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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980s clippings related to Delacorte Center (WeekDay)Wg-E. K DAY �-. Iz—vz /c9$— )g8i/227{o DtLPCORTE Cetcre4k COMMUNITY LEADERS and the architects of the Valerie Delacorte Community Center celebrate the groundbreaking with shovelfuls of dirt and smiles. [Left to Right] Councilman V.A. Marks, M.D., Councilman Tom Valente, Councilwoman Harriet Nolan, Village Manager Raymond Howland, Vice -Mayor W.H. 'Bill' Brown, Mayor Al Moore, Frank Sunderland representing George Delacorte, and Yeckes-Luckner, architects for the building, officially break ground and pave the way for the construction of the community center. Plans include a gymnasium/auditorium' a stage, two galleries, dressing rooms, and office space in the interior of the building, which is located on a 10 acre site on Prosperity Farms Rd. There is plenty of room for expansion of the recreational facilities to meet the future needs of residents of North Palm Beach for years to come. A donation by George Delacorte, publisher of Dell paperbacks, made it possible to build the center, which will give people of all ages a place to experience plays, recitals, and all sorts of cultural and recreational activities. DelacorteCenter schedulec be completed by end of yea The new Valerie Del acorte Community Center almost didn't have lights, despite the fact that a $10,000 system had been installed. Confusion among the architect, electrician and council led the council to believe that the electrical lighting system it had chosen during the bid process. cal] "Alternate B" would provide lights but not power. During a special session of the council to discuss the problem, council members expressed their frustration, saying they felt they had been .'fleeced," as Councilmen Marks said. They believed that. in order for the lighting to work, they would have to pay an additional 525,000 to 535,000 far power. The "Alternate B" option, which was the Muddle option between a basic lighting system MG a super system, was recommended to them by the architect of the Center, Stephen Yeckes. Yeckes was present at the meeting but would not comment when asked by council if he had known the systcm would not work. The council passed a resolution on Monday to keep "Alternate B," and asked the building department to determine haw much it would cost to put a power pack in. That original estimate of 525,000 was way out of line," said Ray Howland, village manager, "It looks like the difference will only be about S200-3300." Howland said that because this cx st was not in the original bid, the council said it would be the architect's and not the council's responsibility to make up the difference. Also at issue in the meeting was the problem of the finish on the walls. During the bidding process the council opted for a rough finish of just paint to save the village $9,200. However, council members recently inspected the site and were not satisfied with the rough finish. Two weeks ago, they resolved to have the contractor, Cox and Palmer Construc- tion, stucco the walls at a cost not to exceed S7,000. They rescinded that motion Monday, saying it was the contractor's responsibility to finish the walls as bid. Yeckes, Cox and Howland have been meeting to work out the specifics but no agreement has been reached as yet. The Delarnrte Community Cen- ter is scheduled to be completed December 31, 1 delays, Funds f donated by Lost 1 Delaoorte, the cc Del Publishin Publishing. He S600,000 to build house cultural an The Village appra a 1981 bond issi center, located o Road, began. The renter o multiple uses sw basketball, a stal equipment roam shallow stage the outdoor perfortr there are no Beach. and bas€ ,gym at Suncoast DrteCenter scheduled to npleted by end of year elacorte Irt'i have StO,OCO irchitect, r. council �l13 five bid would During amcll to council st atinn, d been Marks x-der for old have 1.000 to r, which haven a basic lighting system ano a super systetn, was recommended to them by the architect of the Center, Stephen Yeckes. Yeckes was present at the meeting but would not comment when asked by cuunci] if he had known the system would not work. The council passed a resolution on Monday to keep "Alternate a," and asked the building department to determine how rough it would cost to put a power pack in - "That original estimate of $25,00It was war out of line,., said Ray Howland. village managet. "It looks like the di1Tet-nee will only be about 52OO-$300." Howland said that because this cost was not in the original bid, the council said it would be the architect's and rut the council's responsibility to make up the difference, Also ai issue in the meeting was the problern of the finish on the walls. During the bidding process the council opted for a rough finish of just paint to save the village $9,200. However, council members recently inspected the site and were not satisfied with the rough finish. Two weeks ago. they resolved to have the contractor. Cox and Palmer Construc- tion, stucco the walls at a cost not to exceed S7,000. They rescinded that motion Monday, sayinrg it was the contractor's responsibility to finish the walls as bid- Yeckes, Cox and Howland have been meeting to work out the specifics but no agreement has been reached as yet. The Delacorte Community Cen- ter is scheduled to be completed December 31, barring any turther delays. Funds for the Center were donated by Lost Tree resident George Delacorte, the octogenarian owner of Dell Publishing and Delacorte Publishing, He gave the Village $600,000 to build a center that would house cultural and athletic activities. The Village appropriated S162,400 in a 1981 bond issue and work on the center. located on Prosperity Farms Road, began. The center contains a putt for multiple uses such as volleyball and basketball, a stage, an office and an equipment room. The back is a shallow stage that could be used f" - outdoor performances. Currentl- there are no erns in North Palrtt Beach. and basketball teams rent the vrn at Suncoast when they pits±e. Used `goodies' needed for the new North F Beach Community Center Gift catalog give North Pain rdeas for tax deductible do. Don't throw away your sports equipment, office furniture or anything else usuable you have. The North Palm Beach Community CCcnter might have some use for it. In an effort to get equipment for the new center, the village has written up a Gift Catalog with suggestions for donations ranging frnrn recreation equipment to a piano and stage lighting. "With budgets so tight. we had to think of another way to raise money for 'goodies' above the necessities." explained Russ Ruskay, recreation dire(tur. Ruskav- said they gut the idea from the St. Petersburg Recreation Department, which was the tiro one in the state to use a catalog. '1'hc small. one -page booklet (which is currently being printed) lists necessities and `goodies' for the new Community Center, with approximate prices for each,But donors don't need to stick rigidly to the list. "We've tried to make the list genera] so people can give whatever they want to," Ruskay sal , "We don't want to limit ourselves. If someone just wants to come in and give us a basketball hoop, we'll take it-" Ruskay said each tax-deductible contribution, however large or small. will be recognized by the village with a certificate or a plaque. You don't even have to be a resident of North Palm Beach to donate, Most of the work for the catalog was done by the Recreation Advisory Board, and the council approved the use of the catalog at Thursday's meeting, Each resident wi]I receive a copy of the catalog Wtlt April's newsletter, and the recreation department is currently looking f community to take the book at groups to ask fur donations. The Community Center, whip be dedicated earlier this mouth, postponed indefinitely. Accordir village manager. the building isn "They just put the bleachers in still have stage lighting to go contractor was given a list of the be taken care of before the build complete by the Building Dep haven't been done yet.," Anyone interested in donal Recreation Dept. at 845- r)88 Catalogs will be available within dies' needed for the new North Paim nmunity Center Gift catalog give North Palm residents ideas for tax deductible donations 1 equipment, office Re you have. The Center might have for the new center. Gift Catalog with mg from recreation i g- d to think of another rallies' above the Rscskay, recreation idea from the St. ent, which was the =Aug. The small, TrtIv being printed) 5' for the new Community Center, with approximate prices for each.But donors don't need to stick rigidly to the list. "We've tried to make the list general so people can give whatever they want to, " R askay saki ' `e don't want to limit ourselves. If someone just wants to come in and give us a basketball hoop. we'll take it- ., Ruskay said each tax-deductible contribution, however largo: or small, will be rccugnized by the village with a certificate or a plaque. You don't even have to be a resident of North Palm Beach to donate. Most of the work for the catalog was done by the Recreation Advisory Board. and the council approved the use of the catalog at Thursday's meeting. Each resident will receive a copy of the catalog with April's newsletter, and the recreation department is currently lookiaig for a volunteer in the community to take the book around to area civic groups to ask for donations. The Conurnunity Center, which was scheduled to be dedicated earlier this trnomth, has had its opening postponed indefinitely. According to Ray Howland, village manager, the building isn't finished yet. "They just put the bleachers in last week and they still have stage lighting to go," he said. "The contractor was given a list of the things that need to be taken care of before the building can be certified complete by the Building Department. and they haven't been done yet.." Anyone interested in donating can calf the Recreation Dept- at 845-6088 for more details. Catalogs will be available within two to three weeks. JKb/PY /i-pRL.r- 10-ay) %Rir6 Ace-4PP jcJ'5/115 • AARPgiveds George Delacorte special award for NPB Community Center contribution By Angelo T ulimieri George Delacorte, who recently donated funds to the Village of North Palm Beach (NPB) for a community center, was presented an award by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), NPB County Chapter No. 2976. It was presented to him April 3 in the privacy of his ocean front home by AARP President, Arthur Loreto and Vice President, John Ridgway, both residents of the Village of NPB. The NPB County Chapter has nearly 300 members. "To serve and not be served is the philosophy of the AARP,' Loreto said, as he handed the award to Delacorte. "We appreciate what you have done, and there should be more Delacortes, " Loreto added. Delacorte thanked the gentlemen, and the AARP, saying, "With government slipping out of philanthrophy, it's going to be up to individuals to makethe difference. " Delacorte, 93, is an entrepreneur from New York, and was once the owner of the Boston Celtics, among other business ventures. He has many anecdotes, and is particularly proud of his wife, who was a famous actress in Budapest prior to the Nazi take over. In recent years she has been a painter. Many of her paintings hang in their home, and they are quite good. The new building provides the Village with a place to have a community center. It was proposed that it ,p be called the ``Delacorte Building, but Delacorte declined the offer in favor of the name "North Palm Beach Community Center." The building was formally opened March 31, and is located on Prosperity Farms Road, just north of Burns Road. It has a basketball, court and a stage. Also on the property is an outdoors fitness center, and a jogging trail. Aside from basketball, plays by the Village Players, NPB's theatre group, club meetings by AARP and others, can be held in the spaciousness of the facility. For further information about the use of the center, call the NPB Recreation Department at 845-6088. VILLAGE OF NORTH PALM BEACH! HISTORIAN