Longtime Gardner dance center eyeing former church for new studio

GARDNER – A longtime downtown business enterprise is hunting for a new house.

Immediately after 12 several years, the Just Dance! Executing Arts Middle must go away its rented space at 48 Parker St. due to the fact the making has been sold and is staying redeveloped.

Rebecca Wilson, who opened the studio in 2010, mentioned she was originally disappointed by the news that she would have to move her organization, but now her concentrate is on acquiring a new locale.

“I truly feel like I went as a result of all the stages of grieving, like denial and anger,” Wilson discussed. “By now, I’m unquestionably in the acceptance phase, and I’m on the lookout to just shift ahead and hopefully the future place we’re at will be improved. That’s the goal.”

Wilson, who explained much more than 200 pupils were being enrolled at her dance centre, explained she was grateful for the help from the group. Her business is on non permanent maintain even though she searches for a new studio area.

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“I cannot say sufficient very good issues about (their assist),” she said. “So several individuals have reached out with ideas. And my dance households are stating they’ll follow me anywhere I go. It seriously makes me feel fantastic and keeps me motivated. It is wonderful to know that I do have a great help program.”

The Gardner Redevelopment Authority (GRA) acquired the Ryan Block house that housed the centre from landlord Dean Marcus in 2017, with the intention of advertising and marketing the developing for redevelopment. The GRA also bought the adjacent assets at 52 Parker Street.

In late 2021, it was announced the two buildings – which are linked internally – had been marketed to Mass Ave Realty, which was chosen by the metropolis primarily based on its specific designs to renovate the whole residence into household housing. Metropolis officials delayed closing of the offer right up until June 1, 2022, to give Just Dance! time to locate a new spot.

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Tale carries on

“Obviously, we wished (Rebecca) to stay downtown,” reported Trevor Beauregard, govt director of the GRA. “My intention was always to hold the dance studio there, but regrettably I simply cannot handle everything.”

The building’s new proprietors instructed town officers that, due to the fact of the noise and other components, it would not be feasible to consider and hire out flats that were up coming to a dance studio. In Dec. 2021, the city employed a relocation professional, Stephen Mollica of Leominster, to assist Just Dance! find a new location in the town.

“(Stephen’s) a good male,” Wilson claimed. “He would get in touch with and look at in with me every 7 days, and when in a when he would mail me some destinations to check out, so that was very good.”

Amid the homes regarded as have been the Timpany Crossroads Plaza and the former Gardner News making.

In May, Wilson decided to pursue the lookup for a new place without the aid of Mollica, in accordance to city officers. She was presented a one particular-time lump sum payment of $69,500 by the GRA to assist in her relocation initiatives.

Wilson has been eyeing property at 69 Lincoln St. for her new location, after it was proposed by some of the mother and father at her studio. She said the setting up, a former church, would be additional than appropriate to residence her business enterprise.

“In my mind, it’s fantastic for a dance studio,” she mentioned. “It’s comparable to what we (experienced), with huge open areas and large ceilings.”

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In some approaches, she included, the new feasible site would even be an enhancement over her aged handle. She stated it is on a quieter avenue and has a parking ton, which would make it a lot easier for mother and father to decide up and fall off their little ones at dance.

“But nothing at all is definite nevertheless,” she cautioned. “We’re operating with the Gardner Zoning Board and the Making Division to get right acceptance of everything.”

“Hopefully, (the new area) is effective out, for the reason that we truly want to preserve (Rebecca) in the city,” Beauregard said.

Wilson, who employs 4 other instructors, mentioned she appreciated Beauregard’s sentiments, and extra that her leading precedence was to retain her studio in Gardner.

“We have people from all of the encompassing towns, so moving would make it far more hard for a ton of the families, so I would really like to remain in Gardner.”

Wilson claimed she was self-confident that Just Dance! would have a new site in the community inevitably.

“I know that we’re going to locate a new house,” she defined. “If (Lincoln Road) does not get the job done out, I’m just likely to maintain likely and preserve hunting. But we’ll undoubtedly uncover a space and be again up and managing.”

This posting at first appeared on Gardner News: Just Dance! Carrying out Arts Heart in Gardner seeking for new household