Buildings and Bridges
For ballet headquarters, no news is good news
The tip-toe to a new downtown headquarters for the Houston Ballet continues, albeit slowly.
Bloomberg.com gives an overview of the situation (the current headquarters is old and leaks), mentions the ambitious features of the sleek new design by Gensler's Michael Strabala (a skywalk to the catty-corner Wortham Center and double-height windows for views of the prima ballerinas), and checks in with managing director Cecil C. Conner on the fundraising progress for the $53 million building.
Conner says they've raised about 70 percent of the needed funds, which, as Swamplot astutely points out, is the same figure Conner quoted in August. This is partly because Connor said there is also focus on raising $45 million for the Ballet's endowment.
“Obviously, the last 10 months have been a challenging period in fundraising, but we’re optimistic,” Conner said to Bloomberg.
Difficulties aside, the new headquarters is still scheduled to debut in 2011.


