OSF, Adroit Construction And Mahar Homes Unveil New Residential Development

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival today announced it has entered into a 25-year lease on a new housing development two blocks from its main theatre campus in downtown Ashland. Plaza East, to be built and owned by Adroit Construction and Mahar Homes, located at 189 &199 Lithia Way, will include 34 residential units, with more than 6,000 square feet of commercial space suitable for offices or other uses. A groundbreaking ceremony takes place on Thursday, October 10 at 12:30 p.m.

"The ability to attract and retain top-flight artists is a cornerstone to OSF's success, as their creative contributions bring to life the magic on our stages," says OSF Artistic Director Nataki Garrett. "This once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the quality of company housing ensures they will have an exceptional experience while in Ashland, in both their professional and personal lives."

The new development, which received unanimous approval from the Ashland Planning Commission and OSF Board of Directors, will both transform the quality of company housing and vastly improve the efficiency of operating OSF's housing inventory . Through consolidation of a large proportion of leased housing under one roof at a prime location, and locking in pricing for the entire term of the lease, OSF is directly addressing short- and long-term cost instability, along with many related operating challenges-all while improving quality of life for its artists by creating a generally upgraded, uniform living standard for anyone residing in the building.

"We're pleased to be partnering on this project with such a well-known local and regional institution in OSF that strives to provide the best possible housing for its company members," says Tom Walker, CEO of Adroit Construction. Our construction teams along with our partners at Mahar Homes are excited to be developing this unique, modern, and environmentally efficient mixed-use building, which will be tremendous an asset to downtown Ashland and the entire Rogue Valley community."

OSF Company Manager Tara Kayton says, "We're thrilled about the partnership with Adroit and Mahar, and that this project will bring so many benefits to OSF's company and to Ashland. High-quality housing not only improves operational efficiencies, as an important component in realizing sustainable business practices, but also helps our artists integrate into the community and enjoy continued success at OSF."

Founded by Angus Bowmer in 1935, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) has grown from a three-day festival of two plays to a nationally renowned theatre arts organization that presents an eight-month season of up to 11 plays that include works by Shakespeare as well as a mix of classics, musicals, and world-premiere plays and musicals. OSF's play commissioning programs, which include American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle, have generated works that have been produced on Broadway, internationally, and at regional, community and high school theatres across the country. The Festival draws attendance upwards of 400,000 to more than 800 performances every year and employs 400 to 600 theatre professionals.

OSF invites and welcomes everyone, and believes the inclusion of diverse people, ideas, cultures and traditions enriches both our insights into the work we present on stage and our relationships with each other. OSF is committed to equity and diversity in all areas of our work and in our audiences.

OSF's mission statement: "Inspired by Shakespeare's work and the cultural richness of the United States, we reveal our collective humanity through illuminating interpretations of new and classic plays, deepened by the kaleidoscope of rotating repertory.

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