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Watauga County Arts Council $1 Lease of County-owned New River Building for Blue Ridge ArtSpace Official

May 8, 2013. At yesterday’s Watauga County Board of Commissioners meeting, the board officially approved an agreement with Watauga County Arts Council to lease a county-owned building. 

The old New River building. Photo by Ken Ketchie
The old New River building. Photo by Ken Ketchie

The two-year lease at $1 per year concerns the former New River Behavioral HealthCare building, which is located at the corner of State Farm Road and Shadowline Drive. 

Even though the board voiced its support of the lease at a meeting last month, the commissioners had to wait, pursuant to state law, for a notice of the lease to be publicized for 10 days. 

After a year of uncertainty and moving around, the Watauga County Arts Council finally has a semi-permanent home. The lease comes with automatic 90-day renewals unless either party gives written notice of its intention not to renew no less than 60 days in advance.

“WOO HOO!!!!! Thank you Watauga County Commissioners for your support and for leasing us a wonderful building in which to create the Blue Ridge ArtSpace,” WCAC Executive Director Cherry Johnson posted on Facebook yesterday. “Today our lease became final and we are ecstatic!”

To learn more about the Blue Ridge ArtSpace and more background on the lease with county, click here