Apartments and commercial space are part of the C.E. Welch building renovation plans. Submitted photo

WESTFIELD — More than two years have passed since the C.E. Welch building in Westfield changed hands. Now, finally, the plans for the project are ready to move forward.

The historic building in downtown Westfield will soon be transformed into a senior living facility. The property, owned by 2 Portage, LLC, will be renovated and managed by Savarino Companies.

“It will be a great project for the county and for the village. It’s needed,” said Mark Geise, County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency CEO.

The project was on hold for the past two years because of the rising costs tied to construction, but the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) helped Savarino Companies secure additional state funding to support the project.

“Over time, costs go up. We were just trying to fill those gaps,” Geise said.

Geise stated that after a recent meeting with Samuel Savarino, CEO of Savarino Companies, the project is “all set now.”

The CCIDA previously helped secure $475,000 of AL Tech Revolving Loan Fund financing to support the project. Now with the additional funding that was recently secured, the project is ready to move forward.

The redevelopment of the building is targeted to support the walkability and vitality of the village by providing needed housing and street level retail.

The building will include 46 mixed-income residential units, including studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments that range from 500 to 1,200 square feet. There will also be 3,700 square feet of commercial space located at the corner of Portage Road and Main Street, targeted for various tenants such as food and beverage or retail stores, as well as other services.

“Attractive, right-sized housing for individual or family needs is crucial toward retaining and rebuilding the local economy. Although many exquisite, well-built homes exist in and around the Village of Westfield, certain housing and job seekers desire modern, ready-to-live in apartment space. This much-needed housing will also attract those who wish to live in a downtown walkable community, which supports and sustains local restaurants, small businesses, and fosters capacity for new entrepreneurial endeavors,” Geise said.

The historic C.E. Welch Building is a 51,000 square foot structure, located in the French Portage Road Historic District, which is both a local and nationally registered Historic District. The structure was built for Dr. Charles E. Welch in 1909. The building once housed the office headquarters of Welch’s Grape Juice Co.

A private developer bought the building in 2005, but rehabilitation of the building was unable to proceed. The Town of Westfield acquired the site in 2014. A request for proposals was issued in 2021 for redevelopment of the block, which is when Savarino Companies entered into an agreement with the Town.

“Like many communities of its size across New York state, the village of Westfield has some notable historic structures which are integral to the fabric of its central core but that, sadly, sit empty and abandoned. The team here at Savarino is excited to be working with the Village and Town of Westfield to bring this historic structure back to life. The C.E. Welch Building will soon be adding residents and commercial activity to the corner of South Portage and Main Streets” said Samuel Savarino, CEO of Savarino Companies.

Village officials approved the project at a cost of $18 million back in 2023. At the time, it was estimated that the project would create roughly 70 construction jobs and three post-construction full-time equivalent jobs.

Savarino Companies is hoping to begin construction by the end of the fourth quarter this year. Construction would likely take place over the course of a year, but no definitive timeline has been set.