Although the project is now receiving unanimous praise, its founders have faced a 10-year uphill battle to get the center built.

A decade ago, the deteriorated, 100-year-old Bullfinch Courthouse building was to be leveled to make way for a parking lot. But former Senator Paul Isongas and Charles Sullivan of the Cambridge Historical Commission intervened to save the building by having it declared an historic landmark.

When a 1976 study commissioned by City Councilor Saundra Graham showed that Cambridge lacked the theater space to support its thriving local arts groups, the stage was set for the Bullfinch-CMAC union.

Kronberg, the project's director since 1976, coordinated funding for the multimillion dollar renovation from a variety of city, state, federal and private sources.

For Art's Sake

For Cambridge, the plan met two unrelated goals; to help grass roots arts groups survive and to rebuild the part of East Cambridge which had become an industrial wasteland.

Said Kronberg, in addition to being the city's arts headquarters, the building is to be the "centerpiece of East Cambridge, the showpiece of the river front revitalization plan."

But the bulk of the costs had to be met by private sources, most of it coming from architect Graham Gund, who led the remodeling plan. As chief investor, Gund will get returns from the building's small number of retail outlets, according to Kronberg.

Multi-Media Lineup

A myriad of performers will grace the CMAC stage in the coming months. Dance enthusiasts will have their pick of the Arts of Black Dance and Music (April 13) or the Chinese East-West Dance Theater (April 20).

Mime fans will enjoy the Studebaker Movement Theatre Company (May 17), while those with a real love for the unusual can catch Native American dance and chanting this Friday.

The center has tried to keep ticket prices low, most ranging from $4 to $7, Kronberg said.