Former Truck-Lite facility in Falconer

The former Truck-lite facility in Falconer is being sold to The Krog Group.

The Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency Board approved a $900,000 Al Tech Loan, mortgage tax abatement, and sales tax abatement. The total project cost is $3,655,000.

IDA Business Development Manager Carol Rasmussen said Peter Krog plans to purchase and lease out the 160,000 square foot facility for office and manufacturing space. He will be doing some renovation work as well.

The IDA board also approved an updated payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement for the Welch’s Building project in Westfield.

Chief Financial Officer Rich Dixon said 2 Portage LLC previously had been approved for a 15-year PILOT by the IDA, “The developer was talking with his investors and with people who were making him the loan. They were hoping they could get more certainty as to what the tax payments would be after year 15. They originally came to us and talked about maybe a 30-year, 25-year (PILOT). We ended up with a compromise that I think is very fair.”

Dixon said the agreement is for a 20-year PILOT that has the same terms for years 0 through 15 as the current PILOT and then years 16 through 20 are at 100% tax at a fixed rate.

The Welch’s Building project previously received a $475,000 AL Tech Loan Fund as well as $1.5 million in Restore New York funds for the $18 million project.

Dixon said there is no change to the project other than the change to the PILOT.

The IDA Board also approved an Al Tech loan of $100,000 for BP Endeavors LLC to purchase Wildwood Acres Campground on Brown Road in Bemus Point. The total project cost is $668,000.

Rasmussen said the current owner, who has ran the campground for 21 years, is selling the property due to illness. The new owners plan to open up 20 to 30 new sites on the ground for rent.

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 White Inn in Fredonia has received $1.25 million toward the renovation and reopening of the former hotel and restaurant.

In the village of Westfield, the Welch’s Building will receive $1.5 million toward its historic rehabilitation and adaptive use of the building. The project will create 46 new housing units in the village.

The City of Dunkirk will receive $1 million for its Central Avenue Transformation project. That project will address vacant properties in the 400 block of Central Avenue in Downtown Dunkirk. Local investor Allan Steinberg, who bought 411 Central, plans to create a “Broadway Market” type of space where kiosks could be rented and a butcher shop reopened. A two-story building located at 423-427 Central Avenue also would be developed into four new apartments.

And the Village of Silver Creek Senior School Apartments project has been funded with $1 million. The project at 60 Main Street involves the substantial rehabilitation, conversion, and an addition to a vacant, nearly 100-year old, 57,000 sq. ft. abandoned former school into a 59,900 sq. ft. building with 47 units of affordable rental homes for seniors ages 62 and older.

Restore New York supports municipal revitalization efforts across the state, helping to remove blight, reinvigorate downtowns, and generate economic opportunity in communities statewide. The program, administered by Empire State Development, is designed to help local governments revitalize their communities and encourage commercial investment, improve the local housing stock, put properties back on the tax rolls and increase the local tax base.

Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency Board Meeting (April 26, 2022)

The Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency board has approved a loan request to the company buying the former Welch’s Building in Westfield.

2 Portage LLC requested a $475,000 loan for the real estate acquisition. The Al Tech Revolving Loan fund loan has terms of 20 years at 4% interest. The project will be an adaptive reuse of the building with the total project cost of $11.5 million.

The IDA also approved a $90,000 loan to International Ordnance Technologies. The loan goes toward the repair a heat-treat furnace which had broken down. IOT manufactures machine gun links. The Jamestown Local Development Corporation approved a $90-thousand dollar loan for the same project at its meeting earlier this month.

A number of EDA (Economic Development Administration) CARES Act loan were approved by the IDA with the loans being used for working capital.

The businesses that had loan requests approved include:
– $41,000 for Merritt Estate Winery to buy juice to make wine for this season
– $125,000 for Artone Manufacturing LLC to assist with hiring and bringing on new employees
– $100,000 for Heritage Ministries to help with costs related to COVID test purchases and new equipment
– and $100,000 for Labyrinth Press Company to be used for hiring and training new employees.

IDA CEO Mark Geise informed the IDA board that in-person meetings will resume in May with meetings still being available over livestream on the IDA’s YouTube Page.

He also announced that in honor of the CCIDA’s 50th Anniversary that the IDA has bought out Diethrick Stadium for the June 30th Tarp Skunks‘ baseball game.

Welch Administration Building, Westfield, New York

The former Welch Administration Building redevelopment project in the village of Westfield has moved another step forward.

The Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency Board approved a PILOT and tax lease incentives for adaptive re-use of the $11.5 million project being undertaken by 2 Portage, LLC. This includes real property, sales tax, and mortgage recording tax abatements.

The entire 48,000 square foot building will be renovated to create a mix of residential apartments and commercial tenant space.

Subject to additional approvals needed, acquisition is anticipated in 2022 with an 18-month construction period and an estimated occupancy in mid-2024.

The IDA board also approved a $154,000 Al-Tech Loan to Falcon Acquisitions.

The loan is part of a $472,500 finance package for the purchase and renovation of 111 Cheney Street by Falcon Conveyor Owner Scott Clark. Clark plans to open a steel belt conveyor manufacturing facility. The Jamestown Local Development Corporation approved a $93,750 loan in November and the Greater Jamestown Empire Zone Capital Corporation approved a $50,000 loan as well for the project.

As part of its 2018 regional Progress Report, the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council (WNYREDC) announced 16 priority projects have received its recommendation to advance the region’s growth objectives.

Four of those projects come from Chautauqua County and have been labelled as top priority projects by WNYREDC. The projects are located in Jamestown, Westfield, and Fredonia. They include:

• The Riverfront Property Development Proposal in Jamestown – $100,000 recommendation
• The Welch’s Building Redevelopment in Westfield – $1,000,000 recommendation
• The White Inn redevelopment project  in Fredonia – $220,000 recommendation
• The AgriAmerica projects in Fredonia – $498,6000

JAMESTOWN RIVERFRONT PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

The project in Jamestown focuses on the purchase and development of riverfront property along the south bank of the Chadakoin River. The application for the project said it supports smart growth by concentrating investment near the newly opened National Comedy Center (NCC).

While the details of the project don’t include a specific location, city officials have said it would likely involve acquiring and relocating the Chautauqua Brick business to another area of the city so that its present location on Harrison St. can be developed for a project that caters to downtown visitors and tourism.

• Jamestown Renaissance Corporation Unite North Main Facade Project – $390,000
• Lakewood Chautauqua Ave. Green Street Retrofit – $699,511
• Lakewood Lowe Park Stream Stormwater Project – $255,951
• St. Luke’s Episcopal Church Bell Tower and Front Porch Stabilization – $500,000
• VIEW TOTAL LIST OF PROJECTS AND SCORES

The priority designations increases the likelihood the state will award Consolidated Funding Application grant money to the projects, with an announcement expected by the end of this year of just how much money all projects across the state will receive.