December 16, 2008
Riverspace Praises Nyack Village Board Support for Downtown Project; Mayor Appoints Task Force to Move Project Forward; Riverspace Seeks to Build on New Momentum
For Immediate Release: December 16, 2008
Contact: Julian Palmer 845-821-5657 or jpalmer@riverspace.org
Nyack, NY – The Riverspace Board of Directors announced today that it warmly welcomes the new support from Mayor John Shields and the Nyack Village Board for Riverspace’s proposal to revitalize downtown Nyack. The Riverspace Board also publicly committed itself today to a new
campaign to gain broader financial support for the "downtown project." These actions come after
the Nyack Village Board passed a resolution on December 11 reaffirming its support of the project. At the same meeting Nyack Mayor John Shields declared the formation of a task force
to review key issues relating to the project such as environmental impact, finances, and legal matters.
"The Riverspace development idea is an ambitious and potentially thrilling thing for Nyack. The
Task force will look to find answers to many of the practical issues surrounding the future of this
wonderful project," said Mayor Shields. The Mayor’s task force will include Jennifer Laird White, Steve Knowlton, Doug Foster, and a person yet to be named.
"The resolution from the Village Board and the Mayor’s creation of a task force give a powerful
new impetus to this project and show real progress," said Debbie Reich, President of the Riverspace Board of Directors.
"This is great news for anyone who wants to see an arts and education centered downtown redevelopment as an economic and cultural engine for the future of Nyack and our region," added Reich.
Riverspace is now at a critical point. "If we can build on these new positive developments and
get broad-based support from our local community our future is bright. We will not only survive the current economic downturn but will also improve the quality of life in Nyack and the region
for generations to come," said Riverspace Board Member Mike Arougheti.
Nyack now has an excellent opportunity to improve downtown in a way that meets the challenges of our time. "The downtown project exemplifies the concepts of "green" building, accessible local commerce and affordable high quality culture and entertainment that can be a
model for economic and cultural renewal in difficult economic circumstances," stated Orangetown Supervisor Thom Kleiner.
In an amazing show of dedication, Riverspace's diverse and high quality programming has been made possible primarily with thousands of hours of volunteer support and the generosity of a few large donors. But continued long-term programming in the current theater is not financially viable, so the downtown project was designed to enhance Main Street and create a revenue
stream and long-term endowment for an arts and education center in Nyack.
To that end, Riverspace is now launching a fundraising campaign to raise a minimum of $500,000 by June 30, 2009. Funds raised will be used to provide capital for furthering
downtown project plans, to study the feasibility and impact of the proposed new development, and to ensure that programming at Riverspace continues beyond the current season ending June
2009.
Riverspace is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to building community through the arts. Riverspace has operated the theater at 119 Main Street in Nyack since 2006 and
offers a wide variety of exciting and culturally diverse programs. The downtown project is a cultural and economic development initiative designed to revitalize Nyack’s Main Street. All profits from the project’s new retail, commercial and residential properties will be dedicated to
the construction, operation and endowment of a new performing arts and education center. For more information visit www.riverspace.org/downtown. |
