Daniel Zuckerman is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media construction on the Lumberyard Contemporary Performing Arts building on Water Street in Catskill is set to begin in two weeks. Lumberyard Executive and Artistic Director Adrienne Willis made the announcement Thu., Nov. 16, at an event held in Catskill by the Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy. Willis said construction on the former Dunn Building and Supply warehouse is projected to be completed by late 2018. Lumberyard's inaugural performance season will begin next summer at various local venues, such as the Hudson Opera House and Bridge Street Street Theatre. “A lot of people worked very diligently over the last several months to make sure we have all our ducks in a row,” Willis said. “We’re very committed to making this happen.” The first phase of construction will include artist housing, a lobby and a theater, and is expected to cost $7 million, Willis said. Creative Economy, the organization that hosted the joint event with the Thomas Cole Historic Site, focuses on Greene, Columbia, Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Washington and Warren counties. Creative Economy Project Director Maureen Sager said the creative economy is the sixth largest employer in the Capital Region. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com .