City residents are about to see the unveiling of a new building in the heart of Madison.

After three-and-a-half years of downtown construction, the Sept. 18 grand opening for the first phase of the Overture Center for the Arts is drawing near.

Overture Hall and several multi-purpose rooms will be completed. Capitol Theater and the Playhouse will not see a full finish until 2006.

The grand opening will feature more than 140 free events throughout the course of nine days.

“All of the tickets are a little over two-thirds sold and of the nine major events, two are completely sold out,” said Michael Goldberg, Overture vice president of programming.

A building unlike any other

The $200 million Overture Center for the Arts stands alone because it is unlike any building on State Street.

When completed in 2006, the Overture Center — located on the 200 block of State Street — will house the 2,200-seat Overture Hall, the 1,000-seat Capitol Theater, three black box multipurpose spaces, several meeting rooms and an expansive glass lobby.

The main lobby before Overture Hall — designed by architect Cesar Pelli — stretches 90 feet and is lined with 2,000-pound glass window panes.

“Cesar Pelli used existing elements in and around the center and that is really his gift to this place,” Goldberg said.

The glass rotunda, which faces the exterior and descends through the center, reaches toward Overture Hall, the Playhouse and Capitol Theater. It serves as a centerpiece to the center’s various pathways.

The center rotunda ascends up through the floors, reaching toward the sky above — breathing an air of openness and weightlessness.

A center for everyone

The new art hub will create awareness and opportunities to connect the downtown and university arts communities, said Susan Schmitz, president of Downtown Madison Inc.

“For the arts sector, for all kinds of arts, this will be important,” Schmitz said.

Overture will book performers such as the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the UW Artists of the Future, Jethro Tull, the UW Varsity Marching Band and Ani Difranco, to draw people in.

“Overture is a presenter and as a facility it has a lot of space for performers and local groups,” Goldberg said. “State Street is downtown Madison, but State Street is also downtown Wisconsin and it’s everyone’s … We want everyone to own Overture, we want people to come in and see it.”

After facing speculation in 1998, the foundation meticulously planned out how the center connects to Madisonians and UW students.

“The question we addressed was, ‘Can people who produce for students use Overture for their purposes?’” Goldberg said. “And we’ve made this place adoptable for those reasons so that anyone can come and watch what they’re interested in.”

An economic booster

The completed center is expected to attract significant downtown interest, possibly boosting local business.

Schmitz said she anticipates a certain amount of downtown business growth. She said she cannot be sure on the amount, however, because Madison has never undertaken such an extensive arts project before.

“It will be interesting to see how this center will affect the downtown business and traffic, in terms of people, over the next five years,” Schmitz said. “We’re ready for what comes next.”

She feels the center will welcome guests and serve as an open house to the updated downtown.

Some UW students, like sophomore Tim Meindl, are also confident the project will positively impact Madison.

“The Overture Center is going to be great because it will connect State Street, the heart of Madison and UW, with music and arts,” UW sophomore Tim Meindl said. “And music is awesome. Students who see our band know just that.”

Meindl, a trombone player for the UW Varsity Band, said his involvement in the band has introduced him to the varieties of music in the city. The heart of the Overture Center, he said, is its plan to introduce different types of music and arts.

Meindl said he looks forward to the band’s Sept. 19 concert at the Overture Center. Three-quarters of the concert’s seats have already sold. It is expected to sell out when classes begin.

Goldberg said he is most excited to see the Voices of Madison Choral Concert Sept. 26. The concert will feature performers from the Madison Youth Choir, the Wisconsin Chamber Choir, the Mt. Zion Gospel Choir and various singers from Dane County churches.

“The performers are just people, just folks,” Goldberg said. “I hear the enthusiasm and energy will be unique because the majority of the people performing aren’t professionals.”

Schmitz said she agreed the variety of events will be spectacular. But her personal favorite will have ties to the university.

“Out of all the events I’m the most excited for the UW band, because hey — they’re always fun,” Schmitz said.