MARFA — Marfa City Council Members and city staff got a first look at $650,000 worth of renovations to the Marfa Activities Center (MAC) this week.
Upgrades, including a new polished concrete floor, tin walls, modern bathrooms, a stage and serving station, were made to the back part of the building, a massive, open space the city rents out for events that also serves as the emergency shelter for the north side of the railroad tracks.
The project began in July and is expected to be completed by contractor 6 Roses Construction at the end of this week, just in time for its first facility rental on Saturday. A MAC grand reopening for the community is forthcoming this spring, city staff said, hopefully coinciding with the completion and opening of the Coffield Park splashpad. (Long awaited updates to the Coffield Park gazebo are still experiencing construction delays.)
The entrance to the MAC rental space, which now features an awning, has been relocated to the back, rather than the side, of the building, and a preexisting hallway that connected the rental venue to the Nutrition Center, pool, and other offices has been walled off.
The old dark green walls and insulation and chicken wire ceiling have been replaced, allowing for a refreshed look. New bathrooms feature honeycomb tile, and a farm-style metal serving station is outfitted with string lights and a butcher block counter.
Tourism Director Jennifer Connors said the building updates were long overdue and should help attract more rental clients. She said she’s looking forward to local occasions filling up the calendar, as well as out of town events like conferences, which will take full advantage of the large structure.
“It’s been the way it was since I was in elementary,” Conners said. “So it’s really nice to see it change. It’s more versatile, neutral colors, I feel like more people will want to utilize our space.”
“We’ve always got comments that it’s a very large space, it’s almost too big, and so now that we have a stage, etc., we’ve utilized it a little more,” she added.
City Council members and Conners also discussed and approved new rental rates for the MAC and USO (Marfa Visitor’s Center) at the council meeting held at the MAC at noon on Tuesday. The last time rental rates were raised was at least 10 years ago, according to city staff.
The city will start enforcing some preexisting policies that have gone by the wayside, Conners said, including charging a $50 rental application fee and a $150 expedited rental application fee for events less than 30 days out. If the capacity of a rental event is 150 people or more, clients will be required to hire private security. (Marfa PD is often paid for that service.) Selling alcohol is not allowed on city property, but many events are BYOB.
Conners also advocated for higher deposit fees, which she said should help alleviate situations she’s dealt with in the past where people leave city spaces a mess or do not clean up in a timely manner.
For the MAC, Council voted unanimously to approve a $350 deposit fee, up from $100, and a $650 rental fee, up from $500. A locals discount for personal events like weddings, quinceañeras and funerals will now be available for $450.
For the USO, council voted unanimously to approve a $400 deposit, up from $200, and a $650 rental fee, up from $450. That pricing includes the outdoor pavilion, which now has bathrooms.
