The interior of St. Anthony's is a symphony of activity as we get our building ready for our first events of the season on March 29 — Walls being scraped and re-plastered, floors repaired, finishing work on the new bathrooms, and much more. We're almost there, and we need everybody's help. Our next work party is Saturday, March 22, starting at 10 a.m. and we welcome your help. Many people are already volunteering at other times, and there is plenty to do and opportunities for all skill levels. Contact Tom at 433-0679, or tom.mcpheeters@grandarts.org With our current building code status,

Grand Street Community Arts will be able to use the main floor of St. Anthony’s for events and programming during the warmer months of the year. We will use this season to offer a variety of events and learn the ins and outs of our new space and continue to make it better. In the meantime, we continue to work on plans for the downstairs and explore the greenest possible energy systems for the building. Funding is, of course, a major issue for all our building projects. A New York State Community Capital Assistance Program grant sponsored by Assemblyman Jack McEneny is funding our current renovations. Prior funding to stabilize our south wall and roof were provided by the City of Albany, the Mansion Neighborhood Association and numerous individual donors. However, the state grant will not cover all of our current costs. And we have recently encountered some new leaks in the north roof that will have to be addressed before plastering of those walls can be done.