Veteran theater professional Klaus van den Berg, an Avondale Estates resident since January, has become a quiet presence in recent city commission meetings, mostly from opposing The Art Lot, a temporary pop-up park the commission approved last month.
Van den Berg’s a longtime drama and theater history professor who now consults with communities on building theater and performance spaces in urban areas. But he believes the city is unwise putting $49,000 into this project.
“I’d like to see us use that money to create a larger strategy, a vision for the district,” van den Berg said. “I believe we can turn Avondale into a cultural destination.”
The city’s planned town green, or the area surrounding it, could provide setting for a cultural center, and he gave several examples of tenants including a drama theater, a boutique hotel, a convention center, and/or a sculpture garden.
He thinks Avondale’s ideally situated since it’s between two MARTA stations, near I-285 and next door to the foodie destination of Decatur.
“I understand and share the frustration and urgency of wanting to do something now,” he said. “But you don’t want to start building just one piece at a time, because after awhile you just get a lot of pieces that don’t fit.”
About the Author
