Frisco City Council members approved a $385,000 contract with the international architecture practice Pelli Clarke & Partners for facility concept designs for the center during a Dec. 3 meeting.
What you need to know
The designs will refine some of the details related to the project, according to a project update from Theatre Projects Consultants posted on the project’s dedicated website after the meeting.
“The team from Pelli will focus on refinement of the facility concept design, including development of exterior renderings, site layout, club level experience and more,” according to the statement. “Their process begins immediately, and engagement sessions related to the facility concept design will follow later, in January and February 2025.”
Theatre Projects Consultants representatives have been involved in the arts facility project since 2023 and have attended multiple city of Frisco meetings, workshops and various timeline updates as the project continues.
The setup
Some of the features planned for the 220,000-square-foot Frisco Center for the Arts facility include:
- A 2,800-seat performance hall, capable of accommodating Broadway and large touring and community productions
- A 300 to 400-seat community hall and education-focused courtyard venue
- Multiple flexible spaces for educational and community programming
An evaluation team that included representatives from PISD, Theatre Projects Consultants, Turner Townsend & Heery, and Broadway Across America selected Pelli Clarke & Partners from a list of 40 design firms that sent in their qualifications, according to meeting documents.
Turner Townsend & Heery is a project and program management firm involved in the Frisco Center for the Arts project. It specializes in project and program management for public sector organizations and offers experts in areas including K-12 education, higher education, cultural and government facilities, according to the Frisco Center for the Arts project website.
Looking ahead
The future arts facility will be located inside the seven miles shared by both PISD and the city of Frisco, according to an Oct. 28 city news release. A specific location for the Frisco Center for the Arts has not been confirmed, although city officials previously said they will select one in early 2025.
A final decision on whether or not to continue with the project, which would need to go to Frisco voters as a bond item to help pay for it alongside philanthropic efforts and funding from PISD, has a summer 2025 deadline.
