Two businesses will receive loans through the Jamestown Local Development Corporation – one to help move into the city and the other to improve a parking lot.

The JLDC first heard from the business AKS Signs, owned by Alexandra Sullivan. Aili Makuch, city economic development coordinator, introduced the business, saying AKS Signs is looking to move from its current location in Lakewood into a location in the city. They currently have a contract on 615 W. Eighth St., and the business is looking for funding to bridge the gap to make that move. The loan terms are $75,000 at four percent for 10 years.

“We do a lot of commercial signage, smaller yard signs, banners, all that,” Sullivan said. “A lot of our productions have been done in Ohio, and we’re hoping to move it to Jamestown.”

The second loan that came before the JLDC was from TJ’s Plumbing. Representatives from the business were unable to attend the meeting, but Makuch said the loan request was to help with their ongoing parking lot project, which was also presented at the recent Planning Commission meeting as well.

“I’ve been working with them for a little over a month now and they have been in the process for the last two years, trying to redo their parking lot and combine one parking lot with another parking lot and bridge the gap in the middle where they have a lot that they don’t use,” Makuch said. “It’s a very complex project. We’ve been in contact with our principal planner, and he went before the Planning Commission yesterday and everything was approved.”

The loan looks to take a little bit of the financial burden off of the business at the outset of the project, with an $80,000 paving job, putting in a catch basin to tie into an existing drain line near Colecraft and the need to drop a National Fuel line in order to even out the apron.

“The most complicated factor of this and why they’re pursuing funding is that there is an actual National Fuel line that needed to be dropped in order to even out the apron and the sidewalk and that was adding a significant amount to the cost of the project,” Makuch said.

TJ’s Plumbing is asking for a loan of $73,000 for four percent over 10 years.

Both of the loans for AKS Sign Designs and TJ’s Plumbing were approved by the JLDC.