Schenectady, NY – Schenectady will locate a new Heritage Area Visitors Center at its biggest attraction, Proctors, in downtown Schenectady, local officials announced today. Proctors hosted 1,728 events last year attracting more than 600,000 people to downtown Schenectady.
Acting Mayor Gary McCarthy said, “The City is pleased to cooperate fully with this effort to create a Visitors Center that will showcase Schenectady and offer residents and guests information about our heritage and our future as a technology leader.”
“Placing the Visitors Center at Proctors makes perfect sense. Working together we’ve created a new and exciting environment in Schenectady County with Proctors as our centerpiece. This new Center will show all that we have to offer including thriving businesses, restaurants, and theaters that our residents and visitors can enjoy,” said Judy Dagostino, Chair of the Schenectady County Legislature.
“This is an exciting initiative for Proctors,” said CEO Philip Morris. “The Heritage Area Visitors Center is yet another step toward achieving our goal of making Proctors an important gathering place for the community – and for those visiting Schenectady. We’re pleased to move this project forward with the strong support of the City, County and Metroplex.”
The project will be funded by a $180,000 Federal Highway Administration National Scenic Byways Grant administered by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). A $40,000 local match will be provided by the Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority. The new Visitors Center will be completed by late summer.
Eric Hamilton, Chair of the Scenic Byway Program said, “The Mohawk Towpath Byway is excited about this project and the opportunity that it provides. The visitor center is located at the western gateway to the Mohawk Towpath Byway in an area that will capture the interests of large numbers of residents and visitors alike. The materials presented here will spark further interest in our area’s heritage and encourage further exploration as a visitor leaves the center.”
Mark Woods, Coordinator of the Scenic Byways Program at NYSDOT, said, “The new visitors center will celebrate the local, regional and nationally significant story of this historic area at the crossroads of two designated scenic byways in the heart of Schenectady.”
ADIRONDACK Studios, an Argyle, NY firm that has been the fabricator of sets for Disney’s The Lion King as well as sets for the Boston, Los Angeles and New York Opera companies was commissioned along with Stracher Roth Gilmore Architects of Schenectady to design the new facility that will be located across from the Proctor’s box office. The 1,200 square foot exhibit area will be easily accessible from the State Street entrance of Proctors entertainment complex.
The project will feature five areas that highlight the legacy of Schenectady area and alert visitors to the role that Schenectady plays in green energy and other emerging technologies. The five exhibit areas include History, Landmarks, Industry, Culture and Visionaries.
The Visitors Center exhibits will employ state of the art digital print and TV technologies. The area will include enhanced lighting to highlight the area – and a new ceiling over and adjacent to the exhibits will create an intimate space to view and participate in the exhibits. The exhibit space will also include display racks to showcase marketing materials on various historic points and places of interest within Schenectady County and the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway.
A unique feature of the Visitors Center is that it is designed to be a revolving exhibit, enabling Proctors to introduce new subject matter throughout the year. The exhibit panels are designed to be easily and cost effectively updated.
Representatives from numerous organizations came together to develop the content of the exhibit including the Schenectady County Historical Society, Schenectady Museum, Mabee Farm, local historians, Proctors History Committee, Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway, Revolutionary Byway and the City of Schenectady.
The Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway is a national and state designated byway from Waterford to Schenectady. It connects to the Revolutionary Byway that runs to Port Ontario.
Ray Gillen, Metroplex Chair and Commissioner of Economic Development for Schenectady County said, “By working together we were able to utilize this grant funding to take a high visibility space within the Proctors complex that was not being utilized and turn it into a resource that will help theater goers and other visitors to downtown learn about everything that Schenectady County has to offer.”
Contact:
Thom O’Connor
518-382-3884 x166
toconnor@proctors.org