The Clatsop County Historical Society has detailed plans to expand the , an estimated $10 million project that would involve the construction of a new two-story, 13,000-square-foot building.
The addition is proposed in Astoria on the site of the former Morris Glass building, a property the historical society acquired several years ago.
Plans for the new building include a 50-seat theater, a projection room, classroom space, an expanded gift shop and several new exhibits.
The Oregon Film Museum in Astoria opened in 2010.
Chance Solem-Pfeifer
Since opening in 2010, the film museum has seen a continued increase in visitors. The location at the old Clatsop County Jail saw more than 52,000 visitors last year.
“We’ve clearly outgrown and surpassed our capacity,†McAndrew Burns, the executive director of the historical society, told the Astoria City Council at a work session Monday. “We also are not able in such a small space to fulfill our educational mission.â€
Expanding coverage of movies made in Oregon
Exhibits planned for the new building would make use of movies with Oregon ties to illustrate aspects of film production, such as location scouting and set design. One interactive green screen set would allow visitors to use a map of the state to create an imagined scene.
The museum would also retain the exhibit space within the old Clatsop County Jail, which was used as a backdrop for an opening sequence in “The Goonies,†the 1985 adventure comedy filmed in Astoria and other North Coast locales.
The Goonies house, made famous in the 1985 movie "The Goonies," has sold for $1.65 million.Â
Lydia Ely/The Astorian
With the expansion, museum leaders hope to offer vocational opportunities and bring in working professionals from within the film industry.
In a video presentation that featured comments from filmmakers, producers and arts leaders — including director Guillermo del Toro, who won an Academy Award for best animated feature for “Pinocchio,†a movie largely made in Portland — Burns envisioned how the new additions could inspire interest in filmmaking.
Pinocchio in a scene from “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, which was largely made in Portland.
Netflix
“We know the attendance is going to be there. There’s no doubt in our mind. Our mark of success is going to be when some young person is winning their Oscar for best cinematography or best costume design and they say, ‘It all began on Mrs. Johnson’s fourth grade trip to the Oregon Film Museum,’†he said.
So far, $6.1 million has been raised toward the project, which recently received a $1 million state grant recommended by the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.
Burns proposed a partnership with the city that would allocate $300,000 in Promote Astoria funds toward the expansion, spread out over three years.
“This would be an investment in growing that fund,†he said. “We’re projecting very conservatively that we’re going to double our three-year average in attendance.â€
City has concerns about parking, use of funds
City Councilor Tom Hilton raised concerns about parking, demands on the city’s infrastructure and the need to use Promote Astoria funds for other priorities. Promote Astoria funds, which come from a share of lodging taxes, are used to help promote tourism and maintain tourism-related facilities.
“This will increase tourism, it will increase demand upon our infrastructure, which we need to work on,†Hilton said.
Burns said the museum has been in conversation with adjacent properties about parking. “We are keenly aware, and we’re trying to address it,†he said.
Burns also noted that, contrary to an image depicted in an architectural rendering for the project, the museum does not intend to ask the city to close Seventh Street to traffic.
Hilton urged the historical society to reach out to private donors — like director Steven Spielberg, who came up with the story for “The Goonies†— as well as other groups.
“It’s a great project, you bet. But there’s a lot of people out there that have money,†said Hilton. “I’ve always said this — Spielberg, if the guy’s not willing to do anything, why would we promote him?â€
Astoria City Manager Scott Spence said there is a direct connection between Promote Astoria funds and a tourism facility like the film museum, but also emphasized that the request would have to be weighed against competing needs.
Mayor Sean Fitzpatrick expressed the importance of giving the project consideration.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.