Though an exact date has yet to be nailed down, a groundbreaking is imminent for the long-planned Knock Knock Children’s Museum in City Park, says Staci Duhé, chairman of the museum’s board of directors.
The board recently submitted a plan review application to the city-parish Department of Public Works for the roughly 26,500-square-foot museum, which will be located on Dalrymple Drive across from the City Park golf course, near Interstate 10. BREC is partnering with the museum’s board on the project.
Duhé says she expects to receive a permit within three weeks, at which point the board will advertise for construction bids. She says several delays since the project was first announced in 2010 haven’t deterred the museum’s board from meeting its primary goal.
“Open the summer of 2016, that’s always been our goal,” she says. “That is still on track.”
An ultimately unsuccessful application for New Market Tax Credits was among the delays on the project, Duhé says.
“That process would bring an extra million” in funds, she says. “For us to not take advantage of it would have been almost irresponsible.”
She says other delays came as a result of city and state officials, as well as project partners, carefully scrutinizing plans for the museum before signing off on them. Duhé says those working on the project want to make the best choices for the community in the most cost effective manner.
Construction of the museum will cost $5.36 million, according to the plan review application. Duhé says the group has raised more than $9 million and has secured some state funding for part of the construction. An exact date for the groundbreaking will be announced after a contractor is selected, Duhé says. —Kelly Connelly
