The group seeking to preserve and renovate the Dove Block has been actively fundraising for their efforts for several months. Emeritus professor of sociology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges Jim Spates says they have made significant progress against their initial $200,000 goal.
“We are pretty close, but we’re still a little nervous. We’re about $42,000 short with a week to go, so if anybody is interested in helping us out that would be wonderful. It would be a shame to see this wonderful project for Geneva, and everyone agrees it’s a wonderful project, go down just because of a minor, I guess it’s not so minor, shortfall in the funds we need to go forward.”
Going forward at this point means commissioning architectural, environmental and structural studies. And, fundamental issues like turning on the water, heat and electricity, so that clean up can begin. After that, making the commercial spaces available on the first and second floors and renovating the third floor for an Arthur Dove museum. Spates says they have enjoyed broad support so far.
“We have business people in Geneva. We have some political leaders in Geneva who have stepped up. We have regular citizens of Geneva. We have some Hobart and William Smith people who have stepped up. A couple of trustees have stepped up. So, we’re getting a wide spectrum. We really are getting a community support for this.”
The Dove Block group is holding a presentation on the project in the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts on the Hobart and William Smith Colleges campus tonight, July 21st, at 7:00 p.m. More information is available from Jim Spates at spates@hws.edu
