But now we have two very exciting pieces of news about the Klinkhart Hall restoration project.
Klinkhart Hall Arts Center (KHAC) has passed the final hurdles to allow construction to begin on our future home on Main Street in Sharon Springs. We have received approval of the complete architectural and engineering plans from the New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and a $500,000 line of credit from the Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region, Klinkhart is poised to move ahead with hiring a contractor for Phase 1 rehabilitation of the building.
The project was previously awarded $820,000 in reimbursable state and economic development grants from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the NY Empire State Development Corporation, and National Grid’s Main Street Revitalization program. The line of credit will allow construction to proceed and continue seamlessly while grant disbursements are processed.
Phase 1 will provide internal access to the second floor, use of the Performance Hall and gallery spaces, bathrooms, and utility systems. Future phases will address accessibility, exterior restoration, and a state-of-the-art first-floor theater. Read more about the project . . .
This is a complicated and expensive project, and there are many moving parts. Even with this very good news, there are still lots of “I’s” to dot and “T’s” to cross, but we expect to very shortly release the bid specifications and solicit contractors.
We know you’ll have questions, so we’ll try to answer a few of them in advance in the Frequently Asked Questions section below. And if you have other questions about the project, or about how you can help, please contact us at [email protected]. We’ll be glad to fill you in!
Frequently Asked Questions
I thought we already had grants for the project; why do we need this line of credit?
Yes, we do have grants: $720,000 from New York State and $100,00 from National Grid. A portion of the NYS funding ($500,000) is available as periodic reimbursement after we have paid contractors and submitted expenses for approval. The remaining $320,000 is not paid until the project is completed. Hence the need for financing to keep contractors working: we’ll draw against the line of credit to pay contractors, then repay CLF when we’re reimbursed.
Will this be enough?
The line of credit is indispensable – but we’ll still need cash on hand. Our cash flow projections show that we’ll need at least $350,000 cash on hand to get us through. At present, our cash balance is just over $100,000. (We’re working on it and you can expect to hear more soon — or you can donate now!)
Haven’t we already raised a lot of money?
Yes, we have! Thanks to our loyal supporters: individuals, businesses, and foundations. Except for the cash still on hand, funds raised so far have gone to support the architectural and engineering work required by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) before they would sign off on our project. SHPO also had to sign off on our bid specifications before we could open bids to contractors. (By the way, bid specs for the project run to over 400 pages! We told you it was complicated.)
so when can we begin?
Now that we have financing in place, bid specifications will be opened to contractors right away. We’ll expect to select contractors very early in the new year and expect construction to begin in Spring — if not before.
So, what’s the catch?
No catch – but after nearly two years of delay-upon-COVID-related-delay you know as well as we do that some things are beyond our control. At present, we know there is a shortage of contractors, and that costs have increased dramatically as a result of the pandemic. Even so, with final SHPO approvals and with financing in place, this project is ready to go at long last. We’ll make it happen!
What can I do to help?
You already know what this project will mean for our community, why we need a home for the arts, how restoring the historic Klinkhart Hall building will contribute to the ongoing revitalization of the village. You already know this, so you can help by spreading the word to friends and neighbors – far and wide. Tell them how much this project means to you and why you support it.
And you can help by continuing to support the project with your donations, pledges, gifts, and bequests.
This is the most ambitious project in Sharon Springs in a long, long time, and it will have benefits far into the future for us all, and for all those who come after us.
But you know that: that’s why you have supported this project all along – and it’s why we are not shy about asking for your continued support.