BY ALICIA DORSET
Clarkston News Staff Writer
Clarkston’s Planning Commission has reviewed the proposed addition to the Clarkston Conservatory of Music and is now set for the City Engineer to review the plans for city council action.
During the Feb. 23 council meeting, city clerk Art Pappas reported that the conservatory had granted an easement which allowed for 11 additional parking spaces when the Depot Road parking lot was improved.
The proposed addition would include a bottom-floor auditorium consisting of 120 seats, six new studios, a glass-enclosed atrium and extensive gardens and landscaping for outdoor performances and receptions.
The expansion would not only benefit the conservatory, but the community as well according to director Jim Wilhelmson.
‘I’d like to have a regular concert series,? Wilhelmson said. ‘That brings people to Clarkston that wouldn’t normally come. It’s also great for students.?
The conservatory, built in the 1830s, is currently operating at a full capacity for students, numbering around 200, according to Wilhelmson. The proposed expansion would allow more students and more types of instruction offered, such as woodwind instruments.
While no official bids have been made for the project, it is estimated the expansion cost is around $500,000.
‘It’s a lot of money, but it’s doable,? Wilhelmson said.
The conservatory is currently beginning the necessary process for an addition with the city. Reviews from the historical society will also be an important step for the conservatory’s expansion on one of the city’s landmarks.