By David Parker
ELLICOTTVILLE, N.Y. — Two local business projects received support from the Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency, or CCIDA, at its August meeting, bringing new investment and jobs to the Ellicottville-Great Valley area.
Steelbound Franchising LLC is planning a $1.2 million expansion at its Route 219 operation in Ellicottville. The project will establish a reusable spirits bottle program in which glass bottles are collected from participating restaurants, bars and retailers, cleaned and returned to circulation.
living development in Allegany as the property moves toward new ownership.
More than $35 million has been invested in the development since the project
began.
The expansion is expected to create six full-time equivalent positions. CCIDA approved a package of property, sales and mortgage recording tax incentives to support the project.
Just a few miles south, North Park Innovations Group Inc. is moving forward with a $500,000 project at 4580 Route 219 in Great Valley, the former TimberHut Cabin Company location. The property had previously operated as an automobile dealership before becoming home to TimberHut.
North Park plans to renovate the approximately 14,000-square-foot building for manufacturing, office and showroom space. The expansion is expected to create 10 jobs while returning the commercial property to more active use. The town of Great Valley also amended its zoning to allow manufacturing at the site.
Elsewhere in the county, CCIDA agreed to continue existing incentives for the Field of Dreams senior living development in Allegany as the property moves toward new ownership. More than $35 million has been invested in the development since the project began.
The meeting also marked a change in CCIDA leadership as longtime board member Joe Higgins retired after 42 years of service to the agency. Higgins, the former owner of Abbott Welding, was recognized by CCIDA as a Distinguished Steward of Community Progress and Economic Development for his decades of service to Cattaraugus County.
Former New York state Assemblyman Joe Giglio of Gowanda was appointed by the Cattaraugus County Legislature to succeed Higgins on the board.
Taken together, the Ellicottville and Great Valley projects represent more than $1.7 million in planned investment and the potential creation of 16 jobs. The projects also demonstrate how economic development can build on what is already here by supporting local businesses, putting existing properties back to productive use and creating new employment opportunities along the Route 219 corridor.