop rendering, with books, t-shirts, local art, jewelry, and more!

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Summer concert in the park.

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Outdoor cafĂŠ for people to meet, chat, and spend their lunch hour.

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Example of children’s art workshop in the space. One example of an event that engages a younger demographic.

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Weekly swing dance event in the Astor House. Potential to connect with the swing dance team at Colorado School of Mines.

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Example of interactive installation art piece in the Astor House.

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