Judge issues Order Putting Chautauqua Amphitheater Demolition on Hold

A State Supreme Court judge issued a temporary restraining order Monday blocking Chautauqua Institution from taking actions leading to the demolition of the 1893 Amphitheater.

The Chautauqua Institution board voted in December to accept bids to knock down the Amphitheater and build a modern replica in its place.

“This gives us some small hope that one of America’s national treasures, and a Chautauqua National Historic Landmark, might be saved and improved for future generations,” said Brian Berg, president of the Committee to Preserve the Historic Chautauqua Amphitheater.

The ruling by State Supreme Court Judge Frank A. Sedita III will be revisited in one week, at 2 p.m. Feb. 1, when attorneys reconvene. At that time Sedita could continue the temporary restraining order, lift it, call for a hearing or grant a preliminary injunction.

“This afternoon, the New York State Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order, halting construction on our Amphitheater,” the Institution said in a statement. “We continue to move forward with planning, logistics and procurement of materials … We respect Judge Sedita’s decision and this process, and we are eager to present our side in court.”

The court filing was made by the committee and five Chautauqua residents to preserve the Amphitheater. The beloved 1893 Amphitheater has been championed by national and regional preservation organizations, and differences over its future have caused a deep rift within the usually controversy-free Institution.

Read Mark Sommer’s article in the Buffalo News.
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