Sledgehammer the Colonial Day

March 20, 2018 – Colonial Theatre, 48 East Main Street, Buckhannon

Renovations to the facade of the Colonial Theatre kicked off with a bang Tuesday morning as community members joined ART26201 and City of Buckhannon representatives to take a sledgehammer to the front of the building. Mayor McCauley donated $100 to the $1 per “shot” (with a sledgehammer, that is) fundraising–and stress-relieving–campaign. Mayor’s remarks:

Welcome everyone to our City of Buckhannon’s “Sledgehammer Day!”  Today we continue to celebrate & admittedly hype the ongoing renovations to our Colonial Theatre.  In the past year, our City has managed to nearly completely demo the interior of this 94-year-old building, complete the rebuild of the floor that will now sustain 200 tons, replace the roof, re-point the brick at the top of the facade, undertake some electrical improvements, begin window restoration, & today- we’re launching into the removal of the stone on the facade before the restored marquee is reinstalled next month in advance of the 2018 Strawberry Festival.

Last October, Buckhannon Community Theatre performed the Rocky Horror Picture Show to two sold-out audiences here, & that’s just the beginning of what will soon surely be year-round performances of many kinds from BCT, the Buckhannon Choral Society, Wesleyan College, Buckhannon-Upshur High School, & the many new arts’ groups we intend to establish out of the Stockert Youth Center.  We’re going to sponsor battles of the bands, comedy nights, song & dance auditions, you name it-

This facility will be made available to the Strawberry Festival, the Buckhannon Upshur Camera Club, ART26201, & the list goes on and on.  The arts are alive in Buckhannon, WV.  Just last Thursday our City Council recommitted our municipal efforts to the performing arts with the adoption of Resolution 2018-05.

But- this project is a small part of a much bigger reality.  About a year & a half ago, our downtown began to be transformed with more than $12 million in private & governmental improvements being undertaken. In an astonishingly short period of time, we’ve repaired the City seal mural, we’ve welcomed the opening of Community Care & Orion Strategies.  Stone Tower Brews will open within the month.  The Opera House will open in a few weeks, while ground is ready to be broken on the Innovation Center on the next corner up.  The Gateway West project will start & the 16 downtown intersect points will be completely redone to become 100% ADA compliant, both courtesy of state grants.  Trader’s Alley & Milkman Lane will be completed thanks to partnerships with John Moss, Davis Health, & Travis Foster, all of whom we’ve reached agreement with to undertake the necessary improvements.

Our Public Safety Complex will realize a completely transformed parking lot, facade improvements, new lighting, & new art.  Soon- we will break ground on the new auditorium at our Stockert Youth Center.  Our City facade program has assisted improvements at Fish Hawk Acres, Opportunity House, & other business establishments downtown.  Upscale apartments are being completed up and down Main Street.  The Ameriprise corner is being landscaped.  There are new trees & other plantings in the brick boxes up & down Main Street.  The Veterans’ loop will soon be realized down on North Kanawha Street.  It is ALL coming together in downtown Buckhannon which is known throughout our State as being a most happening & vibrant place.  Our downtown is the crown jewel of our community. We all may be proud of our downtown as we continue to come together to celebrate our accomplishments & have fun- because we’re all about having fun-

-Mayor David McCauley