Patrons of the historic Opera House in Lancaster are enjoying productions in comfort in 2025 following the installation of a new HVAC system at the Opera House, an investment made possible thanks to an Erie County Cultural Capital grant of $293,590. The new system replaced an inefficient system that was over twenty years old and used refrigerant that was no longer being produced. With the cost of repairing and maintaining the old system putting considerable strain on the Opera House’s yearly operating budget, the decision was made to invest in a new, efficient HVAC system that is more environmentally friendly and has the most current filtration and air changeover standards.
Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz was joined at the Opera House today by Artistic/Executive Director David Bondrow and Commissioner of the Department of Environment and Planning Dan Castle along with departmental staff to review the work.
“Our Cultural Capital Grant program was built with a focus on helping organizations such as the Lancaster Opera House fund improvements that are critical to their growth and success but that they may not be able to fund on their own,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “In addition to providing the quality-of-life programming, recreation and enjoyment they do, these organizations employ hundreds if not thousands of county residents and are an integral part of our community. Investing in them helps to build a better Erie County today and for the future."
The Lancaster Opera House was built in 1897 to gather the community for entertainment, public debate, and social activity. Today, the stories, ideas, and traditions of our community come to life on stage here, led by an in-house production company composed of local talent and nationally accomplished theater professionals. The Lancaster Opera House serves the greater WNY community through educational opportunities, partnerships with local arts organizations, and by providing a premier gathering place for a variety of social functions.
Legislator Frank Todaro said, “The Lancaster Opera House is a treasured attraction in our community. Properly maintaining that structure is a necessity. I’m glad that grant funds were able to be used to update the antiquated and inefficient heating and cooling system. This project is long overdue, but if the Town of Lancaster had to fund the work, it would have been a financial strain. I’m pleased we were able to identify proper funding sources to address this project.”
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