At the time, the council sent Leonardo staff on an intense fund-raising drive to see if they could come up with the shortfalls in funding. When it was clear that would not happen, "We went back to the architects and said, 'You've got to have an Option C,"' Tull said.

The new design allows for the addition of a north wing in the future if money becomes available, but it would be entirely for expansion as it is no longer needed for seismic stability.

The Leonardo is also being funded by a $10 million voter-approved bond and $10 million more in private donations, which will go toward programming rather than the building renovations.

A time line unveiled Thursday calls for architectural schematics to be finalized in March, construction to begin in October 2007 and the Leonardo to open in spring 2009. Tull said she hopes the opening can coincide with the April 15 birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, the famed Italian artist and scientist for whom it is named.

And a new Web site, www.theleonardo.org, will become operational first thing this morning.

— In other business Thursday, the RDA board approved the design of midstreet parking and pedestrian walkways on 300 South between 400 West and Main Street.

The project will make the midstreet parking currently there permanent by replacing the painted stalls and crosswalks with raised sidewalks and landscaping.

Mayor Rocky Anderson has pushed for the change since he took office in 2000, hoping the feature will give the area a distinct feel and increase pedestrian activity.

Councilwoman Nancy Saxton was the only board member to vote against the design Thursday, saying it will interfere with the possibility of future bus routes along 300 South that are being considered as city officials hash out a transportation master plan.

"Once we have committed to this it has limited our options," she said.

The project is being paid for by about $1.3 million the RDA approved in previous meetings.

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E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com