Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency

CCIDA CEO and Deputy County Executive for Economic Development Mark Geise presented the 2022 Annual Report on the CCIDA to the Board on Tuesday.

He said the IDA Board had approved more than 50 projects in 2022, which included the approval of business loans, development project incentives, and the procurement of grants, “We approved in 2022, either through loans or grants or PILOT incentives, over $500 million. Last year (2021), I believe it was over $140 million. It’s over $500 million this year. We did nine Al-Tech loans. We did eight EDA CARES Act loans. We secured $2.8 million in grant funds.”

Geise said 363 full time jobs were created with 774 being retained in 2022. He said the projects also will create hundreds of temporary construction jobs.

He also discussed the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, which was formed in 2019 as an initiative of the CCIDA’s non-profit subsidiary, the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation.

Geise said the organization supports the five pillars of economic development, “We need to be thinking about place making, creating communities that people want to live. We need to be thinking about infrastructure – water lines, sewer lines, electric. We need to be thinking about house – creating housing that meets the needs and demands of talent. We’ve got to have the right housing stock. And workforce development, of course. We talk to businesses every day, ‘I need people.'”

Geise said CCPEG provided over $420,000 in financial assistance and technical assistance to support several dozen partner-led projects and initiatives. In addition, the Partnership was awarded nine grants in 2022, totaling over $1.4 Million, and leveraged an additional $7.5 Million on behalf of its partners.

Geise said his goals for 2023 include acquiring land for expansion of shovel-ready sites; and re-activating several key vacant buildings, including the Furniture Mart Building in Jamestown, Truck-Lite Building in the Town of Ellicott, and the Lenhart Hotel in Bemus Point.

He also wants to develop a marketing and branding strategy for the county to help address population decline and supply businesses with talent.

The CCIDA’s 2022 Annual Report can be found on the CCIDA website: https://ccida.com/about/

EDITOR’S NOTE: As a point of transparency and disclosure to our audience, Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency is a corporate underwriter for WRFA and has provided a financial contribution for the general operations of the station within the past year. Funding we receive for General Operations is not used to fund our coverage of local news in the community. That is only made possible through a Community Service Grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 

The Furniture Mart building at the corner of W Second and Washington Streets.

Jamestown City Council has approved moving forward with a $2 million Restore New York application to redevelop the Furniture Mart Building.

Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said they increased the request amount to $2 million because that’s the limit. The original Restore New York Application approved in September 2022 only requested $500,000 in grant funding.

Gebbie Foundation Executive Director Greg Edwards said the redevelopment project is estimated to cost over $18 million. He said if the investment happens, it will have a dramatic impact on the city, “Right now, it’s projected to be high-end residential, plus some modest level residential, hotel property in the middle of the structure… it’s nine floors… in the first and second floors, maybe the third floor, and maybe commercial retail.”

Edwards said they’re also working with the developer to add more parking, “We’re working really hard in partnership with the city to convince the developer to also add a multi-level parking structure adjacent to and attached to the Furniture Mart building to enhance its positive impact on the city. Because, clearly we need substantial growth in our parking capacity.”

Edwards said other funding in place includes a $1.34 million Empire State Development grant.
Savarino Companies of Buffalo is in negotiations with the current owner, Art Bailey, to purchase the 172,217 square foot building.

A public hearing on the Restore New York application will be held today at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. It is open to the public and will be livestreamed on jamestownny.gov.

The Furniture Mart building at the corner of W Second and Washington Streets.

Jamestown City Council will hold a special voting session tonight to vote on a Restore New York funding application.

The City of Jamestown is applying to Empire State Development for $2 million in Restore New York Communities Initiative funding to redevelop the Furniture Mart Building.

This application replaces a previous application requesting $500,000 that Council approved in September 2022. Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said that application was not submitted due to not being ready.

At the September 26 meeting about the previous Restore New York application request, Surdyk stated that Savarino Companies of Buffalo would be the developer of the building at 111 West Second Street. She said they have a negotiated offer to buy the 172,217 square foot building from owner Art Bailey along with at least two other nearby parcels. The property is currently assessed at $800,000.

The special session will take place at 6:45 p.m. in the City Council Chambers located on the second floor of City Hall. The meeting is open to the public and will be livestreamed on jamestownny.gov.

If the measure passes, a public hearing will then be held at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 24, 2023, in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.

Jamestown Director of Development Crystal Surdyk addresses City Council on Restore NY Grant application request (September 26, 2022)

A request to apply for a $500,000 Restore New York grant to redevelop the Furniture Mart Building has been approved by Jamestown City Council.

Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said Savarino Companies of Buffalo would be the developer of the building at 111 West Second Street. She said they have a negotiated offer to buy the 172,217 square foot building from owner Art Bailey along with at least two other nearby parcels. The property is currently assessed at $800,000.

Surdyk said other properties were looked at downtown for the Restore New York program, but only the Furniture Mart Building project was far enough long to meet criteria to apply to Empire State Development Corporation.

She said that criteria includes the building being vacant, or 50% not occupied, “The community must be qualified as a disadvantaged community, it must be in a Brownfield Opportunity Area, it also needs an Empire Zone qualification, feasibility and readiness need to be completed, committed financing, expected to start within 12 months, induce commercial investment, and improve local housing, and leverage other state and federal programs.”

Surdyk said the property will be mixed use with low-income and market rate apartments, “As far as the rest of the building program, they’re anticipating a mix of apartments, a boutique hotel, and then the rest will be commercial.”

Surdyk addressed a concern raised by citizen Pete Miraglia about parking in the area, “There are two other parcels that are part of the package. So, as Mr. Miraglia mentioned, in the past there had been discussions about doing a parking ramp. That is still part of this plan and would not fall on the city. That would be part of the development and the developer would be responsible for that parking ramp.”

The Furniture Mart Building project did receive $1,346,000 in Consolidated Funding Application monies in 2019 which Surdyk said is unexpended. She said Savarino will have access to use that funding addition to whatever grant funds received. She anticipates they also will be applying for Historic Tax Credits in addition to other funding for the project.

If the Restore New York grant is awarded, the City of Jamestown would be required to provide a 10%, or $50,000, match. Surdyk did not say where that funding would come from at this time.

Furniture Mart Building on West Second Street

Jamestown City Council will consider tonight a resolution for the city to apply for a $500,000 grant to redevelop the Furniture Mart Building.

A public hearing will first take place at 6:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers to gather public comment on the city’s application to the New York State Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) under the Restore NY Communities Initiative.

Council then, under new business, will consider the city’s request to apply for $500,000 to redevelop the property at 111 West Second Street for residential and commercial mixed use.

West 2nd Street had to be closed recently after part of the upper facade of the Furniture Mart Building fell onto the street.

Also, under new business, Council will vote on amending the city code on recommendation by the Board of Electrical Examiners. Chapter 131, which deals with electrical, was first adopted in 1962. According to the staff report, this section of the code provides specific educational and licensing requirements for those employed in the trade of electrical installation and installation/repair of electrically-powered manufacturing equipment.

Further, it provides a governing Board of Electrical Examiners to review and approve applications for electrical licenses and established minimum requirements for electrical inspectors. The ultimate goal of this chapter is to reduce the risk of fire by ensuring all electrical work performed within the City of Jamestown was performed by qualified personnel.

The public hearing on the Restore New York grant takes place at 6:30 p.m. with the voting session taking place at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. The public is welcome to attend both with the public hearing and voting session being livestreamed on jamestownny.gov.

Furniture Mart Building on West Second Street

West Second Street remains closed after bricks fell off the Furniture Mart Building Tuesday night.

Jamestown Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said a contractor from Buffalo was coming Wednesday to assess the situation and secure any additional loose bricks.

No injuries were reported and West Second Street from Washington Street to Foundry Alley remains closed at this time. Motorists are advised to find alternate routes.

The Furniture Mart building on the corner of Washington and W. Second Streets in Jamestown.

MAYVILLE – Two recently proposed development projects in Chautauqua County – including one in Jamestown – have been designated with a priority status for state aid by the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council.

According to County Executive George Borrello, the Furniture Mart Building renovation project and the Empire State Brands hops and barley program were given the designation as part of the 2020 round of Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) grant requests to Empire State Development.

In July, the Gebbie Foundation submitted a CFA in the amount of $1.8 million to redevelop the Furniture Mart Building in Jamestown, N.Y. The funding would be part of a $15 million renovation effort that would see the building converted to a mixed-use, nine-story commercial building with associated parking to support the new development and the growing need in downtown Jamestown.  The building is located on the corner of West Second and Washington Streets directly across from the National Comedy Center.

The Empire State Brands program was formerly being called Grow Chautauqua Hops and Grains. It involves a $2.9 million CFA request to assist in the re-purposing of an existing building in Chautauqua County for a fully integrated hops, barley, and grain processing facility, with the total project cost approximating $14.7 million. A recent study calculates an economic impact of $91 million and 404 jobs created from the development and growth of the new business.

The two CFA requests, along with several others that were submitted earlier this summer, will now advance to Albany for review and pending approval. The final announced funding totals for all 2019 CFA projects will likely be announced in December.

The Furniture Mart building on the corner of Washington and W. Second Streets in Jamestown.

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown Post-Journal is offering more details about a proposed plan to redevelop the historic Jamestown Furniture Mart Building.

In a recent state grant application seeking up to $1.5 million for the effort, both the Gebbie Foundation and the Krog Corporation have been listed as the potential redevelopers in the project. The Jamestown City Council gave its endorsement to the grant application during its June 2019 voting session.

According to Gebbie Foundation executive director Greg Edwards, officials have been working with The Harrison Group, based out of Lockport, to create a package detailing the potential costs and economic development incentive packages available through state, county and local agencies to renovate the building.

The Gebbie Foundation owns the exclusive option to purchase the building from its current owner, Arthur Bailey. The Krog Corporation is working on the redevelopment designs. If funding can be secured, the overhual project would then move forward.

The Krog Corp. is also the developer behind the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel, BWB Building and the Riverwalk Center.

The plan is to redevelop the ten-story building into a mixed use facility for both commercial and residential use. The total estimated cost is between $15-$16 million.

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown City Council has given its endorsement to the submission of three applications for the latest round of development funding from New York State Empire Development’s Consolidated Funding Application program. The endorsements include a last-minute resolution involving a $1.5 million grant submission for the redevelopment of the historic Furniture Mart building in downtown Jamestown.

• LISTEN TO INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR TERESI VIA SOUNDCLOUD

The Jamestown City Council during its June 24 voting session.

According to the resolution added under new business Monday night, the grant application is being submitted by the Gebbie Foundation for the redevelopment of the Furniture Mart Building at 111 West Second Street and the construction of an adjacent multi-level parking facility.

Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi said Gebbie is working with a yet-to-be-named, out of town developer on helping to secure funding for the project, which would have a total estimated price tag of $20 million. The proposed project will include a mix of commercial and residential units in the 172,000 square-foot, nine story structure, along with an estimated 300+ parking spaces.

If the project were to move forward, it would require the developer to purchase the property from the current owner Art Bailey under the name US Comm Habitat Co. According to the county tax map, the full property value is $800,000.

Before the Gebbie Foundation could submit the grant application, it had to have the city council’s support for the submission. The council voted 9-0 in favor of the resolution.

The Furniture Mart building at the corner of W Second and Washington Streets.

The Gebbie also tried to secure state funding for a redevelopment of the property in 2017 when it was included in the local list of prospective projects for the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant. That application was made on behalf of Ellicott Development Company, whose chairman is Buffalo area developer and former Gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino. It ultimately was left off of the final list of projects that would be sharing the $10 million in funding.

In addition to the Furniture Mart CFA grant submission, the city council gave its unanimous approval to two other CFA submissions.

One would be for $200,000 in funding for the Enchanted Mountain Spirits distillery to help pay for its $500,000 relocation effort from its previous location on Water St. to its new location at the former HSBC Bank building in downtown Jamestown.

The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation (JRC) is sponsoring the Enchanted Mountain Spirits relocation effort and the businesses is operated by Mick O’Neill.  O’Neill told WRFA earlier this month that if all funding for the relocation is secure, his operation will begin producing spirits out of the new location by March of next year, with a goal of employing 40+ within three years.

The other CFA application was for $100,000 for the proposed Jamestown Skatepark Project.

An artistic rendering of what the Jamestown Skatepark could look like once built (image courtesy of Jamestown Department of Development)

Earlier this year it was announced that the project was awarded a Built to Play Skatepark grant of up to $250,000 in matching funds. Built to Play Skatepark Grants are made possible through a partnership between the Tony Hawk Foundation and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr., Foundation.

The up to $250,000 award requires the Jamestown community to raise at least $50,000 in local matching funds in order to qualify for the Built to Play grant money, but includes ongoing support and guidance from Tony Hawk Foundation staff. The skatepark would be a poured concrete structure. The proposed location would be the site of the former Jamestown Trolley building between the Chadakoin River and the West Third Street to Fairmount Avenue section of the Greater Jamestown Riverwalk, fronting Fairmount Avenue.

Because the proposed site is in the designated downtown development area, it is eligible to apply for the CFA funding. In addition to the CFA grant, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation has also established a local fund for residents and businesses to donate.

Once the applications are submitted, the Empire State Development council will review and announce whether or not it will receive any or all the grant funding by the end of this year.

The council also approved submitting the 2019 Community Development Block Grant action plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This year the city will get just under $1.17 million in CDBG funds and just over $315,000.

The Lynn Building, located on Prendergast Ave. between Second and Third Streets.

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown Post-Journal is reporting that a local call center – which employs approximately 200 people – will be relocating to the Lynn Building in downtown Jamestown.

Lynn Development announced it has signed off on a ten-year grant with The Connection, which will keep the employer local for the foreseeable future.

The Connection’s offices are currently located in the Furniture Mart Building. The Lynn building is located at 301 E. Second St. The move is expected to take place sometime in the fall.