Cain Center for the Arts Breaks Ground on new $25 million Performing and Visual Arts Venue

Cain Center for the Arts Breaks Ground on new $25 million Performing and Visual Arts Venue

The Cain Center for the Arts, Lake Norman’s only public arts and community center, broke ground this week on their new $25 million state-of-the-art venue in Cornelius, NC.

The groundbreaking ceremony celebrated more than six years of hard work and dedication coming together to chart a new course for the future of arts and culture in the Lake Norman region.

The public-private partnership behind the Cain Center for the Arts was originally formed in 2013 when Town of Cornelius citizens approved $4M from a municipal bond package towards Town Center redevelopment. A non-profit was soon created that assumed ownership of the project development, business planning, and vision for the center. Since then, the organization now known as Cain Center for the Arts has been led by a 16-member board of directors, 3-person staff, and numerous volunteers.

The centers’ vision for the future is simple: To build a stronger community through the power of the arts. Connecting with the arts is so much more than joy or entertainment, the arts empower children and adults alike to experience, explore and above all else, create.

 

“We’re very excited to finally see our vision come to life,” says Cain Center for the Arts executive director Justin Dionne. “So many people have worked very hard to make this happen and setting an official date for the groundbreaking gets us one step closer to opening the doors of our community’s new arts center.”

 

Conceived by local architect C Design along with New York-based Steinberg Hart, the center was designed to be beautiful, flexible, and close to home for the more than 300,000 residents of the Lake Norman region. The center will feature a 400-seat theater to showcase live performances, gallery space for visual arts, event spaces, 3 classrooms, community green space, outdoor plaza, plus parking and pedestrian access.

 

According to Joe Humphrey, principal associate for C Design “We anticipate the Cain Center to be an important asset to Cornelius and the Lake Norman region, providing opportunities for children and adults to engage in the arts.  We also believe this will activate the downtown and serve as an anchor for community engagement.”

 

The formal groundbreaking ceremony marks the official start of construction on this new venue which will anchor the Town of Cornelius’ new downtown arts district.  Edifice, LLC of Charlotte is heading up construction. Edifice was selected from a pool of strong local contractors after formal presentations.  Steve Brumm, chair of the center’s construction committee, said the team Edifice presented put the Charlotte-based firm over the top.

 

“We could not be happier to be involved in expanding the arts in the Lake Norman community,” says Bryan Knupp, senior vice president of Edifice.  “We have always embraced The Art and Science of Construction and count it a double pleasure to assist in building a facility that will showcase the area’s creativity and will stand as a work of art.”

 

The center is expected to be complete in late 2022.

 

Due to public health guidance, and in observance of all COVID-19 protocols, the brief outdoor event was strictly limited in attendance.

 

About Cain Center for the Arts

The Cain Center for the Arts, is now under construction downtown Cornelius. This 40,000 square foot facility is scheduled to open in late 2022 and will house a 400-seat theatre, an art gallery, dance studio, art classrooms, and more. The center’s vision for the future is simple: To build a stronger community through the power of the arts. Connecting with the arts is so much more than joy or entertainment, the arts empower children and adults alike to experience, explore and above all else, create.

 

About EDIFICE, LLC

Edifice is a regional general contractor headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina with offices in Charleston, South Carolina. Since its inception in 1978, Edifice has grown to become one of the leading commercial contractors in the Southeast and is an Engineering News-Record (ENR) top 400 U.S. general contractor. With a diverse portfolio in all major markets Edifice teams excel in projects ranging from the intricacies of interior renovations to complex multi-faceted structures.

 

About C Design

C design is an Architecture, Interior Design and Planning firm located in Charlotte, NC.  The firm was built on four core values: loyalty, honesty, humility, and dedication. Since 2003, the firm has evolved into a diverse design practice and applied those values to numerous high-profile projects. Through the years they have consistently worked to provide leadership within local communities by offering creative design solutions, environmental stewardship, and fiscal responsibility to their clients. cdesigninc.com

 

About Steinberg Hart

Steinberg Hart is a national architectural and interior design firm specializing in the design of evocative cultural, civic, and academic buildings that welcome public use. steinberghart.com

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