This week the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center got what it's wanted for years. The San Diego City Council granted the center a 20 year lease on a property at 1960 national Ave.. The park Steering Committee wants to use the building to expand services programs and exhibitions related to the art history and Sciences of the Americas. Now that the lease has been granted what do Park organizers have to do to see the rest of that dream come true. Joining me is Josephine Telemann as chair of the board of the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center. Josephine welcome to the program. It's great to be here. Were you at all surprised by the unanimous City Council vote granting this building to the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center. I was very interesting. I went in with no expectations hoping for the best. Praying for the best. But I was so pleased that everyone supported it. I was very happy and many of the members of the community and just so you know the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center is its own separate 501 c 3. There are members of the steering committee that are on the board. But there are members of the board that are not members of the Steering Committee. It is a separate entity working in unison with the steering committee as the steering committee were the initial negotiators of the building back in nineteen eighty. So many of the archives an archival room that we will have within the museum will be specifically for the 48 years that have been collected by Tommy Amadio. They are her archives. What's your vision for the new center. The vision for the center is to focus on art science and history. We've been working virtually for the last three years collecting oral histories of many of the elders that are still around in the community of Logan heights slash Barrio Logan and we've maintained them on our website. It's also a focus as a community center and a visitor and welcoming center to Chicano Park San Diego's newest landmark. To help build cross cultural community communication and understanding and to work together. Now as you mentioned Chicano Park was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 2016 so it's recognized as important to the history of the country. How do you look to Chicano Park for inspiration and heritage and what does it mean to you. It's my total I think at this point in life but the community has recently gained State recognition as a cultural district and much of that is based on the fact that Chicano Park is a national landmark which is important because the area of Logan avenue that is now very commercial has always been commercial and the park only adds to it and the murals add to it. So the theme of the park the theme of the murals carries itself out through the Logan Avenue consortium through the urban core and the Barrio Logan Planning Group and the Barrio Logan association is all reflective of what you see in Chicano Park. It is. It is the total identity. What do you think you'll be doing first now that you've secured this place. Well again I'm sure we'll wait a couple of months before we actually get the keys. But what we'll probably do is a complete reassessment of the use of the space. I've been working with our RJC architects and they have provided through a no pro bono process. Some designs based on our input and so we'll probably take that to the next step. Looking at how to best utilize the space within the facility for a gallery exhibition rotating shows and then other areas for workshops and activities. But then areas for research and collection and archival placement. So we have to look very carefully because even though it's about 10000 square feet it's truly not enough. It would be great if it was five storeys high you know an underground parking but that we're not there yet. When do you hope to be open to the public. I would say early next year. Yes I would hope and that's that would be a basic visitor information. We figure working with the city and some of the restoration that they still have to do for the building. We'll probably take another couple of months for the initial things that can be done and then we will start to assess how we partially open to welcome visitors because we still as part of the Steering Committee. They coordinate all the tours so there's tours happening all the time so we'll get them into a space where they have the archives but then they can also facilitate the tours and then a section coming into the building for welcoming and information and education. I've been speaking with Josephine aliment as chair of the board of the new Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center and Josephine. Thank you and congratulations. Thank you so much.
The San Diego City Council Tuesday unanimously approved a 20-year lease that will pave the way for a museum and community center at a city-owned property adjacent to Chicano Park.
The Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center has for several decades sought to move into the 9,890-square-feet building at 1960 National Ave., which formerly housed an adult education campus.
The vacant property will allow the 48-year-old nonprofit to expand services, programs and exhibitions related to the art, history and sciences of the Americas, with an emphasis on U.S.-Mexico border region cultures.
Chicano Park has gotten new playground equipment and bathrooms in recent years, "but there was always something missing. And this is the piece that was missing," City Councilman David Alvarez said.
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"I want to thank you for saying 'yes' to the community this time because this community has heard 'no' a lot more than it has heard 'yes' over the years," he told his colleagues. "Chicano Park is what it is today because of the community... The museum and cultural center will be successful because of the community."
The center will include a gallery and exhibition space; conference rooms; an archival room; a collections space; and educational training rooms for arts, history, science and hands-on activities.
Under the lease, the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center will pay the city's annual nonprofit administrative rent, which is currently $3,597 per year.
The nonprofit will be responsible for all maintenance, repairs and capital improvements at the property. However, "if adequate funds are available," the city may improve systems that "benefit the city," such as roof, plumbing and electrical systems.
The city has already set aside $600,000 to get the facility up and running.
City staff engaged in direct lease negotiations with the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center due to the public benefit expected from the project, and its unique alignment with the character of Chicano Park and the surrounding community, said April McCusker with the city Real Estate Assets Department.
Chicano Park was established in 1970 under the Coronado Bridge in Barrio Logan. Colorful murals depict historical events and civil rights leaders on bridge pylons throughout the space, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2016.
Initial negotiations to create the park resulted in an agreement that the National Avenue building would eventually be operated for community use.
In 1980, the Chicano Park Steering Committee allowed the building to be used for adult education. The committee resumed lease conversations with the city in 2015 after school officials vacated the building.
