27: Facility Development Planning

Owning your own space can provide stability by helping you to avoid getting priced out of a desirable area. But it can also completely bankrupt you or your organization.

Extensive facility development planning is essential for a successful project. Many people get carried away when they see an empty building that seems "just right"; they forget that the building will take years to renovate, or that they are ill-equipped to deal with all of the headaches involved with construction.

This chapter discusses important issues to consider when planning your facility project, such as:

• Organizational readiness;
• Assessing your organization;
• Stumbling blocks to avoid;
• Aspects of successful facilities;
• Feasibility studies;
• Funding your project; and
• Tips for a smoother development project

This chapter is not a comprehensive guide to developing a facility, but is meant to provide insight into how complicated a facility project can be. By facility, we refer to a building for more than one artist, group of artists or cultural organization, not a studio or home for one artist or family.

If used properly, this chapter should raise more questions than provide answers. The Resource section provides additional information to help you develop your facility planning process.

The following individuals and/or organizations contributed to the content of this chapter: Catherine R. Brown; Julie Burros, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs; William B. Fleissig; William R. Morrish; Western States Arts Federation; Allison Zehr, Nonprofit Management Consultant.