Welch Administration Building, Westfield, New York

Redevelopment of the former Welch’s Building in Westfield is moving forward.

The Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency said that 2 Portage LLC is now the owner of the historic structure and will begin the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the 51,000 square foot building.

2 Portage LLC received a $475,000 AL Tech Revolving Loan Fund through the IDA for the $18 million project.

Upon completion, the building will include 46 mixed-income residential units. In addition, there will be 3,700 square feet of commercial space located in original commercial space at the corner of Portage Road and Main Street. The commercial space will be targeted at a mix of tenants, including a food and beverage/retail operator in the street-level space, and other professional service office spaces on the ground floor.

The redevelopment of this building will provide needed housing in the Village, and street level retail, both of which will support the walkability and vitality of the Village.

Construction is expected to begin mid-2023 after final Historic Landmark status is approved by the National Parks Service. The property will be renovated and managed by Savarino Companies.

The project will create an estimated 70 construction jobs and three post-construction full-time equivalent jobs.

In addition to loan financing for building acquisition, the CCIDA Board of Directors also previously approved a Tax Lease/PILOT incentive agreement, which includes real property, sales, and mortgage recording tax abatements. The project also received $1.5 million in Restore New York funds from the state toward the historic rehabilitation and adaptive use of the building.

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.