The School Town of Munster has done walk-throughs of the arts center at 1040 Ridge Road after hearing rumors six months ago Community Foundation, the nonprofit associated with Community Hospital and Community Healthcare Network, wanted to get out of the theater business.

The school board voted 4-0 Monday to approve $62 million in bonds for capital projects, which could include the acquisition of the Center for Visual and Performing Arts if it decides to purchase it. The new debt replaces old debt and therefore would not increase property taxes. The funding will go to renovation and construction projects at all five campuses whether or not the School Town of Munster buys the Center for Visual and Performing Arts as a new administration building, Heller said.

The Community Foundation asked for $5.5 million for the 72,660-square-foot arts center that’s home to South Shore Arts, Theatre at the Center, the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, Trama Catering and a ballroom that’s popular for weddings, brunches and special events. The property is assessed at $10.7 million, according to the Lake County Assessor’s Office.

“One of the things we felt is when a member of our community, a person in our community or an organization in our community wants to sell us property so clearly connected to our campus for less than market value we had to consider it,’ Heller said. “We started the due diligence process. We’re in the process of collecting data and listening to folks both in our community and outside our community about whether this is the next right step for the School Town of Munster. We understand and acknowledge the importance of this facility both to people in Munster and in the Region at large. We agree a strong, functioning art center can be a high level asset for the community. The thought of this going away clearly upsets a lot of folks.”

The School Town of Munster started looking into a purchase with the understanding no other parties were interested in running and maintaining the programming at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts, Heller said.

“We were very concerned about the prospect of commercial developers or somebody else coming into that property and doing whatever they wanted with it and it being completely removed from the community,” he said. “Our goal from the beginning was whether this property could meet our needs as a district while also finding a way to maintain as many of the elements that are important to our community within the property.”

Heller said it is not a done deal.

“It is quite possible we make the decision in the next few weeks that this is not in the best interests of the School Town of Munster or the community at large,” he said. “As I sit here today, I believe it is just as probable that we do not purchase this building as we purchase this building. Our primary concern first and foremost is what is best for the School Town of Munster but also what is best for our community as a whole.”

The School Town of Munster has started conversations with the town government to see if they would be interested in running the building since residents have asked them to.

“We have started some initial conversations to see if that’s something they’d be interested in,” Heller said.

He does not expect any action by the board until the May meeting at the earliest and said the school may decide a purchase is not within its best interests.

“As soon as we make that decision, we will make sure that’s very clearly communicated to the community, so they can provide their public input,” he said. 

Barbara Whitaker, a teacher at another district who’s lived in Munster for 25 years, said Munster was lacking in senior services and many seniors relied on the Center for Visual and Performing Arts. She said voters may punish the School Town of Munster in future referendums if the arts center programming they’ve enjoyed for 35 years is taken away from them.

Catherine Dilworth said people in their 20s also wanted the arts and culture to remain in the community.

“We have nothing to do here. We are leaving because you are taking things like this away from us,” she said. “You’re giving me no reason to stay here. We are leaving because you’re taking everything. We leave and go to places that have stuff for us to do.”

Tracie Martin, a parent who went door-to-door to encourage people to vote for the last school referendum, said no one should impugn the motives of school leaders but believed the acquisition was not the right path forward.