Back in October, 2018 Lt. Governer Kathy Hochul announced the Village of Penn Yan was being awarded a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative Grant (DRI). Immediately, buzz began that the Sampson could be the cornerstone of a revitalization in the village. The PYTCo Board of Directors acted swiftly and began to complete the comprehensive application.
In the matter of a just a couple short weeks, PYTCo was able to compile nearly 2 dozen letters of support and intent to use the theatre and supplied the consulting firm and Local Planning Committee (LPC) with over 100 pages of documentation including the master plan for the theatre, renderings, cost estimates and more.
Now, the project is one of 18 that remain in the running for funding. The current project request sits at $3.75 million in hopes of a "nearly finished" theatre and annex addition in the currently empty lot next to the theatre. If funded through the DRI Grant, the annex will be built in phases. The first phase will include a basement and first floor as well as a small shell for a second floor. The basement will be a temporary home to a work shop while the first floor will host bathrooms and a grand lobby space. Future plans call for a second and third floor to the annex to create classroom spaces and gain access to the balcony of the theatre.
For more information on the Village of Penn Yan DRI Grant visit the Finger Lakes Economic Development Council's site here. To learn more about the Sampson Theatre head over to that page of our site by clicking here.