The Sunnyvale Sun
News
Councilman tries to unite city's clubs into one space
By Stephen Baxter
Looking to create a new cultural draw in downtown Sunnyvale, a city councilman is looking to unite some of the city's art and historical groups in one building.
Councilman Chris Moylan introduced a few years ago the idea of bringing together clubs around the Iron Man Museum in the old Hendy Iron Works building at 401 E. Hendy Ave. Now owned by Northrup Grumman Marine Services, the building houses the four-room Iron Man Museum.
Representatives of the museum said it was unlikely the company would allow space for other clubs, as the museum itself recently lost office space.
Still, groups such as the Sunnyvale Art Club, the Sunnyvale Photographic Club and the Lace Museum are interested in a united building.
Moylan said it would help bring visitors to downtown and solve many of the problems the clubs have in finding permanent homes.
"We could help fix the downtown, and beef up the arts. It's a win-win,'' Moylan said.
Leaders of the photography and art clubs said last week they are open to the idea and would like to have more space to exhibit their members' work. Lucy Marcoux, former president of the Sunnyvale Art club, said she tried for three years to secure a permanent gallery and liked the idea of having more space.
"We are a community with some great art. That would help us out a lot," she said. "We would like to bring more exhibits to the public in Sunnyvale."
The club has at least 40 members who attend monthly meetings at the Sunnyvale Community Center and 140 members total.
Keith Schwamkrug, president of the Sunnyvale Photographic Club, said he also would be open to a combined space, depending on its cost. The club meets twice a month at the Heritage Center building at the Sunnyvale Community Center and has 20 to 25 regular meeting attendees. It hosts competitions and speakers on photographic subjects.
Schwamkrug said a new space would appeal to the group. "What would make the biggest difference is what it will cost the club," he said. It now pays $10 an hour for the space, and members pay $36 in annual dues.
The Lace Museum, which preserves lace and promotes lace making, has an exhibition space at 552 S. Murphy Ave. Some of its members have indicated they would be interested in moving to the Hendy Building.
The building is on 80 acres that Northrup Grumman Marine Services owns.
The plant manufactures missile launchers and turbines for submarines, among other things, and has about 1,000 employees. The Iron Man Museum opened there in 1984 to preserve the role of the Hendy Iron Works in Sunnyvale. The Iron Works opened in 1856 and employed thousands who made heavy machinery and metal castings.
The museum is now open one day a month, for an hour, by appointment. Security is tight at the plant because it is involved in weapons making, and visitors have to pass a security gate.
Iron Man Museum secretary Jack Perry said he would like to make it easier for visitors to enter.
"This is one of the things we're trying to do to get direct access to the museum," Perry said. He estimated the museum has 300 to 400 visitors per year, all of whom are supposed to be American citizens because of federal defense rules.
Eric Thomas, the tour coordinator for Iron Man Museum, said it might be more practical to move the Iron Man Museum to a place that incorporated other clubs and had better access, or it could keep the current museum and have a second display. Any changes would have to be approved by Northrup Grumman.
A report on uniting the clubs by the Sunnyvale Parks and Recreation Department is expected to reach the city council in August.
