SU celebrates opening of The Warehouse with ‘A Day at The Warehouse: A Festival of the Arts’ April 29

SU celebrates opening of The Warehouse with ‘A Day at The Warehouse: A Festival of the Arts’ April 29April 25, 2006Jaime Winne Alvarezjlwinne@syr.edu

Syracuse University will celebrate the opening of new community spaces at The Warehouse, 350 W. Fayette St., with “A Day at The Warehouse: A Festival of the Arts,” a free festival and open house April 29 from 1:30-5 p.m. The entire Syracuse community is invited to attend and celebrate all The Warehouse has to offer.

An opening ceremony with remarks by SU Chancellor Nancy Cantor, New York State Sen. John A. DeFrancisco and Syracuse Mayor Matthew J. Driscoll will take place at 1:30 p.m., outside the West Fayette Street entrance.

“The Warehouse represents the true collaborative spirit of our community and what community partners can do together to promote the arts,” Cantor says. “We are grateful to Senator DeFrancisico’s continued leadership in this effort and to all of those who have supported this project.”

Programming from 2-5 p.m. will feature family-friendly activities and exhibitions including jazz, classical guitar and keyboard performances; a display of selected works by Warehouse architects Gluckman Mayner; commissioned work, photography and art displays by local artists and community members; a children’s theater performance by the Magic Circle Players; selections from the 2006 Syracuse International Film and Video Festival; and children’s art activities by the Everson Museum of Art. Refreshments will be provided.

Last April, SU purchased the former Dunk and Bright furniture warehouse in Armory Square and commenced an extensive $9 million renovation under the direction of renowned New York City firm Gluckman Mayner Architects, in partnership with V.I.P. Structures of Syracuse. Richard Gluckman ’70, G’71 is a principal of the firm and member of the SU School of Architecture’s Board of Advisors.

Opened in January 2006, the 135,000-square-foot building has been transformed into a multi-use facility. In partnership with leaders from government and arts and community organizations, The Warehouse provides public space for art education activities, community use and artist support and development initiatives.

The building is also home to SU academic programs including the School of Architecture, the communications and advertising design programs of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the Goldring Arts Journalism Program in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Additional community partners and building tenants include the Allyn Foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation, the Cultural Resources Council of Syracuse and Onondaga County, the Everson Museum of Art, the Rosamond Gifford Charitable Corp., National Grid, Henry A. Panasci Jr. and family, and the Verizon Foundation.

For more information on the festival, call (888) 590-2873 or visit http://www.warehouse.syr.edu.