Dunkirk

September events will celebrate new public murals in four Chautauqua County communitiesCHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N.Y. – The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) and Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development (CCDPD) are pleased to announce that five world-renowned muralists are starting the work of painting four large-scale, public murals during the inaugural Paint CHQ mural festival. Announced in February, Paint CHQ is a new initiative intended to help focus on the important role public art plays in placemaking and strengthening local communities. For the inaugural year, four communities have been selected to host the new murals: Dunkirk, Falconer, Sherman, and Westfield. Coordinating the effort is Alexandra Hall from A H Public Spaces Consulting, LLC, who has assisted with other community mural project around the country. Official Paint CHQ events are scheduled to occur the week of September 7, with other adjacent community-related events also scheduled during the month. The commissioned muralists have begun work on their respective projects, and all four murals will be completed by the end of September. The public is encouraged to visit the participating communities during the mural installation process, but the public is also encouraged to maintain a safe distance from heavy equipment and also save any questions for the muralists until their respective Artist Talk and Dedication events. PAINT CHQ MURAL LOCATIONS The public murals wouldn’t be possible without the cooperation from four property owners, who each signed up to participate in the Paint CHQ mural festival. Those locations are: Dunkirk: The Coburn Block, 123 Central Ave. Falconer: State Lanes, 16 E. Main St. Sherman: The Cornerstone Restaurant, 104 E. Main St. Westfield:  Grace & Abe's Westfield, 14 N. Portage St. In each of this year’s PAINT CHQ communities, a local Steering Committee was formed, consisting of local business owners, local artists, municipal leaders, and invested community members. Over the last six months, these individuals have been highly engaged in the artwork development process. The Steering Committee participated in town hall meetings, promoted the public feedback survey, selected the muralist, created design themes, selected the artwork, and joined in festival event planning. As a sneak peek, the Westfield mural’s design statement, Where the Vines Meet, pays homage to the unique identity, heritage, and natural beauty of the region, blending vibrant, nature-based imagery with historical and figurative elements to reflect the community’s deep-rooted pride. The three other communities also developed their own design statement to help capture the theme for their respective mural. ARTIST TALKS Each community will also host an artist talk with their respective muralist. These talks will include presentations and discussions on the creation of the artwork, process, creative briefs that informed the artists, and the inspirations, providing insight into their creative choices and fostering a deeper connection with the public. It is an opportunity to get to know more about the artist and their artwork. The full Artist Talk schedule can be found online at ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ. Monday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. The Corner Stone Restaurant, Sherman Emily Ding (Houston) and Justin Suarez, aka “Aerosol Kingdom” (Rochester, N.Y.) Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. Eason Hall, Westfield Dom Laporte of DRIFT Mural Co. (Ottawa, Ontario) Thursday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. - Falconer High School (Cafeteria) Mandi Caskey, aka “Miss Birdy” (Columbus, Ohio) TBD – Dunkirk Alain Welter (Luxembourg) DEDICATION EVENTS The Paint CHQ mural festival celebrations and mural dedications kicks off on Friday, Sept. 12 at 5 p.m. in Westfield. On Saturday, Sept. 13, two more dedications will take place at 1:30 p.m. in Sherman and 3 p.m. in Falconer, with other community events continuing all day. Due to changes in Dunkirk’s artist arrival, dates for the dedication and festival will be announced shortly. A full list of locally led events and Paint CHQ festivals and events schedule can be found online at ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ. Paint CHQ has also created a Mural Passport program. Passports will be available at the Paint CHQ website, and hard copies will be available at the artist talks and dedication events. If you visit at least three of the four murals during the artist talks or dedication events, you will be entered to win a Live CHQ basket and Paint CHQ prize. Stamps will be provided at each site. PAINT CHQ APPRENTICE PROGRAM Paint CHQ also features an Apprentice Program. The Paint CHQ Apprentice Program offers professional artists and aspiring muralists an opportunity to garner valuable experience installing large-scale murals. Participation in this project increases their artist network and helps artists build their resume. Local and regional artists were encouraged to apply to participate, and the local artists selected to be involved in this program are: Carrie Blitz,  Rose Crane, Pamela Corsoro, Jackie Damore, Jackie Doyle, Lily Foster, Sam Gast, Chris Labuskes, Kenneth Labuskes, Jewel Lin, Melissa Meyers, Sara Baker Michalak, Victoria Parker, Joseph Rice, Jenna Robino, Erin Ruffino, and Stacey Seleen. Funding for this project is allotted through CCPEG’s placemaking initiative, and additional funding has come from grant funding through New York State Council on the Arts, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Arts Services Inc., Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Lake Shore Savings, and the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County. For more information about Paint CHQ, visit ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ. About CCPEG - The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) serves as the main convener of economic development partners and resources to advance key projects that achieve economic prosperity in Chautauqua County. It also serves as the catalyst and broker of resources for advancing economic prosperity efforts and is the central coordinating entity for the formation, retention, development, and attraction of quality jobs and advancements to the quality of life. It is an initiative of the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC). For more information visit CHQPartnership.org.

September event will celebrate new public murals in four Chautauqua County communities CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N.Y. – The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) and Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development (CCDPD) are pleased to announce that five world-renowned muralists have been selected to paint four large-scale, public murals during the inaugural Paint CHQ mural festival, slated for the second week of September 2025. Announced in February, Paint CHQ is a new initiative intended to help focus on the important role public art plays in placemaking and strengthening local communities. For the inaugural year, four communities have been selected to host the new murals: Dunkirk, Falconer, Sherman, and Westfield. Coordinating the effort is Alexandra Hall from A H Public Spaces Consulting, LLC, who has assisted with other community mural project around the country. “The Paint CHQ Mural Festival is more than public art, it is a placemaking strategy that activates underutilized spaces, celebrates a community’s cultural identity, and acts as a vibrant storytelling canvas that unties residents, artists, business owners, and visitors,” said Rebecca Wurster, Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development and CCPEG Planning Coordinator. After reviewing requests for qualifications from a number of candidates, the Paint CHQ advisory team settled on five different artists for this year’s event: Dunkirk - Alain Welter (Luxembourg) Falconer - Mandi Caskey, aka “Miss Birdy” (Columbus, Ohio) Sherman - Emily Ding (Houston) and Justin Suarez, aka “Aerosol Kingdom” (Rochester, N.Y.) Westfield - Dom Laporte of DRIFT Mural Co. (Ottawa, Ontario) “We’re excited to have these nationally – and internationally – recognized muralists coming to Chautauqua County in September to create public art for each participating community. It’s exciting to think that in less than two months from now, our county will have not one, but four separate pieces of public artwork created by professional muralists that will help to enhance our communities and generate renewed pride for our residents,” Wurster said. The muralists will begin work in late August, and all four murals will be completed by September 13.  The public is encouraged to visit the participating communities during the mural installation process. The Paint CHQ mural festival celebrations kick off on Friday, Sept. 12 at 5 p.m. in Westfield, with other community events in Dunkirk, Falconer, and Sherman continuing all day on Saturday, Sept. 13. In addition to the installation of the murals in each community, Paint CHQ will also feature Artist Talks from Sept. 8 through Sept. 11.  Each Artist Talk is a free event open to the public and the public is encouraged to meet with the muralists, hear about their careers, and ask questions. The full Artist Talk schedule can be found online at ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ. PAINT CHQ MURAL LOCATIONS The public murals wouldn’t be possible without the cooperation from four property owners, who each signed up to participate in the Paint CHQ mural festival. Those locations are: Dunkirk: The Coburn Block, 123 Central Ave. Falconer: State Lanes, 16 E. Main St. Sherman: The Cornerstone Restaurant, 104 E. Main St. Westfield:  Grace & Abe's Westfield, 14 N. Portage St. “All four sites will be active from Sept. 4 through Sept. 12 and the public is encouraged to visit the mural sites to watch the mural progress, but we ask that the public maintain a safe distance from heavy equipment and save their questions for the Artist Talk events,” Wurster explained. In each of this year’s PAINT CHQ communities, a local Steering Committee was developed. Each Steering Committee consisted of local business owners, local artists, municipal leaders, and invested community members. Over the last six months, these individuals have been highly engaged in the artwork development process. The Steering Committee participated in town hall meetings, promoted the public feedback survey, selected the muralist, created design themes, selected the artwork, and joined in festival event planning. "The Steering Committees, made up entirely of local community members, volunteered hours of their time to ensure that the artwork installed during PAINT CHQ will resonate with locals!" Hall explained. "The themes we see in each piece were informed by those who live and work in Chautauqua County. Through the artwork, they wanted to highlight community assets and celebrate this region--themes that highlight native wildlife, the agricultural industry and the fishing are incorporated into these murals." PAINT CHQ APPRENTICE PROGRAM Paint CHQ also features an Apprentice Program. The Paint CHQ Apprentice Program offers professional artists and aspiring muralists an opportunity to garner valuable experience installing large-scale murals. Participation in this project increases their artist network and helps artists build their resume.  Local and regional artists were encouraged to apply to participate, and the local artists selected to be involved in this program are: Carrie Blitz, Angela Caley, Rose Crane, Pamela Corsoro, Jackie Damore, Jackie Doyle, Darcy Farkas, Lily Foster, Sam Gast, Jessica Joy, Chris Labuskes, Kenneth Labuskes, Jewel Lin, Melissa Meyers, Sara Baker Michalak, Victoria Parker, Joseph Rice, Jenna Robino, Erin Ruffino, and Stacey Seleen. “We are very grateful to all of these amazing local creatives!” Wurster added. “I've never done an outdoor mural, and I would like to learn how it's done while contributing as a volunteer to create art for my community to enjoy,” shared apprentice Jackie Damore, who lives on Chautauqua Lake and volunteer for a couple of lake-related organizations.  She is also a member of the North Shore Arts Alliance and the Tri-County Arts Alliance and participates in their events, as well as the RTPI Plein Air. Funding for this project is allotted through CCPEG’s placemaking initiative, and additional funding has come from grant funding through New York State Council on the Arts, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Arts Services Inc., Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Lake Shore Savings, and the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County. For more information about Paint CHQ, visit ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ. About CCPEG - The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) serves as the main convener of economic development partners and resources to advance key projects that achieve economic prosperity in Chautauqua County. It also serves as the catalyst and broker of resources for advancing economic prosperity efforts and is the central coordinating entity for the formation, retention, development, and attraction of quality jobs and advancements to the quality of life. It is an initiative of the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC). For more information visit CHQPartnership.org.

RFQs from Prospective Artists due March 16CUTLINE: The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) is launching the PAINT CHQ initiative to help focus on the important role public art plays in placemaking and strengthening local communities. Coordinating the effort is A H Public Spaces Consulting, LLC, who has assisted with other community mural project around the country, including the one pictured here in Fort Wayne, Indiana. (Art by Jeremy Stroup) (Credit: Rachel Von Stroup) JAMESTOWN, NY – The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG), in collaboration with the Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Development (CCDPD), is pleased to announce a new public art initiative intended to highlight and bring new interest to local communities. The PAINT CHQ mural program will focus on holding a County-wide festival later this year that involves the creation of large public murals in various Chautauqua County communities. For 2025, the communities of Dunkirk, Falconer, Sherman, and Westfield will participate, with a PAINT CHQ Festival planned for the second week of September. As part of the initiative, Professional artists are being sought to create the artwork and are being asked to submit a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) by March 16. Full details, including a link to the RFQ form, can be found at ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ. To help coordinate and oversee PAINT CHQ, CCPEG will be working with A H Public Spaces Consulting, owned and operated by Alexandra Hall. Hall is an award-winning professional studio artist and muralist based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Hall has worked on public art projects across the country, including Upstate New York.  The consulting group will work with CCPEG to select artists, seek public input and feedback, hold community engagement workshops, and also develop and coordinate a PAINT CHQ Mural Apprentice Program. “The goals of PAINT CHQ follow those of other art mural festivals around the country,” Hall explained. “They include highlighting community assets, embracing the value of public art investment, bringing visitors to participating communities, encouraging economic growth, building a foundation for more public art investment, and improving quality of place. It will also help in the effort to grow regional pride, while garnering significant attention and exposure nationally.” Each PAINT CHQ mural will be installed simultaneously as part of the inaugural festival in the second week of September 2025, with events taking place throughout County. According to Hall, the festival atmosphere will draw media attention and outside visitors, while inviting local residents to be part of the public art creation. The festival will culminate on the final day of the event, Saturday, September 13, when all the murals are complete and celebrated. As part of the buildup to the PAINT CHQ Festival in September, steering committees are now being developed in each of this year’s participating communities, with a goal of developing a design brief to help the artists better understand what makes Chautauqua County unique and to ensure certain elements and themes are incorporated into the final mural design. PAINT CHQ Community Workshops are also scheduled at the following dates for each respective community: Tuesday, March 11 at 11 a.m. at the Cornerstone Restaurant, Sherman Tuesday, March 11 at 5 p.m. at SUNY Fredonia Center for Innovation and Economic Development, Dunkirk Wednesday, March 12 at 11 a.m. at the Patterson Library, Westfield Wednesday, March 12 at 5 p.m. at the Firemen’s Exempt Hall, Falconer Anyone who wants to provide input, but is unable to attend the workshops, is encouraged to provide their thoughts by completing the PAINT CHQ Public Art Feedback Survey. As noted earlier, an RFQ has also been issued for the initiative, with local and regional artists strongly encouraged to apply. Local artists who are interested in learning more about how to install a mural anywhere in the County can also apply to participate in the PAINT CHQ Mural Apprentice Program. “Artists are strongly encouraged to apply to participate in this project. Local artists who are interested in learning more about how to install a mural may also apply to participate in the apprentice program, which is meant to offer aspiring artists an opportunity to garner valuable experience installing large-scale murals,” Hall said. “This is an excellent resume builder for an aspiring muralist! Volunteer apprentices will be paired with experienced muralists and asked to help assist in the mural installation during the festival. Apprentices may learn how to scale a design to fit a building, learn about different mediums, and expand their artist-network.” “While we don’t always think about art as an economic development driver, it certainly can be,” said Nate Aldrich, County Economic Development Coordinator and CCPEG Manger. “As our team tackles multiple economic development priorities, projects like these can also help to improve our communities and create a sense of place by providing unique offerings that are interesting and attractive, while also being interpretive. PAINT CHQ, in conjunction with our many other initiatives, contributes to making our Main Streets more attractive and inviting, while also building community pride.” Initial funding for PAINT CHQ has been provided by CCPEG. Additional funding may come from grant applications, local foundation support, and corporate sponsorships. “Our overall goal is to make this a successful event for not only this year’s participating communities, but for all of Chautauqua County,” Aldrich added. “This will help ensure the initiative will return each year with other participating communities, making PAINT CHQ an annually celebrated and anticipated event for all of the County’s residents, businesses, and visitors.” More information about PAINT CHQ can be found at ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ. About CCPEG - The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) serves as the main convener of economic development partners and resources to advance key projects that achieve economic prosperity in Chautauqua County. It also serves as the catalyst and broker of resources for advancing economic prosperity efforts and is the central coordinating entity for the formation, retention, development, and attraction of quality jobs and advancements to the quality of life. It is an initiative of the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC). For more information visit CHQPartnership.org.

Action will assist with renovating former bank building at 401-403 Central AvenueJAMESTOWN, NY -- At its August 27, 2024 meeting, the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) Board of Directors approved incentives for 401 Central, LLC. The board action will support the purchase and renovation of property located at 401-403 Central Avenue in Dunkirk, known as the former Lake Shore National Bank building, as well as an adjacent parking lot on Lark Street. The incentives include real property, sales tax, and mortgage recording tax abatements. 401 Central, LLC was formed by Gary Crewson of Peak Development Partners, the Managing Member. Acting together with Lee Crewson (Agent) and Craig Marlatt (Preconstruction Manager), the plan is to purchase the building from its current owner, the Dunkirk Local Development Corporation (DLDC), and convert the 10,855 square-foot structure into five market rate apartments and approximately 1800-2800 square feet of commercial space. The building is prominently located at the intersection of Central Avenue and 4th Street, diagonal from City Hall and three blocks from the waterfront. The total cost of the project is estimated at $2.4 million. The financial assistance provided by the CCIDA will include sales tax, mortgage recording tax, and property tax abatements over 15 years, with $243,864 in new total PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) payments paid to the affected tax jurisdictions during that same time period as a result of the new capital investment. The project will also receive state funding from the recent Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) grant awarded to the city in 2023, plus an additional grant from the state’s Regional Economic Development Council. Built in 1938, the building was the longtime home of Lake Shore National Bank. It was later used by Marine Midland, HSBC, and then First Niagara Bank, which closed operations at the location in 2016 after First Niagara was bought by KeyBank. It has sat vacant ever since. The project will provide an estimated 24 construction jobs during the renovation period and, once complete, up to seven permanent full time jobs. Work is expected to begin immediately, with a tentative completion date of September 2025. “Our plan is to provide market rate apartments for working professionals who want to live in the downtown area, close to where they work. We also look forward to providing commercial space in a key corridor of Dunkirk to help enhance the business district,” said Gary Crewson. “We’re grateful to New York State, the City of Dunkirk, and the CCIDA for helping us move this project forward and can’t wait to see it completed and ready for use.” “The CCIDA is happy to offer financial incentives for this project at the request of the City of Dunkirk, and we’re excited to see it move forward,” said Mark Geise, Chautauqua County Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and CEO of the CCIDA. “Communities across the country are challenged with legacy bank buildings that served a key purpose in the 20th century, but have become outdated with the advent of digital and online banking in the 21st century. It’s exactly the type of project our adaptive reuse PILOT program is intended to be used for, and it’s precisely the type of project that the City of Dunkirk’s downtown needs and will support.” “Adaptive Re-Use Projects” are qualified projects that involve adapting old sites or structures for new purposes, including potentially a mix of business and commercial uses, or market-rate housing. Adaptive Re-Use Projects are those that will benefit Chautauqua County by redeveloping a blighted site or structure, promoting development using existing infrastructure, and creating new economic activity at troubled sites or structures to assist in eliminating neighborhood blight. “It's great to see this project come to fruition in Dunkirk. If we want to grow our communities here in Chautauqua County and reverse the decades-long trend of population decline, we need to have modern, market-rate apartments available for working residents, especially those who want to live close to where they work," said County Executive Paul “PJ” Wendel. “We’re thrilled to see Gary Crewson and his team breathe new life into this vacant and deteriorating building in our central business district,” said Dunkirk Mayor Kate Wdowiasz. "This project will be the first Downtown Revitalization Initiative project to have been started during this award process and the mixed-use project is going to be transformational for Central Avenue and I believe it’s just the beginning. So providing this type of assistance is in line with the IDA and the city’s vision and goals for revitalizing downtown Dunkirk. Our city is definitely on the move and we can’t wait to see it continue in the months and years that lie ahead.” About CCIDA - The CCIDA is an economic development organization authorized and empowered by the State of New York to make Chautauqua County a better place to work, live, and visit. It facilitates development by attracting new businesses, while promoting the retention and expansion of existing businesses. Assistance in the form of incentives – tax abatements, low interest loans, and bond financing – enhances the opportunities for job creation and retention by our businesses. For more information visit ChooseCHQ.com.