Mayor Walt Maddox unveiled a proposal to renovate the Queen City Pool House during his Capital Projects recommendation presentation on April 30. The project would repurpose the historic building on Jack Warner Parkway, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright protege Don Buel Schuyler. The building would be gifted to the Kentuck Art Center, allowing it to expand its operations into the Tuscaloosa Arts and Entertainment District.
“This expansion represents an exciting chapter in Kentuck’s history,” said Exa Skinner, the executive director of Kentuck Art Center, in a released statement from the City of Tuscaloosa.
The center, currently located in Historic Downtown Northport, is famous for its art markets and art nights. Free for the public to enjoy, it has become a community hub of creativity for residents and visitors alike. The center also offers gallery space to feature works from the Southeast, workshops for blooming artists of all ages, studio space and a small gallery shop that allows visitors to support local artists.
Since 2019 the art center has seen tremendous growth. Last year, the Kentuck Art Center hosted a total of 223 days of scheduled activity, and its surge in offerings also saw a substantial increase in participation. Workshop participation grew from 64 participants in 2019 to 833 in 2023, and annual attendance in 2023 soared past 1,000 visitors at art markets and 2,000 attendees at monthly art nights.
Michelle Robinson, board president of Kentuck Art Center, said that the center has had an interest in expanding into Tuscaloosa County since 2019.
“I think we are using every inch of space that we possibly can in our current location,” said Ashley Williams, Kentuck’s director of marketing and communications. “We have a vision to serve even more people through our exhibitions and public events.”
The Kentuck Art Center has preserved the historic value of the building it presently possesses, which Williams estimated to be over 100 years old. The center plans to transform the Queen City Pool House in the same way it transformed its current location, a former general store.
Talks regarding the project are underway between the City of Tuscaloosa and Kentuck Art Center. A 3D rendering of the renovated Queen City Pool House was published on the Kentuck Art Center website and YouTube, featuring additional museum space, a cafe, increased retail space, and an event venue. Williams said neither approximate costs nor an estimated timeline has been confirmed.
“We’re grateful to the City of Tuscaloosa for the opportunity to collaborate on this project, and we look forward to preserving the architecture of this building and honoring the legacy of Mildred Westervelt Warner,” Skinner said.
