Mountain Laurel Center is Exploring Lease or Sale
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, December 2, 2004
For More Information: 570.588.5800
Mountain Laurel Center is Exploring the Lease or Sale of Approximately 50 Acres and Associated Buildings at the Western Edge of Unity House for Compatible Arts Purposes
Bushkill, PA—-Mountain Laurel Center CEO Richard T. Bryant today announced that the Board of Directors is interested in receiving proposals for lease or purchase of up to 50 acres of the Mountain Laurel Center tract for compatible arts purposes such as a performing arts camp, school, or visual arts center. Included in the sale or lease would be approximately 30 cabins and other support buildings on the western edge of Unity House, all in need of renovation. Lake access is also available.
Unity House is the former summer resort of the International Ladies Garment Worker’s Union — the historically significant heart of the 700-acre Mountain Laurel Center. The new Tom Ridge Pavilion — with 2,500 seats inside and space for 7,500 outside — is on the east side of the Unity House site.
Lease or sale of approximately 50 acres and associated buildings at the west side of Unity House is a key component of MLC’s Three-year Strategic Operating Plan. This plan charts the path by which Mountain Laurel Center can become fully operational as a non-profit arts institution capable of mounting full seasons, sustaining in-depth education initiatives, continuing redevelopment of Unity House, and meeting past, present, and future obligations.
“Seeking a compatible arts partner to help share the task of fully utilizing this historic site for the good of the region makes perfect sense,” Bryant said. “Not only will this help MLC deliver on it promise to become the region’s leading performing arts center, but it will also help us accelerate the renovation and adaptive re-use of Unity House and its many buildings. Acting now to allocate approximately 7% of the land for compatible arts purposes also puts MLC in a better position to preserve other excess lands for future development when the presence of a fully established national arts destination has raised land values in the vicinity.”
“MLC has already received an expression of interest in the lease or purchase of approximately 50 acres for use as a non-profit performing arts camp and instructional center,” Bryant said, “and we have entered into non-binding discussions on the subject.”
Qualified parties interested in learning more about this opportunity should contact Richard T. Bryant, MLC CEO, at 570.426.2096 or rtbryant@mlcpa.org. Deadline for declaration of such interest is January 20, 2005.
