Reporter-News Archives Friday, August 29, 1997 Children's art museum forced to find new quarters By ANTHONY WILSON / Abilene Reporter-News The Museums of Abilene evicted a children's art museum Wednesday after its biggest financial backer reminded the MOA of an "implied agreement" that the Grace Cultural Center house no other tenants. In response the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature spent $2,500 Thursday extending the Abilene Improvement Corp.'s option to buy the Boyd Building, whose redevelopment was the source of a recent City Council fight. Although one NCCIL official admitted he wasn't "tap dancing" over the developments, all involved managed a positive spin. "It's exactly what we needed," said Mary Cooksey, NCCIL's executive director. "It became evident we were growing so fast the third floor (of the Grace) might not accommodate us. There's so much enthusiasm and national attention for this; none of us could have dreamt how big it is. "We're moving in the direction we needed to go," she added. MOA board members unanimously agreed in a Wednesday meeting to adopt a policy that the museum be the Grace's lone tenant. Earlier in the day, board president Jerry Love received a letter from the Dodge Jones Foundation reminding that when the philanthropic organization awarded grants for the Grace's restoration, there was an "implied agreement" the building would be used for museum activities only. Love explained the understanding dates to 1986 when the Grace was initially envisioned as a dual home for the museum and several non-profit agencies. Because of the complexity of such an arrangement, and upon the advice of financial supporters, organizers nixed the non-profits from the project. "You forget after 11 years," Love said. "(Dodge Jones) reminded us." The NCCIL, when formed two years ago, was meant to be the MOA's fourth component, joining its children's, historical and art collections. But when its organizers decided the project deserved a national scope, the NCCIL developed legs of its own. That raised concerns in the Dodge Jones Foundation, which fretted over an outside organization leasing space in the Grace. "Some of that may have been lost in the dust pan of history," said Joe Canon, the foundation's executive director. "(The letter) was just a reminder. What the boards chose to do with it was their prerogative really. "It's atypical for us to get involved at all," he added. "We merely voiced an opinion, and they took it for whatever it was worth." NCCIL board chairman Dick Spalding voiced no sour grapes. "Dodge Jones has done more for the development of downtown than any other single entity," he said. "I respect their judgment. And if they believe this would be cramping two entities together, I'm prone to listen. "This might be the better part of valor. NCCIL could become so big so fast, any money we spent on the Grace might be better spent on a bigger building. We're going forward." The NCCIL had expected to occupy the 4,200-square-foot third floor of the rehabilitated hotel. Although its first museum exhibit, featuring the works of David Diaz, is currently showing at the Grace, NCCIL's formal kickoff was scheduled for next summer. Cooksey said that timeline may need adjusting. The next 60 days will be spent analyzing whether the 11,900-square-foot Boyd Building, North 1st and Hickory, could serve NCCIL's needs and at what cost. "At first glance, it looks real fun," Cooksey said of the historic structure. "We see a lot of possibilities, but a lot of real work has to go into it before we make any decisions." The Abilene Improvement Corp.'s option on the Boyd Building was to expire Thursday. The AIC, a non-profit corporation that aids the city in special downtown developments, bought the option earlier this month from bootmaker James Leddy, whom the city recruited to anchor a "western trade cluster" downtown. But the City Council balked at giving Leddy $200,000 to repair the 69-year-old building, which he would have bought for $70,000. The AIC purchased the option to allow the city to explore redeveloping the site. In the interim, environmental testing at the Boyd Building, a onetime filling station, revealed no soil contamination that would force the removal of its gas tanks. "Having that information will be helpful whether the AIC does anything or not," Downtown Manager Elizabeth Grindstaff said. "It might facilitate another buyer coming in. It definitely would resolve doubts anyone would have about the tanks."     Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story Send the URL (Address) of This Story to A Friend: Enter their email address below: texnews.com Reporter OnLine Local Sports Texas Sports Copyright ©1997, Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications