The Cornerstone Center for the Arts was granted $100,000 last week from the Ball Brothers Foundation to assist with the purchase of a more sufficient heating, ventilation and cooling system.
"The HVAC system we had was really outdated," said Terry Whitt Bailey, president and CEO of Cornerstone Center for the Arts. "In layman's terms, it was running on three out of four legs."
The grant will allow Cornerstone to begin upgrading the system by replacing the compressor, and installing a new fan coil unit that will provide adequate and reliable heating and cooling to the building, Whitt Bailey said.
The Cornerstone Center for the Arts, located in downtown Muncie, offers classes and lessons in the arts throughout the year. Common classes include dance and fitness, American Sign Language and painting.
The center recently had an increase in class enrollment and the old HVAC system was unable to run enough air through the building, Whitt Bailey said.
Even before the increase, the system had problems.
"It became unpredictable to non-working," Whitt Bailey said. "The old HVAC system was run by a well. There wasn't enough water in the well to run the HVAC system. The new HVAC being built will be an air-based system."
Cornerstone's Executive Committee selected Conatser Heating and Cooling, Inc. as the contractor for this assignment. Conatser began work last week.
The Cornerstone Center for the Arts applied for the Ball Brother's Foundation grant at the beginning of June. They received the grant money last week
The Ball Brothers Foundation, located in Muncie, is a private and independent foundation that works with organizations and businesses to create innovative giving programs to match the specific interests of donors, according to the foundation's Web site.
The foundation, in partnership with other philanthropic organizations across Indiana, facilitates programs dedicated to support giving.
The total cost of the project is $300,000, and it is expected to be finished in six weeks, Whitt Bailey said.
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