June 5th, 2008 : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oberlin College Student Art Gallery and Studio May Land in East College Street Project

Sustainable Community Associates (SCA) and Oberlin College are in the final stage of discussions to make a student art gallery and art studio part of the East College Street project. The new space will front South Pleasant Street and access the inner courtyard

The art gallery and studio facilities may incorporate up to 4,000 square feet of space to showcase the work of Oberlin art students. The College and SCA are hopeful that the space will contribute to the revitalization of downtown Oberlin as well as broaden the audience for student artists.

“A downtown gallery and studio could not come at a better time for the art department,” says Sarah Schuster, associate professor of art. “Many students come to Oberlin because it is a liberal arts college known for its vibrant art community. That includes not only the conservatory, but also the dance, theater, and cinema programs, and the visual arts.

“During the past 20 years, the number of art faculty has increased and number of art majors has tripled, and so has the demand for studio and exhibition space. The opportunity to create a gallery and studio in downtown Oberlin that will be visible to the College and the public is incredibly exiting for students and faculty as well.”

“The placement of the student art gallery and studio space among downtown restaurants and shops can play an important role in the economic development of the city,” says Ben Ezinga ’02 a member of SCA.

Construction of the $14 million East College Street Project, which is designed to be LEED Gold-rated, will begin this fall. The Project will also have 12,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space, 3,000 sq ft of office space and 42 condos ranging from 1-3 bedrooms. Construction is estimated to last 12 months, and the complex is scheduled to open August 2009.

Says SCA principal Naomi Sabel ’02, “The space would not only expand the downtown arts community – Gingko Gallery, the New Union Center for the Arts, and Firelands Association For the Visual Arts (FAVA) – it would also enhance the presence of art and educational programs downtown and foster audiences for all.”

June 13th, 2007 : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN PROJECT CHOSEN FOR NEW NATIONAL GREEN BUILDING PILOT PROGRAM

Sustainable Community Associates (SCA) is pleased to announce that the East College Street Project was selected to participate in the US Green Building Council’s new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) pilot program. The LEED-ND pilot evaluates the sustainability of developments according to the principles of smart growth, new urbanism, and green building to create the first national standard for sustainable neighborhood development.

The East College Street Project is a sustainably designed mixed-use development in downtown Oberlin, Ohio featuring new condos, restaurants, and shops within a high-performance green building. As part of the pilot program the project will give LEED-ND a trial run and help USGBC refine the rating system. The project team is confident that the project will earn at least Gold-level certification. This marks a critical development in Northeast Ohio’s efforts to foster environmentally friendly growth.

"The LEED-ND classification represents a significant step forward in evaluating sustainable design, from looking at a single building to looking at whole neighborhoods and systems. We're excited that the organization making these nationwide policies has taken notice of what we're trying to accomplish in Oberlin." said SCA member Naomi Sabel. Pushing environmental sustainability forward is not new for Oberlin. According to Ben Ezinga, another member of SCA, "This town has always been at the forefront of environmental and community issues, so it's fitting that Oberlin would play a part in this national pilot. We and our architects, Integrated Architecture of Grand Rapids, Michigan, have put a lot of thought into how this building can help move the downtown in a more environmentally sustainable direction, and we hope that some of our ideas get incorporated into this policy on a national level." Josh Rosen also of SCA notes, "Building on the success of the Adam Joseph Lewis Center, this will further establish Oberlin, both the college and the town, as a national leader in sustainable design." Sabel is hopeful that LEED-ND can influence other developments in Northeast Ohio: “There has been a lot of interest in sustainably designed projects–hopefully LEED-ND can provide a vehicle for greater incorporation of these ideas in the region.”

The East College Street Project will break ground in the fall of 2007 and is a public-private-philanthropic partnership with funders including the Enterprise Foundation, Cleveland Foundation, the City of Oberlin, the Kendeda Fund and private banking institutions.

For more information please contact Naomi Sabel at 740-591-7715 or naomi@sustainableca.com.