PRO
Rundown, not handicapped accessible, old, and unsafe.
The existing Alan Harvey Theater is nowhere near up to par with the rest of Piedmont High School. Measure H, on the June 3 ballot, will allow for theater renovations that will improve safety, provide handicapped accessibility, update bathrooms, improve mechanical, electrical and utility systems and improve the learning environment by increasing and maximizing classroom space.
Measure H is needed because we are legally required under the Americans with Disabilities Act to make the theater handicap accessible if any renovations are to be made. In order to legally renovate the theater, some of the seating will be lost. The alternative to not losing seats would require far more expensive options such as adding a balcony or tearing down the building and starting from scratch. PUSD administrators will encourage theater architects to maximize the seating space. To compensate for lost seating in the renovated theater, additional show times will be scheduled for performances that are sold out.
The current state of the theater is an eyesore. The numerous trashcans that line the outside of the theater make it unappealing to enter. The curtains, chairs, stage floor and interior of the lobby are terribly worn and falling apart. The tattered state of the theater distracts from performances. Outdated lighting makes the theater dangerous for stage crew, performers and audience members.
As an integral part of PHS, the theater environment should encourage and support the success of our students. This summer the cast of Hamlet will be participating in the Scotland Fringe Festival, representing PHS on an international stage. This is an extraordinary honor for PHS and for the student-actors who have spent countless hours rehearsing and performing. The current condition of the theater does not reflect the high standards of PHS or the performing arts programs that use the theater for instruction, rehearsals and productions. Our theater should be an environment that will showcase talent and inspire PHS students going forward.
The only acceptable way to fix these problems is to update the theater. According to helpschooltheater.org, the proposed cost to renovate the theater to make it safer and accessible is $14.5 million dollars. According to helpschooltheater.org, the estimated hard cost, which is the cost of construction, is close to $10 million dollars and the estimated soft costs are $4.5 million dollars, which would be used for fees such as the architectural, engineering and design, equipment, lighting and seating.
Confusion has been created by opponents of Measure H who claim that square footage costs are too high when compared to San Leandro High School’s recent theater renovation costs. Unfortunately, opponents are comparing apples-to-oranges. Square footage costs aren’t derived from total budget, but from the portion of the budget that refers to “hammer and nails,” or “construction costs.” According to helpschooltheater.org, when calculated properly, Piedmont’s square footage construction cost is $553 per square ft compared to the construction cost for the Palo Alto Performing Arts Center, which was $658 per square foot. The proposed Measure H construction costs are, in fact, much lower than other recently renovated theaters in other Bay Area high schools.
Most PUSD students begin in kindergarten and continue through PHS graduation. A Piedmont education inspires and encourages and most importantly establishes a strong foundation for the future. We must respect and appreciate what the Piedmont schools have done for each of us. We must look for opportunities to leave Piedmont better than when we first arrived. Renovating the theater will improve the learning experience for the next generation of Piedmont students.
We can trust the School Board to invest taxpayers’ money in things that compliment and encourage a well-rounded education that values the arts, sciences and athletics. We have all seen how lovely the elementary schools have become after modernization and seismic safety upgrades. Renovating the PHS theater continues the PUSD investment in a well-rounded education.
Many years ago, before Witter Field was redone, there was a lot of discussion over whether or not it was a good idea to update the field. The same type of discussions surround the renovation of the theater. Should voters have declined to pass the bond to update Witter Field? I do not believe there is anyone on campus who could imagine Piedmont without Witter Field. The Witter complex is an asset that enriches the lives of all PUSD students and the entire community. In the same way, a renovated theater will enrich the lives of all PUSD students and the entire community.
Early discussions for renovating the 40 year old Alan Harvey Theater were initiated eight years ago. For the past two years suggestions for renovations have been publicly discussed in ongoing and open meetings where everyone is invited to participate. Information from these meetings has been circulated and published allowing public comment and critique. There is no good reason to wait to fix a problem that everyone agrees exists. The time for a decision to renovate the theater is overdue. It is time to act.
According to helpschooltheater.org, supporters for Measure H include every current member of the School Board, every current member of the City Council, parents, teachers, students, alumni, every Piedmont Parent Board organization and the Piedmont Educational Foundation, as well as, the League of Women Voters, the Oakland Tribune and The Piedmonter.
A yes vote for Measure H on the June 3 ballot will fund necessary upgrades to our rundown theater that meet the educational standards of PHS. I encourage those of you who can vote, to vote YES for Measure H.
CON
$14.5 million.
$14.5 million suddenly thrusted on the Piedmont community with little explanation as to why a high school theater would cost such an excessive amount of money.
Not only is that a substantial tax burden on Piedmont residents, but it uses up the remaining bond capacity for our school. That means for the next 13 years we will not be able to make any changes to the school. The project cost, including interest from the bond, would come out to anywhere from $17.58-19.55 million.
The science classrooms are older than the theater, however we will have to wait another 13 years if they need to be changed or updated. The arts are extremely important, however this is a public high school where the core curriculum should be most important. Math, science, English and social studies classes should not be compromised in order to have a “state of the art” theater. We are not a performing arts school, despite what was once stated in the Yes on H campaign.
It is obvious that repairs and updates need to be done to the theater, however there are other ways to do this than by spending $14.5 million on it, including ways where the theater is not completely torn down and built from scratch. Even if we do completely rebuild it, other Bay Area schools have been done at cheaper costs ranging from $400/square foot theater in San Leandro to a 583 seat Palo Alto high school costing $841/square foot, according to nooonh.org, our theater is budgeted at $836/square foot for a total of 365 seats.
According to noonh.org, the school board has already given $500,000 that will cover the costs to fix the roof, replace the HVAC systems, lighting and change the seating. Seeing as these problems, the safety concerns, seem to be the main focus of the Yes on H campaign, I am curious how they justify spending another $14 million—and especially how they justify spending that amount of money while we still have to cut school days and increase classroom sizes because of lack of funding. The extra tax money Piedmont citizens are willing to pay for an overpriced theater should be going towards our education rather than getting the best of the best.
After hearing about Measure H and it constantly being shoved down my throat, with no real explanation as to why, I asked my peers why they so strongly support the campaign. Granted they are not the ones who will pay for it, they gave their support because “the seats are bad,” “the bathroom lighting is gross,” “the lights didn’t work once,” and occasionally I hear the somewhat informed student who replies “it’s not up to code.” All those problems I heard can be fixed with the $500,000. $14.5 million just does not make sense.
There are other areas the school could use money if taxpayers are willing to give it to us. Over the course of my four years here, I have witnessed five ceiling tiles fall off of the ceiling, two landing on students. If people are willing to put $14.5 million into a new theater, it would be appreciated if first I could sit safely in class without having a “the sky’s falling” Chicken Little type occurrence.
Let’s take a step back and consider other options before voting on something that was so abruptly thrown at the voters with little factual information. The lack of information accessible to Piedmont residents regarding the opposing side to H is scary. As of right now, the floor plan by the architect is not even complete, potentially giving us less seats. Why should we vote on something that is not concrete yet? I encourage voters not to vote yes simply because prominent community members, or their friends, support the measure. Vote no on Measure H—give us more options and more time.
