Our Projects & What's Next
Building on Our Progress. Bringing the Vision to Life.
The Key to the Future is an evolving investment in downtown Ridgway's arts and cultural infrastructure, made possible through the extraordinary generosity of community supporters and a shared commitment from Weehawken Creative Arts and Ridgway Chautauqua / Sherbino.
Since launching this initiative, we've moved from imagining what might be possible to jointly owning 145 and 147 N. Cora Street, making significant progress toward debt retirement, and preparing to activate additional space for the community.
Our work is far from finished. Here's where we've been, where we stand, and what comes next.
The Key to the Future initiative is organized around four interconnected phases, each building upon the investments and accomplishments of the last. While some milestones have been completed, others are actively underway or being planned for the future. Together, they represent a thoughtful, long-term approach to creating a sustainable arts and cultural campus in downtown Ridgway.
Phase 1: Property Acquisition & Initial Improvements
STATUS: COMPLETE — JANUARY 2023
Securing the Foundation
In January 2023, Weehawken Creative Arts and Ridgway Chautauqua / Sherbino jointly purchased 145 and 147 N. Cora Street, including the land behind both buildings, for $600,000.
An extraordinary $200,000 in community contributions provided the down payments, with the remaining $400,000 financed through an agreement with the property sellers.
But acquiring the property was only the beginning.
Almost immediately, approximately $30,000 in essential property improvements were needed to address deferred maintenance, improve functionality, and make the buildings more suitable for ongoing use.
These investments included replacing water heaters in both buildings, including a tankless system serving 147 N. Cora, updating flooring, painting, and making other necessary improvements.
These weren't glamorous upgrades, but they were critical investments in the property's immediate usability and long-term care.
Property Acquisition: $600,000 (via loan) with $200,000 down
Initial Improvements: Approximately $30,000
Total Initial Investment: Approximately $230,000 cash / $400,000 loaned
Through community support and a shared commitment from both organizations, the property was secured and essential improvements were completed, establishing the foundation for everything that comes next.
Phase 2: Retirement of Property Debt
STATUS: IN PROGRESS — TARGET COMPLETION: DECEMBER 2026
Building Long-Term Financial Stability
Securing ownership of 145 and 147 N. Cora Street was a tremendous accomplishment, but ensuring the property's long-term
financial sustainability has been an equally important part of the Key to the Future initiative.
Following the January 2023 acquisition, Weehawken Creative Arts and Ridgway Chautauqua / Sherbino assumed a $400,000 owner-financed mortgage, with each organization committing approximately $2,220 per month toward repayment. Together, these payments represent more than $53,000 annually—a significant ongoing financial obligation for two community nonprofits.
From the beginning, community generosity has been instrumental in helping both organizations meet these obligations and accelerate the retirement of the debt. Donor contributions, combined with organizational resources, have supported regular mortgage payments and made extraordinary principal reductions possible.
Extraordinary Progress in 2025
In 2025, Key to the Future achieved two major financial milestones.
In early 2025, Weehawken Creative Arts made an additional $125,000 principal payment, followed by a second $125,000 principal payment from Ridgway Chautauqua / Sherbino later that year.
Together, these extraordinary payments reduced the outstanding mortgage principal by $250,000, above and beyond the organizations' regular monthly payments.
These significant investments were made possible in important part through the generosity of community supporters who recognized the long-term value of securing this property for arts, culture, and education.
Why Retiring the Debt Matters
Eliminating the remaining mortgage is about more than paying off a building. It's about creating a more financially sustainable future for both organizations.
Once the loan is fully retired, Weehawken and the Sherbino will collectively be relieved of more than $53,000 in annual mortgage payments.
Those resources can instead support the work that makes these organizations valuable to the community: accessible arts education, live performances, cultural experiences, lifelong learning, facility improvements, and meaningful opportunities for people to gather and connect.
Debt-free ownership also strengthens the organizations' long-term stability and provides a stronger foundation for future investments in the Cora Street campus.
The Final Push Toward Debt Freedom
With tremendous progress already made, our goal is to fully retire the remaining property debt by the end of 2026.
Reaching this milestone will represent the culmination of years of careful financial planning, shared organizational commitment, and extraordinary community generosity.
It will also position us to focus more fully on the next major chapter of Key to the Future: transforming the largely unused building at 147 N. Cora into a welcoming, flexible space for exhibitions, classes, rehearsals, workshops, and community gatherings.
Original Property Financing: $400,000
Extraordinary Principal Payments in 2025: $250,000
Annual Mortgage Obligation to Be Eliminated: Approximately $53,290
Our Goal: Own the property free and clear, allowing more resources to be directed toward the programs, experiences, and spaces that strengthen our community.
Help Us Finish What We Started
Our community helped make the original property acquisition possible.
Continued donor support has helped us sustain the investment and dramatically reduce the remaining debt.
Now, we're approaching one of the most meaningful milestones in this journey.
Together, we can finish paying for the property—and turn our attention toward bringing its full potential to life.
Phase 3: An Unexpected Opportunity — Bringing 147 N. Cora to Life
STATUS: PLANNING & FUNDRAISING — 2026–2027
Honoring a Commitment. Embracing an Unexpected Next Chapter.
When Weehawken Creative Arts and Ridgway Chautauqua / Sherbino purchased the Cora Street property in 2023, we knew that one portion of the property would remain occupied for the foreseeable future.
For more than three decades, David Leigh Houtz, a longtime Ridgway artist, jeweler, businessman, and community fixture, had made 147 N. Cora Street his home and the location of his Rocky Mountain Jewelry business.
As part of the acquisition, both organizations committed to honoring David's ability to remain in his space for the rest of his life. It was an important commitment, and one we were glad to make. Our vision for the property was never about displacing someone who had been part of Ridgway's community fabric for so many years.
We anticipated that 147 N. Cora might not become available for community programming for many years, and our long-term planning reflected that understanding.
A Difficult Goodbye and an Unexpected Transition
Sadly, David passed away in the fall of 2025.
His passing was a loss for our community and for those who had come to know him not only as a longtime tenant, but also as a friend.
It also brought an unexpected transition for the Key to the Future initiative.
For the first time since purchasing the property, our organizations were able to access and assess the interior of 147 N. Cora and begin considering how this space could eventually serve the community.
What we found was a building with tremendous potential, but also substantial needs.
From Longtime Residence and Workshop to Community Arts Space
Although 147 N. Cora had served David's needs for decades, transforming it into a welcoming, accessible, year-round space for arts and cultural programming would require considerable investment.
The building needs significant improvements to its electrical systems, heating and cooling, insulation, walls, flooring, lighting, and other essential infrastructure. Flexible furnishings and equipment will also be necessary to accommodate the range of activities envisioned for the space.
These improvements were not part of our immediate capital priorities when we began working toward retiring the property's mortgage.
In many ways, Phase 3 arrived sooner than any of us anticipated.
Rather than leaving the building unused while awaiting a distant future expansion, we now have an opportunity to put this valuable community asset to work.
A Flexible Space with Big Possibilities
Our vision is to transform 147 N. Cora into a welcoming, multipurpose arts and cultural space that complements the neighboring Weehawken facilities, Sherbino Theater, and 610 Arts Collective.
During daytime and weekend hours, the building could serve as a public gallery featuring rotating exhibitions by regional artists, creating additional opportunities for artists to share their work and for the public to experience visual art.
In the evenings and at other times, the space could transition to accommodate:
-
Visual arts classes and creative workshops
-
Dance classes and theater rehearsals
-
Small performances, presentations, and literary gatherings
-
Community meetings and nonprofit activities
-
Artist talks, receptions, and special events
-
Private rentals and collaborative community programming
The flexibility of the space is central to its value.
It will allow multiple activities to take place across our growing campus simultaneously, provide an appropriately sized alternative to the Sherbino Theater for smaller gatherings, and create new opportunities for both organizations to expand programming without the cost of constructing an entirely new building.
An Unanticipated Investment in Our Shared Future
While the opportunity to activate 147 N. Cora arrived unexpectedly, it aligns beautifully with the long-term vision that inspired Key to the Future.
Our preliminary renovation and equipment budget is approximately $100,000–$135,000, reflecting the substantial work required to transform the building into a functional, flexible community asset.
This investment comes as both organizations are also working to complete the retirement of the property's original mortgage—a significant financial undertaking made possible through years of organizational commitment and generous community support.
We hadn't anticipated taking on this next phase quite so soon. But we recognize the extraordinary value of making this space available for community use now rather than years down the road.
Help Us Open the Next Door
Our community has already helped us accomplish something remarkable: securing an important piece of downtown Ridgway property and bringing it close to debt-free ownership.
Now, an unexpected opportunity allows us to take the next step.
With continued community generosity, we can transform 147 N. Cora into a place where artists share their work, students discover new interests, organizations gather, and neighbors connect.
What began as an unexpected transition has become an opportunity to honor the past while creating something meaningful for the future.
Estimated Phase 3 Investment: $100,000–$135,000
Our Goal: Transform 147 N. Cora into a flexible, year-round arts and cultural space that serves both organizations and the broader Ridgway community.
Phase 4: Future Campus Development — Imagining What's Possible
STATUS: LONG-TERM VISION | TIMELINE & INVESTMENT TO BE DETERMINED
The Next Generation of Ridgway's Arts & Cultural Campus
From the beginning, the Key to the Future initiative has been about more than acquiring two existing buildings. The property also includes undeveloped land behind 145 and 147 N. Cora Street, offering an extraordinary opportunity to expand arts, cultural, educational, and community gathering spaces in the heart of downtown Ridgway.
As we work toward completing our current priorities—retiring the remaining property debt and activating 147 N. Cora—we're also looking ahead to the possibilities this land holds.
Our original facilities master planning process explored how the property might eventually accommodate additional classrooms, rehearsal and performance spaces, flexible meeting areas, and other amenities that complement the Sherbino Theater, 610 Arts Collective, and existing Weehawken facilities.
While those early concepts helped shape our vision, the needs of our organizations and community continue to evolve. Any future development will require renewed planning, careful financial evaluation, and thoughtful community input.
A Vision That Will Unfold in Stages
Unlike our earlier phases, future campus development will be a substantial, multi-stage undertaking. We anticipate that it may involve several important milestones:
1. Architectural Visioning & Master Planning
Revisit and refine earlier concepts, assess current and future community needs, evaluate the property's development potential, and work with architects and other professionals to establish a realistic plan.
2. Project Development, consideration of phasing & Fundraising
Determine project scope, preliminary costs, and priorities. Develop a capital fundraising strategy, pursue grants and major gifts, and establish the financial resources needed to move forward responsibly.
3. Design, Approvals & Groundbreaking
Complete architectural and engineering plans, navigate permitting and other required approvals, and prepare the property for construction once sufficient funding and planning are in place.
4. Construction & Campus Expansion
Bring the approved plans to life. Depending on the final scope and available funding, construction may occur in multiple stages, allowing the campus to grow thoughtfully over time.
5. Completion & Community Activation
Open new facilities for arts education, cultural programming, performances, gatherings, and other community uses—bringing additional opportunities to the people and organizations of our region.
Planning Responsibly for the Future
We recognize that future development will require a significant investment of time, expertise, partnerships, and financial resources.
For that reason, we're not establishing a construction timeline or fundraising target prematurely. The eventual scope and cost of development will be determined through careful planning and a shared understanding of what will best serve our community.
The strength of our position today is that we've already secured the land. We have an established partnership, a growing network of supporters, and a vision that can evolve with community needs.
Building a Legacy That Lasts
Our immediate work is focused on making the most of the buildings we already have. But beyond those walls lies the potential to create something even more enduring.
Whether that future includes expanded classrooms, new performance and gathering spaces, outdoor amenities, or opportunities we haven't yet imagined, our commitment remains the same: to build thoughtfully, collaboratively, and sustainably.
We're not simply planning our next building. We're creating the foundation for generations of arts, culture, learning, and community connection.
Future Investment: To Be Determined Through Planning
Our Goal: Explore and responsibly develop the remaining property into an interconnected arts and cultural campus that serves Ridgway for generations to come.
