By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 February 2021 at 10:22 am
MEDINA – Today is the deadline for candidates to file petitions to run for a position on the Medina Village Board. The election is March 16.
The petitions usually require at least 100 signatures from registered voters in the village. The governor issued an executive order reducing the number of signatures required due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Candidates still need about 60. The governor’s executive order allowed for a minimum threshold of 3.3% of the total number of votes case for governor at the last gubernatorial election, which would be about 60.
The executive order also states the minimum would 70% of the statutory minimum number provided for by election law, which would be 70 percent of 100 or 70. The executive order said to take the lesser of the two, which would be 60.
The petitions are due to the Village Clerk’s Office by 4:30 p.m. today.
The seats for Owen Toale and Todd Bensley are both open. Toale has already submitted signed petitions to run under the Accountability Party. Jessica Marciano, a member of the Parks Committee, also has submitted petitions to run under the Accountability Party.
Albion also has its election on March 16 for one spot on the Village Board. During party caucuses on Jan. 26, The Republican Party backed Joe Martillotta and Democrats picked Zack Burgess to be their candidates.
The Village of Lyndonville is in an off election year and won’t have an election on March 16. Holley holds its election in June.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 February 2021 at 11:20 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: In this photo from April 9, 2020, Donato Rosario of the Medina Fire Department removes some of the metal roofing from a cottage in Yates, which was damaged in a chimney fire.
MEDINA – The Fire Department responded to fewer calls in 2020, mainly due to the impact of Covid-19, especially early in the pandemic in March, April and May.
Medina firefighters responded to 2,437 total calls in 2020, which was down by 10.3 percent from 2019. The restrictions early in the pandemic closed schools and many businesses, and many people avoided non-essential travel. People were also nervous to seek medical treatment out of fear of being exposed to the coronavirus.
Medina firefighters handled 87 calls last year involving people who contracted Covid, according to the annual report compiled by Fire Chief Matt Jackson.
He said 2020 brought many personnel and operational changes. Former Chief Tom Lupo retired and Jackson was appointed to lead the department on Jan. 13. There were three promotions in the department and other new firefighters were hired to fill vacancies.
The Medina FD also needed to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic with added cleaning and safeguards to protect staff and the public.
“Our department has willingly accepted the ever-changing demands that this pandemic sprang on us,” Jackson said in his annual report. “I continue to be impressed by the passion that the personnel of the Medina Fire Department bring to the job and their ability to adapt and overcome in this dynamic environment.”
Medina had six of its 22 full-time staff test positive for Covid in December.
The calls by month include: January, 248; February, 179; March, 161; April, 138; May, 178; June, 217; July, 312; August, 196; September, 217; October, 204; November, 208; and December, 179.
July was the busiest month with 312 calls, partly due to rain storm on July 27 when 7 inches of rain fell in one day and many basements needed to be pumped.
The department averaged 203 calls a month, but the first three months of the pandemic were well below that, with April the slowest month with 138 calls.
The fire chief’s report shows that 5 p.m. is the busiest hour of the day while 4 a.m. is the slowest. Mondays are also the busiest day of the week with Sundays the fewest calls.
The average response time was less than 2 minutes throughout the year, Jackson said.
He also reported that firefighters completed 2,638 total training hours, including 2,409 training hours for fire service and 229 hours for EMS training. Firefighters also taught CPR training to 75 students.
Some other highlights of the report include there were 2,140 emergency medical calls, 572 non-emergency medical transfers from Medina Memorial Hospital, and 297 fire calls, including three house fires in the village.
The calls were nearly split between day and night shifts: 1,268 (52%) for night shift and 1,169 (48%) for day shift.
Medina promoted leaders in the Fire Department. This trio is pictured on Jan. 13, 2020 inside the fire hall after taking their oaths of office. From left include Captain Michael Young, Fire Chief Matt Jackson and Lt. Jacob Crooks.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 February 2021 at 2:03 pm
Local company will be Berkshire franchise, running offices in Medina, Wrights Corners and Orchard Park
Provided photo: Rita Zambito is pictured with her son Mark and her daughter Mandy Gotham. They will be running three real estate offices as part of a franchise with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
MEDINA – A local real estate business, that has grown to be in the top 10 in sales in Western New York in recent years, announced today it is becoming a new franchise for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
Zambito Realtors, which started in 2006 by Rita Zambito, sees advantages for customers and her 35 employees in joining Berkshire, a company with a national presence. Zambito will continue to run its offices in Medina and Wrights Corners, Niagara County, and will be opening a new office in Orchard Park.
The Medina and Wrights Corners offices will be called Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Zambito Realtors, while the Orchard Park site will be Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Western New York Properties. Zambito’s daughter, Mandy Gotham, lives in Orchard Park and will run that office.
“We decided to join the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network because of its unique technology and marketing tools that will give our agents access to more when assisting clients in looking for their next home, more data, more properties and more neighborhood information,” Zambito said in a news release. “Taking our local expertise and adding the global network and reach that only Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices can offer us, our agents and our clients will have an unbeatable advantage in the marketplace.”
With their brand transition, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Zambito Realtors and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Western New York Properties agents gain access to Berkshire’s referral and relocation networks, and its “FOREVER Cloud” technology suite, a powerful source for lead generation, marketing support, social media, video production/distribution and more.
“We feel it will truly benefit our clients and our agents,” said Zambito’s son Mark Zambito, an associate broker and co-owner of the business. “Their brand is globally known. Their technology and reach is why we aligned ourselves with them.”
Berkshire vetted the Zambito business for several months, to make sure it was a good match, Zambito said in an interview.
He praised his mother for her work in building the business. She started as a real estate agent in the mid-1990s for Stovroff-Potter. She opened her own business about a decade later and Mark joined her after he graduated from college.
Zambito Realtors opened in December 2006 with the mother and son running the business with four agents on North Main Street. In 2019, they moved to a bigger site on Maple Ridge Road and also opened the office in Wrights Corners.
Mandy Gotham, Rita Zambito’s daughter, also has joined the real estate company and she will be running the Orchard Park office.
“We are thrilled to welcome Zambito Realtors to our network,” said Chris Stuart, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. “Zambito Realtors has long been Western New York’s hometown real estate company and I know their service to the community will expand moving forward. Zambito agents represent the same Berkshire Hathaway principles of trust, integrity, stability and longevity. Their leadership’s mission to uphold the integrity of their professionals through building lasting relationships with their clients creates the long-term success we are looking for.”
Zambito Realtors will continue to offer insight and guidance for all types of real estate transactions, from single-family homes, multi-family homes, vacant land, commercial listings, farms with specific expertise in equestrian properties, according to the news release from Berkshire.
Gino Blefari, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, also welcomed the company to the network.
“Zambito Realtors demonstrates a commitment to their community beyond their business, which is a wonderful example of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices mission to be dedicated to our clients and continuously improve their lives,” Blefari said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 February 2021 at 11:10 am
Sheryl Watts would like to expand program to all nursing homes, assisted care sites in county
Sponsors are sought for “balloon buddies” for each of the 140 residents at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina. The balloons will include a poem.
MEDINA – A certified balloon artist wants to bring some joy to residents of nursing homes and assisted-care sites in Orleans County.
Sheryl Watts, owner of Air Raising Events, has joined a nationwide effort in the Adopt-A-Grandparent Balloon Buddy Campaign.
She is first focusing on making a balloon buddy for all 140 residents at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina. Watts is halfway there. She doesn’t want to do the program unless every resident gets a balloon, which is a smiley-faced character with a heart. She will add a poem that the recipients are not forgotten and are loved.
“We want to adopt everyone so no one feels left out,” she said. “Once they are all adopted, I make the balloon buddies and deliver them at one time.”
The balloon buddy campaign is a national effort by balloon artists, seeking to bring some extra joy to senior living facilities, which have suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic, including extended separation from loved ones.
Watts is seeking sponsors for $15 for a balloon buddy for each resident. If she has sponsors for all 140 residents at Orchard, she will then do the program at another site in Orleans County.
Watts has been working as a balloon artist for the past 20 years, working at children’s parties, graduation events, weddings and other celebrations.
Balloon artists throughout the country are joining the effort to bring balloon buddies to the senior citizens.
“We like the idea of bringing hope and happiness to the seniors in nursing homes and assisted living facilities,” she said. “Many of them are suffering from depression and loneliness.”
For more on the program, including how to become a sponsor, click here.
Sheryl Watts made this strawberry costume during the June 2019 Strawberry Festival Parade. She has been making balloon creations the past 20 years.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 January 2021 at 10:11 am
MEDINA – A committee that has been meeting since August to study police reform is recommending changes for the Medina Police Department, including the establishment of the Community Policing Board.
That board should include a cross-section of the community and should meet regularly, the Committee on Police Reform Collaborative. The new community policing board would work towards forming better relations between law enforcement and the community.
“These relationships can be beneficial to convey information in both directions,” according to the report from Committee on Police Reform Collaborative. “This Board may also be tasked with aiding in community relations events.”
The committee submitted a draft report this past week of its recommendations. (Click here to see the report.) The Village Board set a 7 p.m. public hearing on Feb. 22 for residents to comment on the report.
Medina needs to submit a report to the state by April 1. Gov. Andrew Cuomo last June approved an executive order requiring all 500 municipal police agencies in the state to have the public involved in studying current police policies, with possible recommendations for changes. Those reports need to be submitted to the state by April 1 or Cuomo said the state will withhold funding from communities that don’t do the report, which needs to include public meetings.
Cuomo, in his executive order, said the communities with police departments need to go over their policies on use of force by police officers, crowd management, community policing, implicit bias awareness training, de-escalation training and practices, restorative justice practices, community-based outreach and citizen complaint procedures. The communities may find no changes are needed, Cuomo said.
• MENTAL HEALTH and PROCEDURAL JUSTICE – The committee in Medina also is recommending increased training for Medina police officers in mental health and procedural justice.
The regular mental health training schedule should seek out opportunities for crisis intervention training and mental health first aid.
Medina has already sent an instructor for certification in “Principled Policing.” That program covers areas such as History of Policing, Communication, Racial Bias, Decision Making, Trust Building and Core Values.
“Regular training in this area may help officers deal with the difficulties of modern-day policing,” the committee report states. “All of these training areas can be reinforced through reality based training, including interactive scenarios involving use of communication skills.”
• COMMUNITY POLICING/RELATIONS: The Committee recommends that the Medina Police Department take efforts to increase community policing and relations. The committee recommended the Medina Village Board put $10,000 in the next budget to assist with these community policing initiatives.
The committee recommended open community meetings hosted by the Medina Police Department. These meetings can be used to relay relevant information, and hear public concerns.
The Medina PD should also do an annual public survey to gather input from local citizens on police activities.
Some other ways to strengthen community interaction with the department could be more officers on foot patrol, bike patrol and community activities. The committee recommended an annual gathering open to the public where police officers can have positive interactions with the community.
Medina might also consider assigning a Community Policing Officer to focus on creating opportunities for positive interactions with the community.
• ACCREDITATION: The Committee recommends that the Medina PD attempt to obtain NYS accreditation status. The NYS Accreditation Program provides outside guidance and oversight to law enforcement to ensure performance in areas such as policies, procedures and training.
• FUNDING: The committee said funding should be increased at the local and state levels for law enforcement and mental health services.
The Medina PD could pursue state grant funding for mental health, training and equipment.
The committee also said Medina should fund an investigator position in the Medina PD. “A designated position should result in a higher rate of case closures, which it is assumed will also increase public confidence,” the committee stated in the report.
• The Committee members include Chairman Scott Robinson (Medina Area Partnership), Medina Mayor Mike Sidari, Medina Police Chief Chad Kenward, Daniel Doctor (Medina Central School District Representative), Pastor Jovannie Canales, Jacquie Chinn, Medina PD Lt. Todd Draper, Sherry Tuohey, David King, Cynthia King, Danielle Figura (Orleans County Mental Health Department), Joe Cardone (Orleans County District Attorney) and Joanne Best (Orleans County Public Defender).
• The Medina Police Department currently has 13 officers, including a police chief, lieutenant, sergeant, a school-resource officer, eight patrolmen (including a K-9 officer) and a part-time officer. The department operates with two officers on duty 24-7. The department made 465 arrests in 2016, 551 in 2017, 416 in 2018 and 374 in 2019.
• Survey: The committee created an online survey with topics about transparency, racial bias, trustworthiness, and community participation. Respondents could also list their biggest concerns, as well as suggestions for improvements.
There was approximately 255 respondents to the survey, with 90 percent from Medina residents, with an equal response between male and females, with 80 percent from White, 8 percent from Hispanic and 7 percent from Black.
The survey respondents gave an overall ranking of the Medina PD at 3.7 out of 5, with the biggest concerns listed at 27% say increased training, 27 percent said community policing/relations, and 21 percent said mental health.
• Department policies reviewed: The committee reviewed the following departmental policies: use of force, mental health, body worn cameras, community relations, civilian personnel complaints, performance evaluations, handling deadly force incidents, use of firearms including taser and less lethal shotgun.
An email address was created to allow residents to voice specific concerns in detail. The committee will continue to accept comments at medinaprrc@gmail.com.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 January 2021 at 3:46 pm
MEDINA – The Village Board has approved installation of about 50 bluebird houses at several local parks and Boxwood Cemetery.
Daniel Rosentreter presented the plan to the Village Board, which gave its approval on Monday. Rosentreter needs to check with DPW Superintendent Jason Watts on the final locations.
Rosentreter, 28, would like to have most of the bluebird houses in place before the April-May nesting season.
The bluebird houses will be on ¾-inch galvanized electrical pipe, which have a smooth surface so squirrels can’t climb up on them, Rosentreter said.
He is an avid birder and wildlife photographer who wants to encourage bluebirds in the Medina community.
“The bluebird has decreased in population,” Rosentreter said. “This is a big way to bring them back.”
He is planning to have the bluebird houses installed at the perimeter of Boxwood Cemetery, Butts Park, Canal Basin Park, Gulf Park, Gwinn Street Park, Lions Park Pine Street Park and State Street Park.
When this group of bluebird house sis done, Rosentreter said he would like to add some to Ridgeway at a municipal-owned cemeteries and also at the Shelridge Country Club.
He has some volunteers to help with the effort of installing the bluebird houses.
“We have a lot of work to do now that this has been approved,” he said. “
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 January 2021 at 10:34 am
Courtesy of Village of Medina, DRI application: The Village of Medina wants to improve public access to the Medina Waterfalls by constructing an elevated platform from the towpath. That project was part of Medina’s application in 2019 for $10 million in DRI funding.
MEDINA – A $10 million grant to catapult economic and housing opportunities in the downtown district is again available to each of the 10 regions in the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced during his State of State addresses.
Medina was a finalist in 2019, missing out to Seneca Falls in the Finger Lakes Region.
“You’re not going to get it if you don’t go for it,” Medina Mayor Mike Sidari sad this morning.
The Village Board will discuss applying again for the grant during this evening’s board meeting. Medina could have a consultant “tweak” the previous application or Medina could start over with the application. Medina worked with Bergmann Associates previously to help prepare the application.
Medina was one of five finalists in 2019. That makes Sidari think the community already has a strong case for the funding.
Medina has a committee that identified residential, commercial and tourism projects that would build on recent successes and investments in the downtown and canal area.
The new application will likely be due in June with the winners announced in October or November.
Previous $10 million grant winners in the Finger Lakes region include the City of Geneva in 2016, the City of Batavia in 2017, the Village of Penn Yan in 2018 and Seneca Falls in 2019.
Medina’s application from 2019 lists the following projects to be considered for DRI funding:
• Streetscape Improvements at an estimated $1 million in DRI funding
Medina wants to improve the downtown pedestrian experience through street furniture, landscaping, and crosswalk enhancements on Main Street and Pearl Street.
The village wants to enhance crosswalks; add more benches, bike racks, trash receptacles and pedestrian lighting; and plant more street trees and shrubs.
• Rail with Trail, a multi-use trail along the Medina Railroad from the museum to Main Street, at an estimated DRI funding request of $200,000
The village wants to improve a gap within the pedestrian network and improve the connectivity from the Railroad Museum to the downtown. A “rail-with-trail” would create a multi-use path alongside the rail line.
• The Canal Village Farmer’s Market would become a year-round market with a community kitchen, distillery and event space as part of a $3 million project, with $2.8 million in DRI funding
The market is in its fifth year at the northeast corner of West Center Street and West Avenue. The market, which is run by Orleans Renaissance Group, currently operates on select weekends throughout the year out of a small building and temporary stands in the parking lot.
The ORG is seeking to construct a large, enclosed structure to allow for continuous, year-round operation of the market. The structure will be anchored by three tenants: the farmer’s market with a community kitchen and exhibit space; a distillery or microbrewery on the second floor; and a rooftop event space.
• Canal Basin Park – Improved waterfront access and amenities at the Canal Basin Park for $2 million, to be funded with the DRI.
The village in its application says the spot is hampered by an “overabundance of paved parking space and limited recreational access to the Erie Canal.” Medina wants to increase public access to the waterfront area and encourage recreational and passive use at this prime waterfront location.
Recommended improvements include:
• Installation of a pedestrian boardwalk along the rear facades of Main Street buildings;
• Conversion of the existing parking space into public greenspace with access to the Erie Canal;
• Construction of a promenade along the Erie Canal;
• Installation of boating docks on the Erie Canal;
• Comfort amenities, such as restrooms and showers;
• Crosswalk enhancements to improve pedestrian connection across East Center Street.
The village anticipates the changes would prompt building owners to “activate the rear facades of the buildings on Main Street, creating commercial opportunities on both sides of these structures and allowing for the development of new businesses.”
• State Street Park – enhanced programming to make the park a year-round recreational destination, with an ice skating rink, enhanced lighting, boat tie-ups, benches and bicycle racks, and a construction of a nature trail at a $600,000 cost, with the DRI funding $500,000.
The installation of motor boat tie-ups will allow boaters on the canal to join in on the enjoyment of local musicians’ performances at the bandstand during the summer months while the ice skating rink will allow for winter activities and encourage continued use of the park even during the off-season, the village stated in its application.
• Lions Park Boater Access – The village seeks $250,000 for the DRI to install boat tie-ups and docking facilities at the Lions Park near the Route 63 lift bridge.
The village, in its application, says boater amenities and docking infrastructure are limited within Medina. Throughout the community engagement process, the public consistently expressed a need for additional boater amenities along the waterfront.
This project also includes the creation of a fitness trail through Lions Park, with various pieces of fitness equipment located along the trail.
• Medina Falls Overlook – The village wants to better utilize the Medina waterfalls by adding a viewing platform and overlook off the Erie Canalway Trail, near the Horan Road Bridge. The project would cost an estimated $1.9 million with the DRI funding $1.5 million.
“Medina Falls is one of the Village’s stunning natural wonders,” according to the village’s application. “Its 40-foot drop dazzles onlookers and makes a great challenge for any kayakers willing to brave it. The scenic Falls, however, lacks an easily accessible viewing point and is obscured by brush, foliage, and a significant grade change that can be dangerous for interested onlookers to traverse.”
• Wayfinding Signage – Install a cohesive and well-branded system of wayfinding and directional signs at a cost of $200,000 with the DRI funding $150,000.
The signs would direct visitors to the Erie Canal, Waterfalls, public parking and other resources. Medina wants to add gateway signs, directional signs, kiosks and interpretive signs, light pole banners and identification signs for destinations and parking areas.
• Small Grant Fund – This fund will support economic-development related activities through the distribution of small grants to local businesses and investors. Medina would like a $900,000 fund with the DRI paying $600,000.
The fund is intended to support projects that retain jobs, generate increased economic activity, and improve the economic viability and livability of Downtown Medina. Eligible projects could include historic rehabilitation and repair, facade improvements, land acquisition, new construction, and event programming.
• Mustang City: Adaptive Reuse of the old Medina High School – A $9 million project with the DRI request at $3 million.
A developer, Talis Equity, seeks to transform 90,000 square feet into 40 loft apartments. Mustang City will fulfill Medina’s need for additional housing options and will allow for a new kind of “maintenance-free” living, with amenities and services including grocery delivery, cleaning, and laundry pickup. Just steps from the Erie Canal and downtown’s restaurants, shops and nightlife, Mustang City will provide attractive living options for anyone from young entrepreneurs to retirees, according to the village’s DRI application.
• Snappy’s Mixed-Use Development: This project at $1.8 million includes a $1 million DRI request. It would redevelop the Snappy facility on Commercial Street by the Erie Canal into a mixed-use commercial and residential space. The property could be redeveloped with the first floor for commercial uses and the second floor for residential.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Sherry Tuohey of Elm Street in Medina arranges tree stumps in her yard to send a message to the Buffalo Bills. The ash tree serves as a canvass for her art work cheering on the Buffalo Bills.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 21 January 2021 at 7:57 pm
When the village of Medina cut down this ash tree in Sherry Tuohey’s yard on Elm Street, they left this 10-foot stump, along with some cut-up chunks on the ground, so she decided to decorate them and support the Bills.
MEDINA – Sherry Tuohey really isn’t a diehard football fan, but when the Buffalo Bills are playing, she’s watching the game.
Recently, the village of Medina cut down a dead ash tree in her yard on Elm Street and left a 10-foot trunk standing along with 10 large chunks of wood. She looked at them for a few days and then decided she had to do something with them.
She went to the hardware store and bought paint. She brought out her ladder and paint brush, and climbing up the trunk, she started painting “Go Bills” down its length with red paint. Problem is, she didn’t calculate her lettering right, and ended up running out of room at the bottom for the letter “S” in Bills.
So she put her creative hat on and decided to use all the smaller chunks and spell out “‘Bill’ieve.”
First, she found a roll of newspaper print in her basement, on which she drew free hand the Bills’ buffalo logo from a picture on her cell phone. Then she transferred it to a piece of plastic to make a stencil and painted that on the largest chunk of wood. That took up the space where the “S” should have gone. An extra small chunk of wood was painted with a red heart.
She truly loves the Bills who are playing Sunday in the AFC championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The winner goes to the Super Bowl.
Tuohey said when she finished painting she had red paint in her hair and on her sweatshirt, but it was worth it.
“With this pandemic, there’s nothing going on and I wanted to do something,” Tuohey said, eyeing her completed display. “I just had to stir up some excitement. I don’t claim to be artistic, but I’m pretty pleased with the way it turned out.”
Tuohey said moving the heavy chunks of wood was a challenge and she had to attach rope around some of them to pull them into place.
Village workers have since come by and she asked them if they could put off removing the stumps until after Bills’ season is over – hopefully ending with the franchise first Super Bowl trophy.
The DPW said they would wait.
Tuohey lives on south end of Elm Street, on the east side of the road, and welcomes drive-bys.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 January 2021 at 9:22 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: A dock is pictured in Medina’s Canal Basin in this photo from a recent fall day. Medina has received a grant to add a kayak launch at the canal.
MEDINA – The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor announced a $10,500 grant today to help develop and install an ADA-accessible kayak launch on the Erie Canal in downtown Medina.
This is one of 13 Erie Canalway IMPACT! grants for non-profit organizations and municipalities. The grants total $108,787 and will advance projects that preserve and showcase canal heritage, educate youth and welcome people to explore the canal in their local communities, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor said in a news release.
The grants range from $1,500 to $12,000 and will leverage an additional $146,630 in private and public project support.
“As the pandemic continues to present abnormal challenges it is especially gratifying to support diverse canal inspired innovations,” said Bob Radliff, executive director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. “We are so pleased to make these timely investments and contribute to the resilience of our canal communities.”
The organization now has made 96 grants to communities and non-profit organizations since 2008 that have spurred $2.49 million in additional investments in heritage preservation, recreation, and education, Radliff said.
The IMPACT! grants are made possible with funding support provided by the National Park Service and the NYS Canal Corporation.
“We are proud to support this year’s IMPACT! grant recipients as the winning projects will positively improve canalside communities while ensuring the New York State Canal System continues to drive economic growth while safeguarding the environment and preserving the history of the nation’s most iconic waterway for the next generation,” said Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton.
The 2021 Erie Canalway IMPACT! grant awards include:
Buffalo Maritime Center, Buffalo – Award: $12,000 to create an exhibit dedicated to the Haudenosaunee alliance of Native Americans and Erie Canal history to complement Buffalo Maritime Center’s building of the Packet Boat, Seneca Chief.
Canal Society of New York State, Port Byron – Award: $5,300 to install wayside signs to improve outreach and accessibility to cultural and natural resources at the Erie Canal Heritage Park at Port Byron.
Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum, Chittenango – Award: $9,967 to produce a virtual 3-D tour of the museum complex to expand outreach efforts and create new opportunities for education. In addition, develop a STEM-based distance learning program for youth blending concepts of robotics and canal infrastructure.
City of Amsterdam – Award: $11,757 to institute creative, place-based visitor enhancements at Riverlink Park and Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook.
Corn Hill Navigation, Pittsford – Award: $11,388 to implement a variety of educational initiatives aboard the Sam Patch, including a bird watching tour in partnership with the Montezuma Audubon Society, and hands-on learning for students in the Erie Canal Environmental Education program, which blends STEM, history, and environmental curriculums.
Erie Canal Museum, Syracuse – Award: $11,000 to partner with restaurants and other local businesses to offer public programming on the Erie Canal’s relationship to food, specifically as it pertains to agriculture, irrigation and transportation of goods.
Erie Canal Discovery Center/Niagara County Historical Society, Lockport – Award: $4,180 to support the development of five virtual lessons on the history, geography, engineering and national impact of the Erie Canal.
Lumber City Development Corporation, North Tonawanda – Award: $3,500 to install a historic mural near the dock area at Gateway Harbor Park in the City of North Tonawanda, enhancing the beauty of the park for visitors while establishing a strong sense of place and heritage.
Montezuma Audubon Center, Savannah – Award: $10,865 to organize a Canalway Conservation Corps to develop early detection invasive species management programs and STEM-based educational opportunities at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
Village of Brockport – Award: $4,830 to enhance Brockport’s self-guided walking tour by upgrading tour materials and interpretive panels.
Village of Medina – Award: $10,500 to develop and install an ADA accessible kayak launch located on the Erie Canal in the heart of downtown Medina.
Village of Newark – Award: $1,500 to repair vandalism damage to a prominent Erie Canal themed mural on the canalfront and guard against further damage or deterioration with protective coatings.
Western New York Land Conservancy, Inc., East Aurora – Award: $12,000 to transform an unused rail corridor into The Riverline, an iconic, innovative, and inspiring nature trail and greenway along the Buffalo River near the terminus of the Erie Canal.
Photo by Tom Rivers: A painter puts a finishing touch on the top of the Bent's Hall in September. Construction workers have been a steady presence at the site in recent months after taking a hiatus after March due to restrictions with the Covid-19 pandemic.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 12 January 2021 at 12:51 pm
MEDINA – After a work stoppage of almost six months due to the Covid pandemic, restoration again began in late August/early September on the sandstone building at the four corners of Main Street, known as Bent’s Hall.
Local entrepreneur and Medina native Roger Hungerford purchased the building in 2016, with plans to totally restore it.
It has proven a daunting challenge, much more than Hungerford expected.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Here is the balcony in this photo taken this week as restoration nears completion.
The building had been given to the Orleans Renaissance Group by Bank of America when they left Medina. ORG had hoped to take over the opera house on the third floor, but found themselves owners of the entire building, which they soon learned was in danger of collapsing into the street. Saving it would require more resources than they possessed. They realized they had to find an investor and Hungerford was contacted.
In an interview almost a year ago, Hungerford said the project turned into an engineering nightmare.
His thoughts were reinforced by project superintendent Charlie Spencer of Clarendon, an employee of LeChase Construction of Rochester, which was given the contract to restore the building.
Spencer called the job the most challenging of his career.
This is the first floor of Bent’s Hall looking toward what will be the Harvest Restaurant during the early stages of the restoration. The stairs were only temporary to access the second floor while work was ongoing.
The wide stairway which led from the second floor when the Eagles Club was there has been closed off half way down, with a landing which leads to the new stairs down to the first floor. The original Douglas fir floors have been completely refinished.
Work was in full progress in March when the pandemic hit and all work came to a halt.
“When Governor Cuomo issued orders that any unnecessary construction had to stop, we already had,” Hungerford said.
Hungerford said they thought there might be a surge in Covid cases, but they never thought it would be as bad as it got.
He said the work remaining to finish the project was going to be a large expense, and if they had continued to work, there would be no way to immediately use the building and start recouping his costs.
This photo of one of the boxes in Bent’s Hall opera house was provided by Orleans Renaissance Group several years ago. ORG got the restoration of the building started when it was given to them by Bank of America. They soon realized restoration was more than they could handle and sought a buyer, local entrepreneur Roger Hungerford, who is credited with saving the building from ruin.
This is what the boxes look like today in the opera house. This section of the wall is the first to be painted.
In the meantime, two chefs hired by Hungerford to operate the Harvest Restaurant on the main floor of Bent’s, Lionel Heydel and Jose Ocasio, remained on the payroll, working to develop menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Heydel said the restaurant will make a comeback.
Hungerford was hoping work could be completed enough so the Harvest Restaurant could open this month, followed by the 10 unique hotel rooms on the second floor by the end of February or end of March. He was then hopeful the third floor opera house could be completed by the end of April and they could start booking events for fall. But, with the increase in Covid cases, that is no longer a reality.
He is optimistic about the vaccines which have been developed and said they are an amazing medical breakthrough and a great achievement.
Ten themed hotel rooms will occupy the second floor of Bent’s Hall. Some of the rooms lead off this hallway, which ends at the stairs to the third-floor Bent’s Opera House.
This is the same hallway before restoration began, when the opera ticket window was located near the stairs.
With the 30 workmen able to return, finishing work has been progressing nicely, Spencer said.
“We are happy to be back to work, and everything is going pretty well,” he said.
The original floors in the building are all Douglas fir and have been refinished, and all the window casings are either restored or replaced with historic replicas, Spencer said.
Hungerford said all doors and windows have been replaced or renovated, and the pediment on top of the building is complete.
Kitchen equipment is all lined up ready to be installed in the Harvest Restaurant which will be a highlight when Bent’s Hall is ready to open.
Hungerford founded a company he called Talis Historic Restoration to undertake restoration projects. The company will also be continuing work on Stonehurst Mansion on West Center Street and the former Medina High School, which Hungerford has named Mustang City and plans to turn into high-end loft apartments. He said Talis Historic Restoration started with 10 employees and he foresees it growing to as many as 100 when more historic restoration projects begin across the country.
Spencer said while the work is still challenging, the end is in sight. Work now mostly consists of finishing wood trim, painting and installing electrical outlets, lights and kitchen equipment in the restaurant. He anticipates they could complete the work by late spring.
The restaurant will not only have a sizable dining room, but a bar and private dining room with windows into the kitchen. The vault used by the bank will be left as a historic attraction, Spencer said.
Opening the restaurant got support from the village with the recent approval to cut out a section of curb in front where cars/limousines can pull up and drop off diners.
Bent’s Hall on the corner of Main Street and West Center Street is resplendent as restoration work nears completion. The building sports new or restored windows, a striking pediment and repointed sandstone.
Mark Hungerford, left, and Nate Fisher work on the door to the former bank vault, which will be left in the Harvest Restaurant as an attraction.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 12 January 2021 at 10:03 am
Medina Railroad Museum is repeat champion
Photos by Ginny Kropf: The Parade of Lights Committee chairs on Monday presented the Medina Railroad Museum with their plaque and a check for $500 for being the Grand Prize winner of this year’s Reverse Parade of Lights on Nov. 29. From left are volunteer Jerry Kwiatkowski, Grace Stewart, volunteer coordinator; Caitlyn Klotzbach, director of group sales for the museum; Rick Henn, president of the MRRM board; and Jim Hancock and Dave Miller with the Parade of Lights Committee. Absent is museum director Janien Klotzbach.
MEDINA – The Medina Railroad Museum was named Grand Prize winner of Medina’s annual Parade of Lights for the second year in a row.
Representatives of the museum were presented with a plaque, which comes with a $500 prize, by Parade of Lights chairs Jim Hancock and Dave Miller. The award was presented on Monday to museum personnel, volunteer Jerry Kwiatkowski, volunteer coordinator Grace Stewart, museum board president Rick Henn and group sales coordinator Caitlyn Klotzbach, all of whom spent many hours decorating their float.
The museum’s entry, which is a replica of a train depot, was originally built as a promotional tool to promote the museum at train shows and other public events. But staff soon realized, with the addition of some lights (quite a few lights) it was a perfect entry in the parade.
Stewart said they spent a lot of days decorating the float, but they had a lot of fun.
“We were working on it right up until the last minute,” Klotzbach said
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Medina Railroad Museum won the top award in the “reverse” Parade of the Lights on Nov. 29.
Klotzbach said they added more lights to the float this year. She counted them and said there were 7,500. They might add even more next year, she said. Their goal is to win the grand prize three years in a row.
Hancock said the judges’ decision was almost unanimous.
“This was a very unusual year, and we didn’t know what to expect,” Hancock said, referring to their decision to have a reverse parade, due to the pandemic.
“We didn’t expect 1,200 cars,” said Dave Miller, who helped organize the parade with Hancock and the rest of the parade committee. “A lot of people were not happy with the long lines.”
“They would have complained a lot more if you hadn’t done a parade at all,” said Grace Stewart, volunteer coordinator at the museum.
“I think it was an overwhelming success, considering all things,” Hancock said. “We had fewer floats, mostly due to the fact schools and some businesses were closed. We had 18 floats, and we are grateful for that.”
Hancock said this year they hope to be back to normal and back on Main Street.
Prizes for the parade are made possible through corporate sponsors and community donations.
The Railroad Museum is currently operating under temporary hours, due to Covid. They are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“We are crossing our fingers we will be able to have Thomas this year,” Klotzbach said.
From left, Grace Stewart, volunteer coordinator at the Medina Railroad Museum; Rick Henn, president of the museum board; and Caitlyn Klotzbach, director of group sales and granddaughter of the museum’s founder Marty Phelps, pose with their plaque for being the grand prize winner in the Reverse Parade of Lights in November. This is the second year the museum has won the grand prize with their elaborately decorated train depot.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: From left, Steve Johnson, vice commander of the Butts-Clark American Legion Post, Peter Huth, adjutant, and Glenn Whitmore, commander, stand next to the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial at the Legion Post, where two artillery shells were recently donated and added to the landscaping. The shells were refurbished with the help of several local organizations.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 7 January 2021 at 9:03 am
MEDINA – 2020 may have been a challenging year, but it was, nevertheless, one in which the Butts-Clark American Legion Post received extraordinary support from the community to accomplish several goals.
Commander Glenn Whitmore and vice commander Steve Johnson have joined to say thank you to the businesses and individuals who helped the Legion in any way last year.
Steve Johnson holds a picture of the Butts-Clark American Legion Post building when it was a stone structure in 1914, where William Gallagher rented wagons and carriages.
When Medina Mayor Mike Sidari was given two artillery shells by the Leo Dolan American Legion Post in Lockport, he asked members of the American Legion in Medina if they could do anything with them.
Medina members decided they could and set forth in what would become a true community project.
First, Phinney Tool and Die (Whistler) fixed the caps on the end of the projectiles. Ed Wojtkowski of Gasport Welding and Fabrication made bases for them out of stainless steel.
The late Joe Perry, superintendent of the Medina Department of Public Works and a member of the American Legion, agreed to mount them.
Lyons Collision painted them. Landscaping was done by Dave Walker, a Vietnam veteran.
All this was done free of charge or at reduced prices, said Steve Johnson, vice commander of the Medina post.
The shells are now part of the permanent Vietnam memorial at the north end of the Legion building.
Next on the Legion’s agenda in 2020 was painting of their building.
“We were given tremendous price breaks in our endeavor,” Johnson said.
Bids went out for painters, and Craig Royal got the job, with Scott Grimm and Jeff Gay, who scraped and patched the exterior. Because it was for veterans, Royal agreed to do the work for the cost of the materials.
“We got two coats of paint for the price of the materials,” Johnson said.
Steve Johnson, vice commander of the Butts-Clark American Legion Post, commander Glenn Whitmore (standing) and Peter Huth discuss the many organizations and individuals who donated time, labor and services to the Legion in 2020.
The post had not been painted since Garrick Insurance was located there. The American Legion has been there 30 years, Johnson said.
The building has been there since before 1914. A picture on the wall in the Legion shows the building in 1914, when it was sandstone and occupied by William Gallagher, who rented wagons and carriages.
At some time in history, concrete was applied over the sandstone, and before painting could begin last year, Glen Giltner gave them a price break on repairing the concrete.
Finally, John Doyle agreed to seal the blacktop parking lot at cost.
They also received special considerations from Cusimano’s Pizza.
In addition, the late Joe Perry contacted National Grid and got them to remove a tree which was leaning on the building. After that, the village removed the stump and brush.
The side entrance was sided by Lakeview Sheds, who did a tremendous job, Johnson said. The Mennonites also gave them a break on the labor.
When they replaced the heating and air conditioning recently, they got special consideration from Todd Houseman Heating and Air Conditioning in Oakfield.
“If we’ve missed thanking anybody, I apologize,” Johnson said. “We couldn’t have done this without the support of all these people in the community.”
Johnson said before any of the work could be done they had to get approval from the village for improvements to the exterior, due to the historic designation of Main Street.
One big, very important step remains, Johnson said. And that is to obtain permission from the village to have a 26-foot long furled American flag painted on the south end of the building. It will be a commanding sight to those driving down Main Street, the veterans said.
The Butts-Clark American Legion Post has 170 members, but only about 10 are really active.
The post hasn’t been able to be open during most of last year, due to Covid-19 restrictions and concerns and post meetings were canceled for five months.
They still have 15 or so turn up on Tuesday mornings for coffee and donuts, while practicing social distancing.
Every Tuesday, when there is a funeral at the National Veterans’ Cemetery in Pembroke, the Orleans County Honor Guard, which includes members from the Medina Legion and VFW posts, participates by providing a 21-gun salute. Jim Freas is in charge of organizing that.
The Legion and VFW are always looking for new members and any veteran is encouraged to contact either or both organizations about joining.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 January 2021 at 9:02 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Marshall Road canal bridge in Medina reopened last week after extensive repairs. This was the last of the seven bridges to be reopen as part of a $10.7 million overhaul of canal bridges in Orleans County.
Crane-Hogan Structural Systems in Spencerport was the contractor on the projects. Besides painting most the bridges from green to black, the work on the seven bridges included installing high-strength galvanized steel to replace steel floor systems, low chords, gusset plates and truss elements. Bridge railing and guide rail on the bridge approaches also were improved.
Crane-Hogan Structural Systems started the work two years ago on the seven bridges, beginning with Bennetts Corners Road in Holley.
The seven single-lane truss bridges were constructed between 1909 and 1914. The locations of the bridges that were rehabilitated include:
Bennetts Corners Road, between Route 31 and Gulf Road, in the Town of Murray.
Telegraph Road, between Route 237 and Groth Road, in the Town of Murray.
Transit Road, between Route 31 and West Brockville Road, in the Town of Murray.
Densmore Road, north of Route 31, in the Town of Albion.
Gaines Basin Road, between Albion Eagle Harbor Road and West Bacon Road, in the Town of Gaines
Bates Road, between Telegraph Road and Portage Road, in the Village of Medina.
Marshall Road, between Route 31 and School Road, in the Town of Ridgeway.
A truck passes over the Marshall Road canal bridge on Saturday, heading north.
Provided photos: Bringing world-renown tenor Ronan Tynan to perform in St. Mary’s Church was a highlight for Orleans Renaissance Group. He performed here twice, Sept. 17, 2016 and Oct. 5, 2019. With him, from left, are accompanist William “Billy” Lewis; Paul Joseph Struckmann, ORG Events Committee member; Tynan; Chris Busch, ORG president; and Andrew Meier, ORG board member. The ORG also brought Anonymous 4, world-renowned A Capella singers, to Medina for a concert in April 2013 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 30 December 2020 at 9:34 am
Orleans Renaissance Group has brought stars to community, and helped stabilize Bent’s
MEDINA – Establishment of the Orleans Renaissance Group can be credited to a group of Medina citizens who were engaged in casual conversation as far back as the 1990s.
As the New Year is ushered in, ORG can delight in their accomplishments as the Bent’s Opera House, whose restoration began as a dream of ORG’s, gets ready to open one of its doors to the public.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Matthews House Movers in Rochester arrived in Medina at Bent’s on Oct. 14, 2013 to replace the beams at the corner of the building. Matthews workers were rigging or installing “cribbing” that will serve as a temporary support so the rotted beams could be removed and the new supports installed.
Medina entrepreneur Roger Hungerford, who has been restoring the former Bank of America building on the corner of Main Street and West Center, has said they are planning to open the Harvest Restaurant on the first floor at the end of January, barring any unforeseen obstacles due to the Covid pandemic.
ORG was born one afternoon in the 1990s when Chris Busch and Merle “Skip” Draper were sitting around musing how great it would be to have the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra perform at St. Mary’s Church. A short time later, Busch reached out to the BPO and asked if they would be interested in coming to Medina.
Their answer was “Yes.”
“I thought, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’” Busch said. “We knew then if we were going to pursue this we needed to organize a group to oversee it. With the help of Norris Webster, we formed a 501c3 corporation.”
Original members who formed the Orleans Renaissance Group included Busch, Sally Webster and Marsha Winters.
Andrew Meier, who became a member of ORG, shared a story about their early planning, where someone discovered a story about the famous author John Steinbeck. The story goes that Steinbeck was traveling through the area and passed through Medina. He stopped to ask where he was, and someone allegedly told him “Egg Street.”
Meier said no one can verify the story, but former mayor Adam Tabelski thought it was very interesting and chose Egg Street as ORG’s web address. The moniker was used for a time for ORG’s production efforts, but they have since rebranded and now use “Medina Alive.”
In 2001, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, with Barker native Paul Ferington conducting, made its first appearance to a full house at St. Mary’s Church. The 700 seats sold out, Busch said. That set the stage for many more cultural events to follow.
Provided photo: A major accomplishment of the Orleans Renaissance Group was securing a Seven to Save designation for Bent’s Opera House from the Preservation League of New York State. Announcing the award in April 2012 are, from left, Dave Callard from the Orleans County Legislature; Tania Werbizky, Regional director of the Preservation League; ORG president Skip Draper; Andrew Meier, Medina mayor and ORG board member; Catherine Schweitzer, board member of the Preservation Buffalo-Niagara League; New York State Senator George Maziarz; and Chris Busch, ORG vice president.
ORG took a short hiatus for a couple of years, but when Meier and Tabelski joined, ORG had a rebirth.
Performances of the BPO Brass were held at the Presbyterian Church on Main Street, followed by the Easy Street Big Brass.
“At some point in our conversations about 2008, discussions of the opera house building with Bank of America evolved,” Meier said. “There was talk of them giving us control of the opera house on the third floor. Their branch manager was very receptive to the idea. That led to more formal talks with BOA corporate.”
Corporate agreed to give ORG the bank building and the drive-thru on the corner of West Avenue and West Center Street.
“That blew us away,” Meier said. “I don’t think any of us expected that.”
Originally, BOA was going to give ORG the building and lease bank space from them. That all changed when BOA announced they were going to close the bank and pull out of Medina.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Victoria Perez, a singer with the Buffalo Tango Orkestra, performed at The Pillars in Albion in May 2015 as part of an event that included tango lessons and dinner. The Orkestra was welcomed to Albion as part of a concert series by the Orleans Renaissance Group.
Meier said everything really popped when they took possession of the building in 2010.
“We were left with an empty building, but we were in control, nevertheless,” he said. “Now what were we going to do with it.”
“We needed to dig deep into its history and find what it was about that place that made it special,” Busch said. “It had been many decades since anyone had been there for any events.”
First, they had to start accessing the condition of the building, Meier said.
And, they had to access what might be the best use of the building as a whole.
“We had a rude awakening as we removed a lot of non-historic additions, and discovered the building was structurally compromised and required immediate attention,” Meier said. “We had to do some major scrambling to take steps to correct it.”
They applied for and received a designation from the Preservation League of New York State as one of Seven to Save.
“That was big,” Meier said. “It opened up emergency funding of $200,000 for emergency stabilization, and we needed all of that to support the front of the building.”
“The front was in immediate danger of collapsing into the street,” Busch said.
“After we stabilized the building, we started to develop a plan of what to do with it,” Meier said.
“The cost and scope of restoring the building was way more than ORG could handle,” Busch said.
The ORG spearheaded having 11 interpretive panels highlighting Medina history placed around the downtown business district in 2014.
Five years ago, Tom Hungerford, a nephew of Roger Hungerford and a member of ORG’s board, contacted some Western New York developers, including Roger.
“Tom opened the door for us,” Meier said.
Roger Hungerford stepped up and purchased the building from ORG, something which, had he realized the cost, he might not have done, he told Orleans Hub a year ago. Restoration, which began three years ago, with several months off due to Covid, has cost millions.
Hungerford did say, however, it would be pretty difficult to see a prominent building on the four corners of his home town fall into ruin, and not do something about it.
“We were all very excited and optimistic about what Roger would do with the building, and its future in the village,” Meier said. “It had become our ‘baby’ and there was a little bit of separation anxiety when we sold it.”
“We learned about all the incredible things that had happened there in the past, and we bonded with it,” Busch said. “There was quite a myriad of emotions when we had to let it go. When we think about it, we’re at a loss for words. We look at the building now and realize it hasn’t looked that good since 1865. That’s since Lincoln was president. It blows your mind. It’s one of the oldest opera houses in the country.”
ORG was instrumental in having a historical marker placed on Main Street, in honor of two speeches given in Medina by famed orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Shown at the dedication in April 2015 are Lincoln re-enactor David Kreutz; Ulysses S. Grant re-enactor Ed Brodbeck; and a group of Oak Orchard School students.
Meier explained the term “opera house” didn’t come into use until after the Civil War. Medina’s opera house was built as “Bent’s Hall.”
Meier acknowledged selling the opera house to someone with resources to bring it back set the trajectory for its restoration.
Now that ORG is free of its responsibility for the opera house, they have their hands in quite a few things, Busch said. Most recently, they brought renowned tenor Ronan Tynan back for a second performance. Prior to the pandemic, they had plans for several things, including entertainment in State Street Park.
ORG was instrumental in having a pavilion built in the park, and they were planning a blues concert there in the summer.
ORG sponsors the Canal Village Farmer’s Market on the corner where Bank of America donated their drive-thru. They were also responsible for the interpretive signs which are placed throughout downtown.
Until the pandemic, they sponsored an annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at St. Mary’s Church, and hope it can return next Christmas.
They were working to bring a prestigious saxophone quartet from Texas to Medina when the pandemic brought an end to those plans.
“That would be a large-scale event in conjunction with the Genesee Chorale, which Ric Jones of Medina directs,” Meier said.
ORG was meeting quarterly before the pandemic and members hope they can resume soon.
Members are Chris Bush, president, and Andrew Meier, treasurer. Before his death earlier this year, Bruce Krenning was vice president, but that office has not yet been filled. Cindy Robinson, Kathy Blackburn and Jake Hebdon are also members of the board.
Provided photo: The SUNY Fredonia Trombone Choir is one of the musical groups which the Orleans Renaissance Group brought to Medina. Under the director of the late Carl Mazzio, they performed at St. Mary’s Church in 2012 and 2014.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 December 2020 at 12:34 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from Oct. 28 shows Bent’s Opera House facing West Center Street. Bent’s will pay the costs to cut into the sidewalk near the intersection to create two pull-off spaces.
MEDINA – Bent’s Opera House has the Village Board’s permission to cut into a sidewalk to create two pull-off spaces in front of the building on West Center Street.
Those short-term spots are needed for limousines and other vehicles to do quick drop-offs and pickups at the site, which could open in the spring.
The building is being transformed into a restaurant, 10-room hotel and events center. Roger Hungerford is leading the redevelopment of the 30,000-square-foot building at the corner of Main Street and West Center Street.
The pull-off spots will allow people to safely exit and enter vehicles by the building, Village Board members were told recently by Charlie Spencer, project manager of the restoration of Bent’s Hall for LeChase Construction.
“We’re trying to prevent traffic tie-ups,” Spencer told the board recently.
The board approved the pull-offs on the south side of Bent’s. The board said the village would review the pull-offs in about two years “to make sure it’s not a hindrance to the village,” said Village Trustee Tim Elliott.
The project will be paid for by Bent’s, which also needs to put up signage directing people to the pull-offs, which won’t allow for parking, just for quickly dropping off or picking up passengers for a vehicle.
MEDINA – A committee that has been meeting since August to study police reform is recommending changes for the Medina Police Department, including the establishment of the Community Policing Board.
