Cultural center in Abbeville to close for renovation project

For the next few months, doors to the Abbeville Cultural and Historical Alliance Center Art Museum will be closed.
The museum, located in downtown Abbeville, is undergoing renovations, work that will add some long-awaited amenities.
“They are looking at four to six months for remodeling,” Abbeville Mayor Mark Piazza said.
The project will cost more than $200,000. The majority of that cost will be covered by a grant from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
“Part of the project includes the creation of a welcome center,” Piazza said. “That will be located in the front area of the cultural center.”
This will not be the first welcome center for Abbeville.
“For years we had one on the (La. 14) Bypass next to the Chamber of Commerce,” Piazza said. “That now houses the Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission.”
Some felt there should be a welcome center brought back.
“Years ago several business people in the community created the idea of enhancing tourism in downtown Abbeville,” Piazza explained. “Part of that concept was to have the welcome center downtown.
“That has taken eight years to happen, but that was the original plan.”
 The city will have a part-time staffer at the welcome center. The staff already at the museum, including curator Tony Mayard, will help with the welcome center.
“The welcome center will cater to the tourists in the downtown area,” Piazza said, “including those from Palmetto Island State Park, who come to the downtown area.
“There will be information on attractions all around Abbeville and Vermilion Parish.”
One of the attractions is Magdalen Square, located across the street from the museum. The square serves as the site for many events, some that can bring hundreds of people at a time. The remodeled museum will have restrooms available to those who attend events in the square.
“There will be new restroom facilities,” Piazza said. “That is going to include handicap accessible restrooms. They are going to be for public use and will be accessible from the outside. That is big as opposed to using Port-o-Lets for all of our events in the square.
“We will have nice, clean air-conditioned restrooms that will be utilized for the markets, festivals and weddings that take place in Magdalen Square.”
As for the museum, there will be some cosmetic improvements.
“It will be repainted from top to bottom,” Piazza said. “We are looking at changing out some carpeting.”
In all, Piazza said he is pleased to see the progress being made.
“The Alliance was created in conjunction with the Vermilion Parish Police Jury, who furnishes the building, along with the city,” Piazza said. “The original idea and concept came from two individuals who are no longer with us, former Clerk of Court Mr. Russell Gaspard and former musical director for the school board, Mr. Ronnie Mayard. They are the two individuals that came up with this idea many years ago that downtown Abbeville could be a center for tourism.
“We are seeing this become a reality.”