The McCormick Arts Council at the Keturah (MACK) was established in 1984 and opened its doors at the historic site early the following year. The site was listed in the National Register on December 12, 1985.
This historic site, while housing a successful arts organization, is currently in decline with a deteriorating system of functioning utilities, lack of fire safety service, and historical elements that require specialist craftsmanship to retain the integrity of the building. Recently, our municipalities have deeded our organization the building and so designated our cultural organization as the steward of this culturally significant site. The investment in the historic site, our cultural organization, and the surrounding public park have all been identified as action steps for our community’s investment. As the cultural center and community stakeholder for McCormick County, the McCormick Arts Council (MACK) and the historic Keturah Hotel are identified in major components of the McCormick County Economic Development plan. Collectively, we are participants within a larger preservation plan to include product development, public outreach, communication, quality of life, and downtown initiatives.
What does the project hope to accomplish?
The project seeks to modernize the building in a historically sensitive way through the installation of new systems and utilities while increasing ADA accessibility for patrons. These renovations will provide highly flexible spaces that will allow the MACK to continue to serve the population of McCormick County for many years and to enhance its cultural
purpose in the community.
- Enhance ADA accessibility to all areas of the building and site
- Update utility services and repair deficiencies to building for longevity
- Approach renovations in a historically sensitive way
- Create flexible and multi-use program spaces for a variety of arts-related endeavors
