Historic building to reopen as art center in İzmir

İZMİR - Anadolu Agency

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A  new cultural center and a historic building once owned by a Scottish family in the Aegean province of İzmir, dubbed Paterson Mansion, as an adjacent art center are set to open their doors in the Ageean city of İzmir. 

The Bornova Cultural Center, a project which was assigned in 1987 and put into a construction program in 1993, is planned to be completed in 2017, İzmir Gov. Mustafa Toprak said, adding that the tender of the center was made in 2007 and its budget was paid by the Culture and Tourism Ministry in 2014. 

“Even though our cultural center is being recalled with its delays in the past, the construction of the center which befits İzmir will be completed in 2017. It will host art lovers with its saloons, fair areas and guest areas,” Toprak said.

“In the center, there will be cafés and work areas for artists. We will also prepare a place for the directorates of the İzmir Opera and Ballet, İzmir Classical Turkish Music Choir and İzmir Symphony Orchestrate... We will not let any delays like in the past,” Toprak said, adding that the center will have three saloons with capacities of 979, 488 and 400. 

The Culture and Tourism Ministry paid 19 million Turkish Liras for the culture in 2007, Toprak said, and added that the construction cost will be around 60 million liras with the new expenses. 

Toprak also touched upon the plans to restore the historic Paterson Mansion adjacent to the cultural center and said a protocol was signed with the İzmir Municipality and that the mansion will be renovated in three years and will be given to use of the Culture ministry.

After its renovation, the mansion, which was built in 1857 and was first owned by a Scottish family, will be opened for the use of administrative offices of the İzmir Symphony Orchestrate and the Classical Turkish Music Choir as well as hosting cultural activities.