Thom Alexander believes the Carnegie Library building has been vacant long enough.

Alexander, executive director of the Lawrence-based Americana Music Academy, said he’s organizing an effort to get city commissioners to reconsider their decision to allow the Langston Hughes Center to occupy the historic building at the northwest corner of Ninth and Vermont streets. Instead, he wants commissioners to consider allowing his nonprofit music academy to transform the building into a tribute to the area’s musical heritage.

“If we were downtown, we could tie this in with the Arts Center and the new library and we could have an incredible arts and cultural Mecca in downtown that would be unstoppable,” Alexander said.

In April 2004, city commissioners agreed that the Hughes center, which would promote literacy, was the best fit for the one-time library that later served as the Lawrence Arts Center until it moved to a new facility in 2002. But more than a year has passed and organizers of the Hughes effort have not found the grant money that they once thought was available and are still struggling to get organized.

Alexander said his organization would have no such trouble. Americana has been up and running since 2002 and has a successful business model that revolves around providing musical lessons on instruments ranging from guitars to dulcimers. He said his group had received strong interest from several regional philanthropic organizations, though he declined to name them. He also said the academy could help cover some of the estimated $600,000 in costs needed to renovate the interior of the Carnegie building.

Michael Paull, left, instructs Andrew Curtis, 14, on the bass guitar at the Americana Music Academy. The academy, at 1419 Mass., is making a case to occupy the former Carnegie Library at Ninth and Vermont streets.

“We’re already viable,” said Alexander, who said the academy had a client base of about 1,200 students. “We can pay our own bills. The city is not going to have to pay our utility bills or help with operating expenses.”

Alexander said he planned to start circulating a petition within the next two weeks that would urge city commissioners to reopen the Carnegie Library discussion.

A leader with the Langston Hughes group said her organization would urge city commissioners to stick with their original decision.

“I’m a little surprised,” Barbara Watkins said of the music academy’s efforts. “Our group went through the competition and won it by a large margin.”

The music academy, currently at 1419 Mass., attempted to submit a proposal in 2004 for the building but missed the city’s deadlines for applications.

Academy leaders said their plan would be about much more than creating a place for people to learn how to play an instrument.

The building’s 250-seat theater could be used to host workshops from nationally renowned musicians, its gallery could serve as display space to celebrate the musical history of the area. A community recording studio could be opened, and the building’s open spaces could host dances for area high schoolers or provide youth bands a place to play.

6News video: Music academy wants to occupy Carnegie Library (06-02-05)

“We’re talking about creating a center that creates the kind of culture that is ages old where people leave their TV and computer modules behind and go create their own entertainment and congregate together,” said Michael Paull, assistant director at the academy. “That can be really valuable.”

City commissioners expressed mixed opinions about the idea of revisiting their previous decision.

“It wouldn’t be my first choice to reopen the discussion, but I think we’re at the point that I’m willing to listen to that possibility,” Commissioner Sue Hack said.

The Carnegie Library building at Ninth and Vermont streets.

She said she had some concern about the financial viability of the Langston Hughes Center, and that she thought the center should be considered as part of a possible expansion of the Lawrence Public Library. She said the music academy would be an idea worth exploring.

City Commissioner David Schauner, though, wasn’t so sure. He, too, said the Langston Hughes Center likely should be in a new library, but he didn’t want to rush to fill the Carnegie building. He said the historic building might be able to be incorporated into an expanded library system, or could be used for a future National Heritage Area center that would focus on the area’s “Bleeding Kansas” history.

“I know the process to fill this building isn’t happening fast enough for some people, but it is a decision that should last us for 40 or 50 years, so let’s take it slow and make sure we do it right,” Schauner said.