What:      The Roycroft Campus Corporation Invites the Community

When:     Tuesday April 3, 7 p.m.

Where:   Aurora Senior Citizen Center, located at King St.and Oakwood Ave. East Aurora, NY

About:    Initial schematic designs for the restoration of the Roycroft Power House and the Rocyroft Copper Shop will be shown April 3 during a progress report to the community presented by the non-profit Roycroft Campus Corporation.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Aurora Senior Citizen Center, located at King St.and Oakwood Ave.

Representatives of the Roycroft Campus Corporation (RCC) will comment on recent activities and future plans will be presented.
Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and give comments.

Flynn Battaglia Architects has been selected by RCC and Peter Flynn, principal of the architectural firm, will be on hand to present initial schematic designs for the Power House and the Copper Shop located on the historic Roycroft Campus.

Flynn Battaglia was chosen because of their successful experience with historic preservation projects like Asbury Delaware Church, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, the Guaranty building, as well as their current work on the Erie Canal Harbor. In addition, Flynn Battaglia is at the beginning stages of developing a Campus Master Plan.

The RCC intends to begin work on the reconstruction of the Power House before restoring the Copper Shop. Douglas Swift, president of the RCC board, has said, “The community has looked at the deteriorated ruins of the Power House long enough. Our attention will be given to this property first.” Initial plans are to rebuild the property to how it looked when originally built in 1910. Estimates to rebuild the Power House are about $2.5 million.

While efforts have been made to preserve and stabilize the Copper Shop structure, restoration work on this building is estimated at about $1.5 million. The “Finishing Room” in the north wing of the Copper Shop has had most of its non-original elements removed and has opened, with a new roof and insulation, as an Artisan Showroom.

The RCC has been successful in raising money through grants awarded by Senator Volker, NYS Dept. of Transportation, and Environment Protection Funds. This money will be used to provide restoration, repairs and enhancements to the Campus Grounds. Work is intended to begin in 2008 and completed before the reconstruction of Main Street takes place in the block areas fronting the Campus.

$2.5 million has been raised but the total estimated amount of money needed for Phase I work, to include the Power House, Copper Shop, and Campus Grounds, is $7 million. Most of the money raised, through grants, requires matching funds. The RCC Board of Directors has been involved and working for the last two years to begin work on the Campus. “The long anticipated restoration of the Campus is beginning to happen”, remarked Christine Peters, RCC executive director, “and our plans have been met with much encouragement and support from residents and visitors.”

This is not the first time that the RCC has invited the community to provide suggestions and comments. Last year in May, organizations involved with or interested in the future of the Roycroft Campus, gave their input on how to, “Grow the Roycroft Pie”. Suggestions and ideas received at this forum were included in the development of RCC’s Strategic Plan. This upcoming public forum will be followed by others in order to keep community members informed and involved in the restoration process of the Roycroft Campus.