Jamestown Local Development Corporation meeting (May 17, 2023)

A second round of $35,000 in downtown business grants were approved by the Jamestown Local Development Corporation board on Wednesday.

Grants Manager Tim O’Dell said the awards came from the Downtown Small Business Evolution fund.

He said Nouveau Beauty Aesthetics has been awarded $8,000 toward a $27,000 project to purchase new equipment that the businesses said will help sales increase by 20% based on the new services that will be available to customers.

Lisciandro’s Restaurant will receive $5,000 toward a $15,548 project to put in new floors and booths.

Sandees Bakery will use the $10,000 grant for the $19,760 purchase of a new meatball machine which will help with catering needs.

The Beer Snob has been granted $7,000 toward a $14,900 purchase of a three-door fridge to improve to-go purchases of beverages.

Art Cloth and Craft has received $5,000 toward the $8,000 purchase of sewing machines to use to create goods for the store in addition to use the machines for classes.

The JLDC board also approved three Fund for Downtown Programming requests.

The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts received $21,160 for three summer concert events that include a block party. The concerts receiving support include Lez Zeppelin on June 17, Vixen on July 9, and the block party with Uncle Ben’s Remedy on July 27.

Ballgame Heroes were approved up to $29,500 for a Trading Card Buffalo Bills Signing Show with Andre Reed. The event would include a VIP party on September 15 followed by a signing event on September 16. Owner Starr Ryder said the funds would be used toward Mr. Reed’s talent fee as well as to purchase merchandise that attendees could buy to have signed.

Collaborative Children’s Solutions also was approved $15,000 for a Winterfest event that will take place from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m., Saturday, December 2 ahead of the annual Christmas parade. Organizer Pat Smeraldo said he’s working out details still but the event could include an outdoor synthetic ice rink, live music, Christmas village, ice sculptures, and more.

The Alive Downtowns! coalition of downtown historic performance arts centers is receiving a total of $5 million. The Reg will receive $95,900 as part of that funding.

The 13 facilities serve over five million people annually and their combined annual economic impact is estimated at $900,000,000.

More information about Alive Downtowns! can be found at afairgame.net/alive-downtowns.

For information about events at the Reg Lenna Center for The Arts, visit reglenna.com.

Reg Lenna Center for the Arts Theatre

The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts has received state funding to go toward replacing seats in its theatre.

Over $42 million has been awarded through the New York State Council on the Arts to 144 small and medium-sized capital projects. This record capital investment in arts and cultural organizations across the state supports crucial building renovations, accessibility improvements and new spaces for creative work.

The Reg will receive $230,000 from NYSCA for the $460,000 project to replace 1,200 seats.

Reg Executive Director Hillary Meyer said, “In our centennial year, we are thrilled to receive this funding from the New York State Council on the Arts to upgrade our seating for the next 100 years of visitors to our facility.”

The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts is the parents company of WRFA-LP.

Len Barry of the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts joined WRFAs Anthony Merchant to discuss April and May events happening at the Reg Lenna

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The show takes place at 7:00 p.m. and features songs from the Beatles chosen through submitted audience requests and memories.

Tickets are available at reglenna.com. For in-person and phone sales, the box office is open 12:00 to 8:00 p.m. today at 116 East 3rd St. in Jamestown.

Reg Lenna Center for the Arts Executive Director Hillary Meyer addresses audience for kick off of the theatre’s Centennial Celebration (February 5, 2023)

The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts kicked off its centennial celebration Sunday.

A ceremony was held in the theatre on the 100th anniversary of the Palace Theatre opening in 1923.

Executive Director Hillary Meyer, addressing an audience of local officials and members of the public, said the theatre has stood while the landscape around it has changed, “Not many 100 year old buildings have maintained the integrity and drama of its original appearance. The age of the building is significant as it shows how much this theatre means to all of you. It’s the community who have helped it persevere for this long.”

Reg Board Vice President Ellen Ditonto said the theatre has had a storied past, “From the days of vaudeville, to the movie debut done by our own Lucille Ball, and to a night in 1981, one night I was here actually, when the late great Harry Chapin performed a one-man concert. It was raining that night and it was raining on the stage. And that was the very start of the refurbishment and the renovation of the old Palace Theatre to Reg Lenna Civic Center first and now the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts.”

Meyer encouraged people to share their memories or stories of experiences at the Palace and Reg Theatre.

You can share those memories by visiting reglenna.com/memories. Photos can be shared by emailing memories@reglenna.com

The event at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, February 5 takes place 100 years to the day of the opening of the Palace Theater.

The Centennial Celebration will feature an address from Executive Director Hillary Meyer, words from special guests from the community, treats for those in attendance and a free screening at 2:30 p.m. of the 2003 comedy film, School of Rock, starring Jack Black.

The Palace Theater opened on February 5, 1923 with a program featuring live music, public officials and a screening of the Lionel Barrymore film, A Face in the Fog. The theater initially operated as a vaudeville house, with Nikitas Dipson purchasing it in 1926, adding more movie showings. It showcased films and live events through 1956. That year saw Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz return to Jamestown to premiere their film Forever Darling at the theater.

After 25 years of showing films exclusively, the Palace had fallen into disrepair. After a noted solo concert by Harry Chapin in 1981, community members began the process of raising funds to restore the theater.

The Palace Civic Center presented live performances for nearly a decade, reopening fully after it was restored in 1990. It was renamed the Reg Lenna Civic Center, honoring Reginald and Elizabeth Lenna – who provided a generous financial gift to complete the renovations. The theater continues to be the focus of programming at Reg Lenna Center for The Arts with over 60 films and 30 live events presented annually.

The Centennial Celebration will kick off a year of anniversary film screenings, live entertainment and the return of the Cash Bash fundraiser. A larger, commemorative event recognizing the Palace will take place this fall.

For more information on the Centennial Celebration and more programs, visit reglenna.com

The event from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on January 28 provides a free day at local museums and attractions. The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts is one of the participants, giving free tours of the theater and Arts facility.

Doors Open was launched as a way to encourage local people to visit the numerous museums and attractions available in the community in a time that is normally a slow tourism season.

The Chamber of Commerce is running a Doors Open Jamestown text contest at all participating attractions, and at several local businesses that have chosen to participate.

Look for text contest instructions at each venue and find more information online at www.jtny.events.

Contest prizes include items donated by all the local participating attractions.

Len Barry of the Reg Lenna Center For The Arts joined WRFA’s Anthony Merchant in-studio to discuss upcoming February events at the Reg as well as how the theater plans to take part in this years Doors Open Jamestown

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Reg Lenna Center for the Arts Theatre

The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts is one of 13 downtown historic performing arts centers seeking on-going $20 million in operating support from New York State.

The coalition, known as Alive Downtowns!, have met virtually since the start of the pandemic. Their goal is to encourage New York lawmakers to think of the upstate historic theatres as they do zoos and aquariums and public television statewide – organizations that have great public benefit to the citizens of the state.

The 13 facilities combined have an average age of nearly 100 years and have been keystones to their respective downtowns for all those years. They serve over 5 million people annually including thousands of students. Their aggregate budgets exceed $100 million and their economic impacts for upstates major downtowns conservatively exceed $350 million.

Reg Lenna Executive Director Hillary Meyer said, “The Alive Downtowns! coalition is vital for The Reg and for our WNY region. It means that a certain amount of state funds would be directed to the economic development of Downtown Jamestown’s art and cultural center, which in turn lessens our reliance on our local foundations.
In addition, I am grateful for this network of peers who worked diligently throughout the pandemic to advocate for our industry and continue to support our theater community across the state.”

Alive Downtowns! is an affiliate corporation to the Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame, established eight years ago in response to the establishment of casinos in the eastern and southern tiers of the state.

For more information, visit afairgame.net.