A lift stands next to the rear of the White Inn, near White Street, below a wall recently scrubbed of paint. Photo by M.J. Stafford

FREDONIA — Things are moving along at Fredonia’s White Inn.

Pomfret Town Board member Christopher Schaeffer piqued interest with a side comment at the board’s February meeting. He said interior cleanup was basically finished, and renovations are set to begin.

Devin Jones and Steve St. George bought the White Inn last year from a lending company that had purchased it in foreclosure proceedings. The building has sat unused since late 2017. Jones and St. George said they intend to return the building to its former glory as an iconic hotel, bar, banquet site and restaurant in downtown Fredonia.

The two men were tight-lipped this week about progress at the site. They did not return OBSERVER e-mails seeking information.

Mark Geise, director of the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, which has been instrumental in getting grant funds for the project, also had little to say. He said he didn’t know any more about the project progress than what Schaeffer revealed.

However, some of the signs of work are visible to anyone passing by.

Workers have been seen regularly recently in the ballroom, the most visible part of the building from Main Street. A blasting machine was reportedly removing old paint from the exterior Wednesday, no doubt in preparation for a fresh coat of white.

Geise noted that when he was driving by during the week, he saw workers tearing out bushes.