New York’s Lieutenant Governor Visits Jamestown To Celebrate Reg Renovations

Image by Justin Gould/WNYNewsNow.

JAMESTOWN – New York State’s Lieutenant Governor visited Jamestown Saturday afternoon to celebrate the recent renovation of the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul spoke to the importance of updating cultural institutions like the Reg.





“Well this downtown has literally been transformed and I’m very proud that our administration was able to give substantial sums of money to Jamestown over the last seven or eight years; part of it toward the comedy center but also a place like the Palace Theater, a great history almost 100 years old,” said Hochul. “To see the rebirth here, one of the issues that brought us to town was the ribbon-cutting for the seven-building complex which is extraordinary; there’s a new life and vitality down here that didn’t exist before.”

Renovations included a complete overhaul of seven spaces: the lobby-concessions-box office are, 3rd on 3rd Gallery, Bill’s Place (home of the 1878 Buffalo Bill Billboard), WRFA offices and studios, administrative offices, a pre-function space, library and a media arts studio.

The center recently received $1.5 million in funding through Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative.





















The group also obtained $1.5 million of local supports from the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, $900,000 from the Gebbie Foundation, $850,000 from the Lenna Foundation and $216,469 awarded by the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the largest single grant in its history.

A ‘Renovation Celebration Block Party’ took place following the Lieutenant Governor Visit. The party featured live music, beer, wine and soda; as well as tours of the new facility.

The lieutenant governor also visited the National Comedy Center to promote USA Today’s ‘One of the Best New Attractions’ ranking.

 









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