Commission Approves New Flyer Site Plan
The Jamestown Planning Commission has approved the site plan for New Flyer after minor issues were resolved.
On Tuesday, the site plan for the new transit bus manufacturing company was discussed a second time by the city Planning Commission. In November, the commission tabled the site plan because of a lack of a completed topographic survey, the need to record a number of easements and minor site issues.
On Tuesday, Keri Belovarac, Bemus Bay Planners owner, said the topographical map has been ordered and they have everything on record city officials were looking for during the previous meeting. Jeffrey Lehman, city public works director, said Shults Real Estate, who renovated the former Quality Markets grocery store for New Flyer, and everyone associated with the project are ”good to go.” Paul Whitford, Planning Commission chairman, said all issues with the site plan have been resolved since the November meeting. Paul Somers, Shults Auto Group chief financial officer, said he believes the issues the first time around were a result of the expeditious pace for the redevelopment project.
The project to bring New Flyer to Jamestown started in January 2016. That is when County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency officials heard about New Flyer looking for a new manufacturing facility in Western New York. That is when county and local development officials contacted Shults Real Estate about the former Fluvanna Quality Markets location.
In October 2016, Somers told the Jamestown Local Development Corporation that the former Quality Markets building was being transformed into a 40,000 square feet production facility for New Flyer. Shults Real Estate received local assistance for the $2.2 million renovation project, which included $475,000 for building acquisition and $1,726,000 for building improvements. Both the IDA and JLDC loaned $500,000 to Shults to transform the former grocery store into a manufacturing facility.
In January, New Flyer hosted a celebration with local elected officials and community stakeholders at the new production facility.
According to the company’s website, New Flyer is a heavy-duty transit bus manufacturer offering the widest range of drive systems and operates North America’s most sophisticated aftermarket parts organization. New Flyer was founded in 1930, as Western Auto and Truck Body Limited, and is now the largest transit bus and motor coach manufacturer and parts distributor in North America with fabrication, manufacturing, distribution and service centers in Canada and the United States.
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