Retrofit of historic Atascadero Printery could begin next year as fundraising ramps up
Community members are making a new fundraising push for the Atascadero Printery in the hopes that retrofitting work can begin next year, the first step in transforming it from a source of blight to a bright spot for the community.
The Atascadero Printery Foundation moved closer to that goal after its annual meeting and founder’s reception on Nov. 14, according to a news release.
The foundation announced it reached its target of signing up 100 Founders — people who donated $1,000 or more toward the Printery’s restoration — and received a matching gift of up to $100,000 from the family of Gaylen Little, the late Atascadero contractor.
“The generous gift is going to give us the momentum to be able to remove the red tag, do the seismic retrofit,” said Vy Pierce, fundraising chairperson for The Atascadero Printery Foundation.
These funds coupled with the $250,000 the foundation raised over the past six years will go toward a $1.5 million seismic retrofit on the building that was damaged in the 2003 San Simeon Earthquake, Pierce said.
The seismic retrofit is just the beginning. The foundation has an ambitious vision to transform the 19,000-square-foot property into a multi-use community space but plans to tackle this restoration in stages. The first step is to make the building habitable.
“It would be of great benefit to be able to use the space,” Pierce said.
History of the Atascadero Printery
The Atascadero Printery, located at 6351 Olmeda Ave., was built in 1915 by the city’s founder, E.G. Lewis.
The Printery is the oldest building in the city and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which is managed by the National Park Service. The designation gives it an added layer of federal protection.
After opening in 1915, the Printery published the local Atascadero News and the Illustrated Review, an international publication that covered the war effort, similar to Life Magazine, said Karen McNamara, foundation president.
The building was also used as a boys junior college, Masonic Lodge and even housed the Police Department and school district at certain points, McNamara said.
In 2003, the San Simeon Earthquake damaged the Printery and made it unsafe to occupy, McNamara said. The repairs were estimated to cost about $9 million, McNamara said in a previous interview.
The Masons traded the building with disgraced local developer Kelly Gearhart in exchange for Gearhart building them a new property on Traffic Way, she said.
The idea was that Gearhart would fix the building, but he failed to come up with the funds to renovate it and change it into an events center, McNamara said.
Gearhart was instead convicted of wire fraud and money laundering and sent to prison.
“(Gearhart) is a big thorn on the city of Atascadero,” McNamara said.
The Printery and more than 20 other Gearhart properties were listed in a county tax auction in May 2017. It was a close call, but the foundation was able to purchase the Printery for $300,100 at the auction.
Despite the property’s connection to the Gearhart scandal, the community came together on the purchase to create a new legacy for the historic building.
“We’re turning it into a good thing for the community,” McNamara said.
The future of the Atascadero Printery: Performing arts and community hub
The foundation is raising funds to make the building safe to occupy. The foundation has raised about $450,000 throughout all of its efforts over the past six years, McNamara said.
The builders told her that if the foundation can raise about $250,000 more by the end of the year, they should be able to start the retrofitting work.
The building plans are currently being reviewed by the city as it determines if permits can be issued, she said.
In the meantime, the foundation has been meeting with government entities in pursuit of funding to complete the $1.5 million retrofit, she said.
McNamara said that conversations with local officials so far have been encouraging.
“If we can come up with $1.25 million by June, then they figure it will take about six months to complete the work and let people in by end of 2022,” she said.
Once the retrofit is complete, the foundation plans to raise about $500,000 more to complete the HVAC system and install bathrooms in the building, McNamara said.
Along with the silent capital campaign and requests for government funding, the foundation also plans to apply for a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, she said.
“We’re just going to turn over every leaf right now, now that we have an estimate and retrofit plan,” McNamara said.
Once the building is habitable, the foundation plans to use the space to host pop-up events to attract community interest in the project, and may use it as a venue for community performances as well, she said.
The mission is to transform the Printery into a multi-use community space. The foundation aims to showcase the building’s past and usher in a new era for the property.
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An old photo studio in the building will be converted into a Printing and Communications Museum, where historic artifacts — like old editions of the Illustrated Review — will be showcased, according to the website.
The gymnasium, karate studio and dining area will become a theater complex, complete with lobby and concessions, main stage and operational areas. These renovations are likely to be the most expensive, costing an estimated $5 million to $6 million dollars, McNamara said.
The foundation believes the price is worth it, because the community performing arts center will present a great economic opportunity for the city of Atascadero, attracting more patrons to nearby restaurants and retailers ahead of performances, McNamara said.
Aside from hosting events like dinner theater shows or musicals, the community theater could be used by local schools for their performances, McNamara said.
“Our schools need a place to perform,” McNamara said. “Our kids are performing on concrete against the wall. We need better than that in Atascadero.”
The foundation is accepting donations from people who want to support the project. Give online at atascaderoprintery.org or mail a check to the foundation at 6351 Olmeda Ave. Atascadero, CA 93422.
This story was originally published December 3, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
