WELLSVILLE - Kudos came from most everyone who toured the new Wellsville Creative Arts Center Saturday.

Along with the tours of the renovated building, those who stopped in were also able to have a seat and sip coffee in the cafe area, or sit down at one of the tables and watch videos. Several clustered around lap-top computers to check out the free wireless connection and maybe their emails. Still others gaped at the woodwork, tin ceiling and state of the art kitchen where chef Diane Chandler was serving brochette with a tomato and pepperoni sauce.

"I can't believe the number of people who have just said thank you," commented the founder of the Center, Andy Glanzman, the entrepreneur who turned candle making into a world-wide business, Northern Lights.

Glanzman purchased the old Cater Hardware building last year, the workers spent the next several months renovating, not only the first floor, but also the basement of the turn-of-the-century structure. They rediscovered an old tin ceiling, took it down, refinished it and reinstalled it. They uncovered old brick walls and cleaned them up. They salvaged windows and woodwork from similar buildings and installed it throughout the center. Tile from the old Fassett building was installed in the restroom.

One Alfred woman called the center "a nice addition to downtown Wellsville."

The center will host a variety of art classes starting at the end of the month, and will feature several musical performances throughout the fall. Sign-ups for the classes continues today at the Center from 2 to 8pm and can be done online at WellsvilleCreativeArtsCenter.com.