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features are dated. In a "visioning process" started last year, city staff asked if the build- ing should be razed and a new one put in its place. A computer survey indicated that by a 3:1 margin, people wanted to keep the old structure. And by an 85-to-15 vote, they said historical designation should be sought for the building. That would make it eligible for various grants — major and minor — that could pay for renovations. Attendees of the "visioning process" rec- ommended a variety of improvements. Fundamentally, the auditorium is a big open space with a concession stand, a stage, a large wooden dance floor, restrooms and two smaller rooms. It was used for decades for Saturday night dances. Among the new ideas proposed this week was replacing the concession stand with a cater- er's kitchen to facilitate wedding receptions and other gala events for up to 600 people. Retrofitting the facility for Internet service and adding fiber optics and other modern communications equipment was proposed as well. Removing the covers from the board- ed-up windows at the tops of the walls to let in natural light was another suggestion. It takes about $140,000 annually to keep the building in use, in part, because it is not energy-efficient. The installation of a more modern, "zoned" air conditioning system was another proposal. There is no money in the city budget to pay for any upgrades. And there are no estimates on expenses for any or all of the proposed improvements. "The next phase is costing out the renovation of the auditorium and then add- ing that to the master plan of the overall park," said Todd Kucharski, public works general manager, during the session this week. The city has no independent parks department. One proposal that kept recurring called for opening up the facility to use by city-recognized While the crowd was small on July 22, the ideas flew about how the building could be adapted to modern needs. Photo by Stan Zimmerman Sarasota News Leader July 25, 2014 Page 56