BY BRAD BYNUM bradb@newsreview.com PHOTOS BY ERIC MARKS
is a dreamer. M attHe’sSchultz a utopian idealist who
he said, because many of the council members, including Mayor Hillary Schieve, were supportive of the project, but frustrating for him because other council members, as well as property owners from the neighborhood, had questions and concerns. The council eventually voted to postpone making a decision about the project until after Schultz and other members of The Generator could develop more details of their financial plan and address the concerns of the nearby property owners. Michael Stewart, who owns a warehouse in the area, was concerned about how the park might affect access to his building, which is for sale. Those concerns might change the exact dimensions of the parcel and other details, but are unlikely to derail the project. However, Councilmember Jenny Brekhus raised some
imagines big projects, speaks with infectious enthusiasm, and rallies people to join his causes. He’s led the construction of massive art pieces for the annual Burning Man festival. He’s the executive director of The Generator, a nonprofit collaborative artists’ workspace in Sparks. But after four hours at a Reno City Council meeting on January 28, he seemed uncharacteristically exhausted and disheartened. He was at the meeting to pitch a land deal to the council. The deal, which he calls Generator Phase 2, would allow The Generator to lease a parcel of land from the city for $1 a year for five years, and then to buy the land for $860,000. In exchange, The Generator would develop a sculpture park, a community garden, and a 50,000-foot artists’ workspace on the parcel, which is along the railroad tracks near Chism Street west of downtown. “It was really amazing, but a little frustrating,” said Schultz a week later. It was amazing,
Is The Generator Phase 2, a
potential land deal between
the city and a
Burning Manaffiliated arts organization,
good for Reno?
“I love what this community builds, and I love all of it—all of Reno.” Matt Schultz, executive director of The Generator
“THE NEXT GENERATION” continued on page 14
OPINION
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NEWS
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GREEN
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FEATURE STORY
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ARTS&CULTURE
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ART OF THE STATE
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FOODFINDS
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FILM
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MUSICBEAT
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NIGHTCLUBS/CASINOS
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THIS WEEK
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MISCELLANY
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FEBRUARY 19, 2015
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RN&R
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