Page last updated on January 30, 2023 at 2:27 pm
Built in 1915, The Waldron served as Bloomington’s City Hall and subsequently housed the City’s police and fire departments until the City deeded the property in 1990 to the Bloomington Area Arts Council. Since then, the building has provided gallery space, classroom space for art education, two performance spaces, meeting rooms, and offices, and since 1994 has been the home of WFHB Community Radio. Ivy Tech owned and operated the building as a community art center from 2010 - 2020. The City of Bloomington resumed ownership of the building in 2020 and formed a task force to determine the future of the building. At the recommendation of the task force, the City contracted with Constellation Stage and Screen to manage the facility in July 2022.
Bloomington’s Old City Hall building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the Courthouse Square Historic District.
More information about the Waldron Art Center’s current programming– Click here
More information about Constellation Stage & Screen– Click here
The Waldron Recommendation Task Force
In its process of evaluating the building and considering future uses, the task force consulted with a variety of groups with a particular interest in or expertise related to the functionality of the facility. Among those groups consulted were downtown restaurateurs and merchants, groups that have historically used the facility, business groups, tourism industry representatives, arts groups, youth, developers, and all those interested in engaging in the process. A report including recommendations for the building’s future was released in May 2021.
Waldron Task Force Final Report– Click here
Third Party Management Proposal– Click here
Waldron Real Estate Appraisal– Click here
Tabor-Bruce Evaluation Report– Click here
Waldron Roof Inspection– Click here
City of Bloomington Arts Feasibility Study
Per the recommendations of the Waldron Recommendation Task Force, the City of Bloomington partnered with Trahan Architects to investigate the need for a new facility to accommodate the City’s burgeoning arts community and explore potential non-facility-based programs and initiatives to develop Bloomington as a purpose-built arts community. Based on extensive public input and analysis, the Study Team made several key recommendations:
- Retain the Waldron Arts Center as a Core Asset
- Increase Community programming and downtown and neighborhood activation
- No New Performing Arts Center
- Create an arts and culture incubator
- Integrate arts and culture into a proposed expanded convention center
Press Releases
October 31, 2022: City of Bloomington Releases Arts Feasibility Study Report– Click here
October 12, 2022: Community Invited to Attend Constellation Stage & Screen Waldron Arts Center Reopening Celebration on Thursday, October 13– Click here
February 28, 2022: Public Invited to Attend City of Bloomington Waldron Arts Center Reopening Celebration on Friday, March 4– Click here
January 4, 2022: Waldron Arts Center Reopens– Click here
May 6, 2021: Waldron Task Force Issues Report Recommending Future Uses for Former City Hall– Click here
February 2. 2021: Waldron Ownership Returns to City, Eight Focus Groups Explore Building’s Future Uses– Click here
November 24, 2020: Waldron Recommendation Task Force Members Named, First Meet in December– Click here
October 23, 2020: City Names Co-Chairs of Waldron Recommendation Committee– Click here