In August, Lakeside Chautauqua announced the assembly of a Capital Improvement Business Case Advisory Task Force (CIBC).
The new task force, comprised of community members, Board members and staff, will develop mission and business cases for capital improvements. The cases will be used to support components of various fundraising efforts, including Capital Campaign proposals for consideration by the Lakeside Association and Lakeside Chautauqua Foundation Boards, “Giving Tuesday” projects, grant proposals and other tools that are utilized.
Phase I involves collecting, cataloging and organizing numerous data sources of building condition information and initial projections of maintenance and capital improvement needs. Phase II will likely be organized in early 2025 and will focus on constituent groups (e.g. young families, youth, performing arts, flexible meeting spaces, athletics, retail spaces, etc.).
The CIBC held its organizational meeting on August 30, 2024, and small workgroups are underway. Their first task is to assess the current state of facilities and areas for maintenance needs, followed by close-in capital improvements to extend the useful life or expand what a facility can be used for, including a relook at the Master Plan recommendations.
Doug Adams and Len Forinash are the CIBC Co-Chairs. Task force members are Char Wilkerson, Christine Houk, David Blank, Connie Roop, Eugene Jacobs, Dan Duellman, Skip Heibert, Bill Smith, Chuck Baker, Dean Fisk, Joe Colon, Kathy Holland, Frank Baker, Rob Hartshorn, Tim Loar, Ted Walkenhorst, Dwight King, Bill Drackett, Jim Switzer, Milt Lewis. Additional strategic advisors are Greg Moore, Rob Huntington, Jim Hackbarth, Peter Stephens and Randy Snow. Staff supporting the team include the following: Charles Allen, Meg Johnson, Dawn Drew, Jim Switzer, Sam Chelliah, Gretchen Colon.
Throughout the summer, many community members shared that they didn’t have a full understanding of all of Lakeside’s historic buildings, facilities and grounds. Review the Snapshot List.
Members are working to compile information needed to produce a comprehensive assessment of facility maintenance and capital improvement needs. The resulting work and the database will be foundational to both staff maintenance planning and developing the case for capital improvements. In addition, small subgroups are working on Hoover Auditorium, Hoover Backstage, Lakefront, Hotel Lakeside & Fountain Inn as well as the cluster of buildings around Wesley Lodge and South Auditorium.
Early in 2025, the CIBC Task Force members will seek community feedback on potential expanded facility use through targeted virtual sessions and digital surveys expected to launch before the holidays. These responses will serve as valuable guidance in the prioritization of future projects and a summary of survey results will be shared.
Quick Link: Lakeside’s Facility & Grounds Listing
