Construction work on a new patio for the James Prendergast Library (June 1, 2023)

Construction is underway for a new patio leading to the entrance of the James Prendergast Library.

Community Outreach and Programming Manager Jennifer Champ said the project is being funded entirely with grants including $214,983 in New York State Public Library construction funds. Locally, the Lenna Foundation donated $37,200 and the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation granted $37,165 toward the project.

Champ said construction started on the patio and walkway last week, “It’s an outdoor community space. It’s going to have built-in benches, a trash receptacle, there’s lighting which was already installed last year – you can see that out there, and we have a new bike rack. So, it really is this community outdoor space. We’re going to use it for programs and events.”

Champ said the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation also donated a $4,000 grant for gardens around the patio.

She said they’re working with the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy and Chautauqua County Master Gardeners on that part of the project, “I love gardening but they’re experts and they knew exactly what we needed, especially for the light and the sun and the soil. And, you know, we have to worry about salt and stuff during the wintertime of course. So, we’re going to have a beautiful native plant garden. And, next year we’re going to hopefully apply for more funding and we will expand the garden all the way around to the front of the library.”

Champ said that future expansion would include signs with information about the native plants.

She added that the library remains open during construction.

A dedication of the patio will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 24 as part of the Library’s Second Annual Block Party.

The Western New York Land Conservancy and the Friends of the Allegany Wildlands are announcing a $310,000 matching gift to save the Allegany Wildlands, a stunning 200-acre forest located only a few hundred feet from the Allegheny Reservoir near Allegany State Park. They need members of the community to donate to match the gift by the end of this year. Every dollar donated will be matched, dollar for dollar. The total fundraising goal to save the Allegany Wildlands is $879,000, and they have to secure that funding by the end of this year. Once that goal is met, the Land Conservancy will purchase the land and keep it open as a publicly accessible nature preserve forever.

The Allegany Wildlands is home to a spectacular diversity of plants and animals. During the last ice age, the glaciers never covered this forest, keeping intact an ancient plant community. As recently as 150 years ago, the forest teemed with massive American Chestnut trees, which had dominated eastern forests for 40 million years, but were wiped out by a blight. Amazingly, six American Chestnuts that are more than 40-feet tall still survive at the Allegany Wildlands, some of which are producing seeds. Large oaks, a threatened lily called a White Clintonia, and rare orchids also grow here. Underneath the forest canopy, black bear and bobcat roam the ridges and ravines. Majestic Bald Eagles soar overhead, colorful songbirds nest in the tall trees, and playful river otters search for fish in the nearby reservoir.

But the Allegany Wildlands is also threatened. If the Land Conservancy community cannot meet its fundraising goal by December 31, 2021, it could be logged and developed.

The Gallogly Family Foundation has given $200,000 towards the matching gift. Kasey DeLuke of the foundation, also a Land Conservancy board member, said: “The Land Conservancy has proven time again to be excellent champions of our region’s most environmentally significant forests. Over the years, they have demonstrated how the work of a dedicated community can benefit an entire region. We are extraordinarily pleased to be able to assist the Land Conservancy in their efforts to save this incredible forest.”

The matching gift includes $100,000 from the Lenna Foundation. “The rolling, thickly forested hills that carpet this area are some of the most beautiful in our region,” said Randy Ordines, President of the Lenna Foundation. “By protecting the Allegany Wildlands, the Land Conservancy community is helping to form a corridor of connectivity from Northern Pennsylvania to the Finger Lakes—joining with other protected forests up and down the east coast. We are proud to assist the Land Conservancy in these efforts.”

A third, anonymous donor contributed an additional $10,000.

“Saving forests like the Allegany Wildlands is incredibly rewarding work,” said Nancy Smith, Executive Director of the Land Conservancy. “But it truly takes a community coming together to make this work successful. We are immensely grateful for these gifts. They are a strong show of support for the work we’re doing to protect the Allegany Wildlands, and to build a future Western New York where lush green forests remain intact.”

In the early 1800s, the property was purchased by the Sluga family from the Holland Land Company. Generations of their family have been its stewards ever since. Though the Sluga family has decided to sell their land, for the next chapter of this forest’s story, they want it protected. Protecting the Allegany Wildlands will also kick off an ambitious idea—creating the Western New York Wildway. The Wildway will be a connected corridor of protected lands that stretches from the vast forests of northern Pennsylvania to the Great Lakes, through to the Finger Lakes, the Adirondacks, and beyond. It will form part of the Eastern Wildway which runs all the way from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The Wildway will allow plants and animals to migrate across the land as they once did, it will allow those that have disappeared from our region to return home, and it will allow those in need to move around to new homes as climate changes. The Allegany Wildlands is already connected to 7,000 acres of protected state land, nestled between Allegany State Park and South Valley State Forest, and it is a significant link in a future Western New York Wildway.

The Land Conservancy needs donations of all sizes in order to save the Allegany Wildlands. For larger donations, naming opportunities include:

• ONE DONOR OF $200,000 can name the preserve (Reserved)
• ONE DONOR OF $100,000 can have the trail named in their honor (Reserved)
• DONORS OF $25,000 OR MORE can have a bench named in their honor.
• DONORS OF $10,000 OR MORE will have their name listed on a plaque placed at the preserve.
• DONORS OF $2,000 OR MORE will be recognized in the Land Conservancy newsletter.

If you would like to donate to save the Allegany Wildlands, you can donate online at wnylc.org or send a check made payable to “Western New York Land Conservancy” to P.O. Box 471, East Aurora, NY 14052. Please call or email if you have questions: (716) 687-1225 or info@wnylc.org.

The Western New York Land Conservancy is a regional, not-for-profit land trust that permanently protects land with significant conservation value in Western New York for current and future generations. The Land Conservancy envisions a future in which open spaces, working lands, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty are cherished and protected as part of the landscape and character of Western New York. The Land Conservancy is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and is one of 1000+ land trusts nationwide, including 87 in New York State. Land trusts have protected over 56 million acres of land. To learn more about the Land Conservancy, visit wnylc.org.

During the past few years, the Land Conservancy and the Friends of the College Lodge Forest carried out an ambitious fundraising campaign to protect the property. Purchased in 1939 by SUNY Fredonia students, with their own funds, for the main objective of promoting health outdoors, the land has been a prized learning laboratory for thousands of teachers, researchers, students, and the entire community ever since. The Faculty Student Association (FSA), a non-profit auxiliary of SUNY Fredonia, has owned the property and operated a historic lodge on the site since 1969.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation played a significant role in the campaign by awarding the Land Conservancy a large grant: “The College Lodge Forest is a jewel,” said Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid. “For decades, its well-maintained trail system has provided Western New Yorkers as well as SUNY Fredonia students and faculty with a place to both appreciate and study nature. Protecting this forest is a win for New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds who are eager to explore all that our great state has to offer.”

In addition to being a sanctuary for people, the College Lodge Forest is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, a pristine wetland with carnivorous plants, old-growth trees, and unique native orchids. It is also part of a significant migratory bird corridor—a fact that led the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to award the Land Conservancy with a grant as part of its Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is happy to support the conservation of the College Lodge property under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, through our Joint Venture habitat grant program,” said Wendi Weber, Regional Director for the North Atlantic-Appalachian Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Just 4.5 miles from Lake Erie, the tract provides important stopover habitat for migratory birds during spring and fall migration, and a mosaic of interior forest and wetland habitats used for breeding and wintering by many different wildlife species. The area also provides valuable opportunities to connect people to nature, as it has long been used for birdwatching, hiking, and other outdoor recreation.”

Joe Johnson of the Lenna Foundation, which provided a portion of the challenge grant funds, said: “Ever since the enterprising students at SUNY Fredonia purchased the property during the Great Depression, the College Lodge Forest has been a place of enormous significance in Western New York. As a research center and as a refuge for people to get outdoors and into nature, its value to our community is incalculable. We are thrilled to help to save this local treasure.”

“We are extraordinarily grateful to the entire community for accomplishing this goal,” said Nancy Smith, Executive Director of the Land Conservancy. “This has been a challenging year for everyone. What this demonstrates, once again, is just how much our community values nature. Even in a year like this, the community came together to protect one of Western New York’s most incredible forests.”

Additional support for the College Lodge Forest comes from Kathy Lasher and Scott Bieler, the Gallogly Family Foundation, hundreds of individual community donors, and the Garman Family Foundation administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

The Land Conservancy will now enter the final stages of purchasing the property, and will be the proud new owners of the College Lodge Forest in early 2021. Once the sale is official, the Land Conservancy will keep it open year-round as a publicly accessible nature preserve, and it will maintain miles of existing hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country ski trails. The FSA will continue to own and operate the lodge and the 33 acres surrounding it, using funds from the sale to operate the historic lodge on its share of the property.

The Western New York Land Conservancy is a regional, not-for-profit land trust that permanently protects land with significant conservation value in Western New York for current and future generations. The Land Conservancy envisions a future in which open spaces, working lands, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty are cherished and protected as part of the landscape and character of Western New York. The Land Conservancy is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and is one of 1000+ land trusts nationwide, including 87 in New York State. Land trusts have protected over 56 million acres of land.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY – The Western New York Land Conservancy and the Friends of the College Lodge Forest are announcing a $200,000 challenge gift to save the College Lodge Forest, a spectacular 168-acre property located near Fredonia.

On Oct. 1, WRFA’s Jason Sample talked with Jajean Rose-Burney, WNY Land Conservancy deputy executive director, to learn about the organization’s preservation effort involving the College Lodge Forest.

The organization is asking community members to donate to match the challenge gift by the end of this year. The community has already raised more than $400,000 toward its goal of $790,000 to save the forest. Once the challenge gift is matched, they will meet that goal, purchase the land, and keep it open as a publicly accessible nature preserve forever.

The College Lodge Forest is a cherished community gathering place and one of the most exquisite natural areas remaining in Western New York. It includes an incredible diversity of wildlife, a pristine wetland with carnivorous plants and freshwater coral, and old-growth forest with native orchids and 400-year-old trees. It also includes miles of hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country ski trails. The land rests on a continental divide: on one side rainwater drains towards Lake Erie and the Atlantic Ocean, while on the other side it drains towards the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The land is also threatened. If not protected now, it could be logged.

The challenge gift includes $100,000 from the Lenna Foundation. “Ever since the enterprising students at SUNY Fredonia purchased the property, the College Lodge Forest has been a place of enormous significance in Western New York,” Joe Johnson, President of the Lenna Foundation, said. “As a research center and as a refuge for people to get outdoors and into nature, its value to our community is incalculable. We are thrilled to assist in the Land Conservancy’s efforts to save this local treasure.”

The Gallogly Family Foundation has offered $50,000 towards the challenge gift. Kasey DeLuke of the foundation, also a Land Conservancy board member, said: “The College Lodge Forest has always been home to rare and incredible wildlife, like migratory songbirds that fly all the way from South America; a diverse array of amphibians and reptiles; and gorgeous wildflowers including seven distinct species of orchids. We encourage everyone to take a trip to Chautauqua County and see this ecological wonder for themselves.”

Another Land Conservancy board member, Kathryn Lasher, and her partner, Scott Bieler, president of West Herr Automotive Group, also contributed $50,000 to the challenge gift. “We are blessed with an abundance of natural beauty here in Western New York,” Kathy said. “But some of that abundance, like the College Lodge Forest, is in critical danger of being lost forever. So it’s crucial to our children and grandchildren and to future generations of Western New Yorkers that we protect spectacular places like this.”

“Saving valuable lands for future generations is an ongoing process,” said Nancy Smith, Executive Director of the Land Conservancy. “There is no pause button to press during difficult times. This pandemic has shown us all just how important nature is for our mental, physical, and even spiritual health. And these gifts represent a strong show of support for the work we’re doing to permanently protect the College Lodge Forest. We are immensely grateful.”

The property was purchased in 1939 by SUNY Fredonia students, with their own funds, for the main objective of promoting health outdoors. Since then, the land has been a prized learning laboratory for thousands of teachers, researchers, students, and the entire community. The Faculty Student Association (FSA), a non-profit auxiliary of SUNY Fredonia, has owned the property and operated a historic lodge on the site since 1969. But the cost of maintaining the land and all of the buildings is high, and the FSA proposed a plan to raise funds by logging the forest, including the old-growth trees. Fortunately, the FSA decided to sell a large portion of the land to the Land Conservancy and enable protection of the forest. By purchasing 168 acres from the FSA, the Land Conservancy will protect the forest and the FSA will be able to invest funds from the sale into the stewardship of visitor facilities on the portion of the property it retains. The FSA will continue to own and operate the lodge and the 33 acres surrounding it.

The Land Conservancy needs donations of all sizes in order to save the College Lodge Forest. For larger donations, naming opportunities include:

• One donor of $200,000 can name the preserve
• One donor of $100,000 can have the old-growth grove named in their honor (Reserved)
• One donor of $100,000 can have the beaver pond named in their honor
• One donor of $50,000 can have the small island named in their honor (Reserved)
• One donor of $50,000 can have the birdwatching blind named in their honor
• One donor of $50,000 can have a wooden footbridge named in their honor
• One donor of $50,000 can have a panoramic viewpoint of the beaver pond named in their honor
• Donors of $20,000 can have a bench in the outdoor amphitheater named in their honor
• Donors of $10,000 or more will have their name listed on a plaque placed at the preserve
• Donors of $2,000 or more will be recognized in the Land Conservancy newsletter

If you would like to donate to save the College Lodge Forest, you can donate online at wnylc.org or send a check made payable to “Western New York Land Conservancy” to P.O. Box 471, East Aurora, NY 14052. Please call or email if you have questions: (716) 687-1225 or info@wnylc.org.

The Western New York Land Conservancy is a regional, not-for-profit land trust that permanently protects land with significant conservation value in Western New York for the benefit of future generations. The Land Conservancy envisions a future in which open spaces, working lands, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty are cherished and protected as part of the landscape and character of Western New York. The Land Conservancy is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and is one of 1000+ land trusts nationwide, including 90 in New York State. Land trusts have protected 56 million acres of land.

Town of Chautauqua Mobitrac assists the Town of Ellery with the Shore Acres Canal Clean-up Project (Source: Alliance).

MAYVILLE – (MEDIA RELEASE) – At the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance’s May Annual Meeting, Interim Executive Director Vince Horrigan indicated that more can be accomplished regarding near-shore and shoreline clean-up if organizations work together and unify efforts. Over the past month, municipalities and lake organizations have been collaborating with each other to get an early start on near-shore and shoreline clean-up through the coordinated removal of decaying macrophytes and debris.

Over the past month, two projects have taken place in two different municipalities that involved the removal of debris jams, which were causing impairments to navigation, water movement, aesthetics, and fish passage.

The Vukote Canal Clean-up Project was executed on May 13 and involved collaboration among the Alliance, Town of Busti, and Town of Chautauqua. The Town of Chautauqua provided a Mobitrac, which is an amphibious tracked machine with an 8-foot-wide rake that is capable of navigating in tight spaces such as canals. This machine removed a debris blockage from the canal and offloaded the material onto dump trucks owned by the Town of Busti for disposal. In total, work by the Town of Busti Highway Department and Town of Chautauqua Mobitrac removed 14 truckloads of debris from the canal, which provided improved aesthetics, water flow, navigation, and fish passage.

The Shore Acres Canal Clean-up Project was completed on May 28 and involved collaboration among the Alliance, Town of Ellery, and Town of Chautauqua. The Town of Chautauqua provided a Mobitrac to gather and remove the debris from the canal, which was trucked away by the Town of Ellery. This project resulted in the removal of 3 truckloads of debris from the canal, which restored navigation, water flow, aesthetics, and fish passage.

“These two projects are great examples of how unity of effort can produce responsive and effective results,” the Alliance stated.

Over the past week, the Chautauqua Lake Association (CLA) has been out on the lake performing pre-season shoreline clean-up. These efforts have been targeted at removing nuisance accumulations of decaying debris, which if left unchecked would have contributed excess nutrients into Chautauqua Lake, along with large debris that can pose risks to navigation and safety. Over the past week, the CLA has removed 8 truckloads of shoreline debris.

Starting in July, the CLA and the Town of Chautauqua will begin their inaugural joint near-shore and shoreline clean-up operations program, which aims to increase efficiency and responsiveness to near-shore and shoreline conditions.

The Alliance applauds the collaborative efforts of these member organizations whose work has led to the removal of 25 truckloads of shoreline debris from Chautauqua Lake thus far through a combined approach of near-shore and shoreline maintenance operations. These services provided by the CLA, Town of Chautauqua, Town of Busti, and Town of Ellery not only reduce in-lake nutrient loading by removing macrophytes prior to their decomposition but also promote water movement, improved recreation, and a more aesthetically appealing shoreline environment. Funding for these projects was provided in-part through grants from the Alliance in partnership with the Chautauqua Region Community, Ralph C. Sheldon, and Lenna Foundations.

On Monday a coalition of Chautauqua County foundations and funders announced the creation of the Chautauqua County Crisis Response Fund: Covid 19, which has been established through the generous contributions from philanthropic and business partners.

During a conference call on Monday afternoon, organizers said the fund will be managed in partnership with the local United Ways (Northern and Southern Chautauqua County), local Community Foundations (Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation).

Officials say the Crisis Response Fund serves as a coordinated response to pool resources to meet the immediate needs the community and to support long-term needs that are not yet known.

The funds initial investors are Carnahan-Jackson Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Cummins Foundation, Holmberg Foundation, Lenna Foundation, Nestle Purina Pet Care, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr Foundation, United Way of Northern Chautauqua County, and United Way of Southern Chautauqua County.

In under a week pledges totaling more than $750,000 have already been secured. The public is now invited to contribute by visiting the webpages of the local United Ways or community foundations and going to the sections dedicated to the COVID-19 response.

“This truly is a county-wide effort as we come together to assist organizations working to serve the rapidly changing needs of our community,” said Amy Rohler, United Way of Southern Chautauqua County executive director. “This fund is a coordinated response to meet both the emergency, immediate need of today, and the intermediate to long-term needs that are not yet known.”

Grants will only be made to 501c3 organizations, groups fiscally sponsored by a 501c3 or other charitable organizations able to receive a tax-deductible contribution (schools, faith-based organizations and other public entities). And while the Fund is not able to provide grants to individuals, officials say it is funding organizations that have experience and history of providing people and families with services and support.

For more information on how to help grow the fund or learn more about how a local group can benefit, call the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County at 483-1561 or visit UWaySCC.org/Chautauqua-County-COVID-19-response.

The Alliance has partnered with several local foundations and county government to offer local funding assistance opportunities to its members via a new local grant application process to identify, prioritize, and fund projects and programs aimed at protecting and improving water quality on Chautauqua Lake and in its watershed.

The alliance received a total of $600,000 from the Lenna Foundation, Sheldon Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, and the Gebbie Foundation to fund 15 member-led projects in the Lake and Watershed.

The funding opportunity was announced last July and application were due by mid September. The final projects have now been reviewed and are awaiting final approval from the alliance board.

The number of projects funded this year increased from 8 in 2019 to 15, and the total amount of funding awarded increased from $300,000 in 2019 to $600,000 in 2020.

A complete list of projects and funding allocations will be posted at ChautauquaAlliance.org pending final approval.

• RELATED: ARTS ON FIRE PREVIEW INTERVIEW WITH PAULA POUNDSTONE

A block party is free and open to the public between 5 and 7:30 p.m. Beer, wine, soda, water and concessions will be on sale throughout the event. Siri Thai, 3C’s Catering and Southern Tier Brewing Company will be vending. Live music will be performed on an outdoor stage by members of Porcelain Bus Drivers. Free tours of the newly renovated facilities will be given at 5, 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m. Patrons are asked to meet under the Reg Lenna awning for tours. The block party will be held on 3rd Street between Pine and Spring Streets.

At 8 p.m., renowned stand-up comedian Paula Poundstone brings her humor and wit to the Reg Lenna Theater stage for a night of laughs.The frequent panelist of NPR’s Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me last performed at The Reg in 2012 as part of the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival and is a National Comedy Center Advisory Board Member. Tickets for the performance start at $25. An Evening with Paula Poundstone is sponsored by Comfort Inn of Jamestown.

The renovation of Reg Lenna Center for The Arts included complete overhauls of seven spaces including lobby-concessions-box office, 3rd on 3rd Gallery, Bill’s Place – home of the 1878 Buffalo Bill Billboard, WRFA offices and studios, administrative offices, a Pre-Function space and library and a Media Arts Studio.

$1.5 million in funds were secured through Governor Cuomo’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative for the project. Local support included $1.5 million from Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, $900,000 from the Gebbie Foundation; and $850,000 from the Lenna Foundation. The final funding gap of $216,469 was awarded by Chautauqua Region Community Foundation last May in its largest single grant in its history.

Since the renovations have been completed, The Reg has seen an increase in rentals throughout the facility including private parties, meetings of non-profit organizations and business groups and more. All available spaces, including the Reg Lenna Theater were rented last May for Conduit Ministries’ (Re)Treat 2019: In This Together weekend of events.

Paula Poundstone

The Media Arts Studio is now the home of several live series of events which are free and open to the public. These include Bill Ward’s Back Room Radio Hour and WRFA’s Community Matters LIVE! (featuring a Jamestown Mayoral Candidate debate October 17 and a Meet The Candidates event with city council candidates  on October 24) and Arts On Fire LIVE! (An Evening with Edgar Allen Poe featuring storyteller Paul Leone is scheduled for October 25.)

Additionally, several Downtown Revitalization Initiative funded events have been presented on The Reg Theater stage this year including The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performing the music of Queen, a concert from national touring band Guster and Emmanuel Baptist Church’s 100th Anniversary concert celebration featuring The Walls Group.

For information on rentals, reservations and ticketing for all events, please visit reglenna.com or call 716.484.7070. Reg Lenna Center for The Arts is located at 116 E. 3rd St. in Jamestown.

Unpredictable thrills, side-splitting comedy, acrobatic tricks, daring feats, magic and daredevil stunts are the signature style of Circo Comedia’s Jean Saucier and Patrick Cote. Following in the tradition of the Quebec Circus, Saucier, juggles, cycles, balances and performs magic from dizzying heights while Côté clowns, skates and drums trying his best to be the (imperfect) assistant. The duo have been performing together for nearly 15 years. Both attended the Quebec’s National Circus School.

Tickets start at $5 for children aged 18 and under and $10 for adults.

Prior to the performance Reg Lenna Center for The Arts’ 2018-19 season lineup will be announced. The events will include the return of a few performers from recent seasons to the stage. Audiences can expect an international drumming ensemble, an evening of standards and stories from a well-known television actor, live seasonal music just before the holidays, an afternoon of clowning from a master of the art, a high flying circus performance and three stand-up comedians who have all performed in Jamestown. Tickets for the season will go on sale June 1.

The 2017-18 season has been the most successful since 2014 with half of the six performances selling out. The Reg also increased the number of movie showings over prior seasons, programming most Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the year with the exception of a few dates around holidays and scheduled performances. Attendance at movies and live events has been just over 12,000 to date.

Throughout the season, 6 of the 7 buildings that are part of the Reg Lenna Center for The Arts have been undergoing substantial renovations. A new lobby, concession area and box office will be open before the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival and the 3rd on 3rd Gallery will open in a completely restructured street level space in August. Offices for administration and both offices and studios for WRFA are on track to reopen this fall. A new multimedia arts studio and an adjacent pre-function meeting space will open to the community before the year’s end.

Demolition for the multi-million dollar project began in December, 2017 with renovation and construction following in early 2018. Funding for the project comes from Western New York Regional Economic Development Council DRI, Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, Gebbie Foundation and Lenna Foundation. Monthly public constructions tours will be offered until renovations are complete.

A temporary box office location is open at 215 Spring St. (between 3rd and 2nd streets) and the entrance to the theater is next door. This box office is open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and (through May) 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday. The temporary theater entrance will be open one hour prior to movies and events, at which time tickets will be available in the box office. Tickets may be purchased at our box office locations during the times listed above, over the phone at 716.484.7070 or online at RegLenna.com.

An artist’s rendering of the proposed National Comedy Center in downtown Jamestown.

JAMESTOWN – The National Comedy Center in Jamestown has reached its fundraising goal for completing what is to become the first cultural institution and visitor experience dedicated to comedy.

The NCC sent out a media release on Friday announcing that officials have finalized a Federal New Markets Tax Credit transaction that provided the Project with approximately $5 million of equity funding.

The funding is in addition to a $3 million grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and a $5 million grant from New York State which was unveiled by Governor Andrew Cuomo in his State of the State Address as part of the Buffalo Billion II program.

These two grants provided the critical leverage that was required as the New Markets Tax Credit closing was predicated on having all other necessary funding in place.

The Gebbie Foundation has been the lead private source of funding, along with the John R. Oishei Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Lenna Foundation, Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, Johnson Foundation, the Jessie Smith Darrah Fund, and various private donors.

Once completed, NCC officials say the project will bring in 100,000 visitors a year to Jamestown, resulting in a $23 million boost to the local economy each year.

The facility has a goal of opening in 2018.

Construction of the National Comedy Center, located at the southwest corner of W. Second St. and Washington St. in Jamestown, is now underway. (Photo courtesy of National Comedy Center)