Atascadero Printery Foundation seeks volunteers to get community center up and running

Posted: 11:08 am, February 6, 2018 by Reporter Cassandra Frey

The Historic 1915 Printery Building in Atascadero

Update On Historical Printery in Atascadero

— Last May, the Atascadero Printery Foundation won the auction for the last remaining civic center building in Atascadero. The auction was won at $300,100. The local community of volunteers who form the Atascadero Printery Foundation have been planning and creating fundraising efforts to help bring the old iconic building back to life, and they are in need of more volunteers.

Built in 1915, the first Atascadero news was printed and distributed in 1916. Since then, the building was added on to in the 1970’s, and that portion of the building is in dire need of demolition. Thus far the fundraisers held by the Atascadero Printery Foundation have not raised enough to fully restore the printery and are estimating all the repairs and renovations will cost around $7 million, according to the foundation.

The aim is to reclaim, rehabilitate and re-purpose the printery and create a multipurpose facility for the community of Atascadero, and Northern San Luis Obispo County. The state and federal government haven’t been involved as far as helping to donate for the cause, according to the foundation.

Around half of the windows on the printery have been boarded up, and the structure needs more weatherization and securing at this point. Volunteers and laborers are needed for so many different things. A geologic soils engineering test needs to be performed. The job trailer on site needs to be hooked up, and a volunteer team of demolitions experts need to be called in for a few things. Although the building is sturdy and was built to last, a few renovations are needed to make it ready for use.

The grounds are being kept up every Friday and Saturday by a local board member’s husband, who has been working diligently to keep the space looking its best.

Volunteers are welcome to contribute to various aspects of the printery, and for a complete list of volunteer needs please see www.atascaderoprintery.org.

Planning has been going very quickly after acquiring the printery at auction, according to the foundation. The foundation expressed that they need help from grants and donors to make this dream become a reality. Still, many aspects of the building’s future depend on the actions the community takes as a whole to make this happen.

The foundation did a survey over the holidays and gathered ideas directly from the minds of the local citizens who will be using the facility. They found that there is a definite need for a venue where supervised youth activities can regularly happen. Not only for that, but senior luncheons, activities, a performance theatre, a printing facility, meeting spaces, and an amphitheater which can hold hundreds will be installed where the old gymnasium stands, and much more.

A working printery with a museum and educational displays will teach locals and visitors the history, and house a wide array of modern and old printing equipment for the community to use. They even have plans to make a modern 3D printer available for use by locals. For people interested in helping to collaborate, the foundation is working on planning monthly fundraising efforts and events.

Help with the following positions are needing to be filled:

Board Positions: We have three openings for gaining non-profit experience.
Fundraising Volunteers: Man booths and mingle at the many events we , mingle with the Atascadero community, take flyers to stores.
Tent City Marathon Volunteers: Sunday Mar. 25, 2018 is our fundraiser marathon. Check out the info on this amazing Atascadero event here! It’s much more than
On Site Volunteers: We have work days as we rehab the Printery building. Sign up below to get our work dates emailed to you.
Skilled Laborers: We can use electricians, landscapers, plumbers, stone masons, architects, construction workers and others to bring the Printery back to life.
Writers and Artists: We could use grant writers and anyone that wants to write articles and make art for this website. We would love to promote your Atascadero art here too.
Planners and Designers: strategic planning is needed as this project is in its early stages.