First Arts Organization in the Country with LEED Gold Headquarters

It’s official! Atlanta Ballet’s new, “green” headquarters – the Michael C. Carlos Dance Centre – has received LEED Gold certification, the second highest rating awarded for sustainable building construction. The Centre will grand open with a weekend of festivities August 14.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is the internationally recognized stamp of approval from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The building, almost twice the size of its West Peachtree Street predecessor, will be the permanent home for the professional company and its nationally respected Centre for Dance Education. It will also serve as a unique resource for the not-for-profit performing arts community, offering special event, rehearsal and performance space.

Located on Marietta Boulevard, the facility is in the heart of the burgeoning arts and culture district of West Midtown. It will soon be neighbor to a portion of the Beltline and the new Moores Mills shopping center.

Hundreds of buildings were considered for the new headquarters. In 2008, Atlanta Ballet purchased the 54,000 sq. ft. building, an abandoned manufacturing plant constructed in the 1950s.

From the beginning, plans were made to build a facility that was environmentally friendly. Renovating an existing building reduced the environmental impact. LEED-design strategies were also integrated, including energy-efficient lighting, recycled carpet, donated office furniture, dual flush toilets, and low-flow faucets and shower heads. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of all construction waste was recycled and diverted from landfills and even the rocks from the renovation were donated to Zoo Atlanta.

“Approximately $500,000 of the renovation budget was dedicated to environmental initiatives,” said Tommy Holder of Holder Construction, general contractor of the project. “This investment will allow the organization to realize a significant reduction in long-term operating expenses, while reaffirming their dedication to environmental stewardship.”

In just over 24 months, the project team, led by Holder Construction, completed the $10 million dollar project, finishing on time and on budget.

The new space provides a location that not only serves the company but better serves the community as well. The Centre for Dance Education serves thousands of students each year, and special amenities were included to accommodate their needs, including private dressing/locker rooms and a student library. There are future plans for a 200-seat black box theatre, which will be open to other local arts organizations as performance and rehearsal space.

“Atlanta Ballet has always had a strong commitment to the community and we want to continue to build on that commitment. We envision this new facility as the epicenter of arts and culture in the region,” said Arthur Jacobus, Atlanta Ballet executive director. “We want the community and our neighbors to know that this space was built to better serve us all and our doors are always open.”

For the grand opening, Atlanta Ballet will host a weekend of festivities Saturday, August 14 through Sunday, August 15. Events will include a ribbon cutting led by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed followed by a public open house with kids’ activities, mini-classes and demonstrations, and performances by Atlanta Ballet, the Centre for Dance Education and other local performing arts organizations. Sunday will culminate the celebration with a day dedicated to the Centre for Dance Education. The entire weekend is free and open to the public.

The Atlanta Ballet box office will be open with special ticket offers for the upcoming 2010-2011 season, including the highly-anticipated season opener of “Moulin Rouge® – The Ballet.”

For more information on Atlanta Ballet, visit the website, www.atlantaballet.com, or contact by phone at 404-873-5811.