Falconer Mayor James Jaroszynski said he was caught off guard by Tuesday’s news that Savarino Companies, the construction firm that has expressed interest in developing the village’s downtown corridor, was abruptly closing its doors and laying off 30 employees.

“Until the village hears something concrete or definite from the Savarino Companies, we’re just going to hold tight and wait,” Jaroszynski told The Post-Journal.

Earlier this year, Savarino approached village officials with plans to build residential units on several parcels of mostly vacant land. The downtown sites, formerly home to apartments and commercial space, were mostly destroyed by separate fires in 2017 and 2018.

It’s not yet clear what Savarino’s shuttering ultimately will mean for Falconer. Just recently, the Buffalo-based construction firm was awarded $250,000 in the latest round of the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative through Empire State Development for the Falconer project.

“The last report I got from them they were very involved in the project, very enthusiastic for it,” Jaroszynski said. “I’m just going to wait to hear from them, for something definite. I think that’s only right for the village.”

Savarino also is heavily involved in the multimillion-dollar renovation of the Welch building in Westfield. It’s unclear what work, if any, has taken place as part of the project to bring new housing and business space to downtown Westfield.

In a statement, Savarino cited “ongoing and increasing costs” regarding a project at Alfred State College as the primary reason for its closure. The company also noted the recent “termination of work and the company’s inability to obtain surety bonding or acceptance of alternative performance guaranties for $110 million of 2023 work which the company would otherwise have had underway at this time.

“Without that work, it would not be possible for the company to operate profitably.”

Savarino Properties, a separate property management company, will not be impacted.

On its website, Savarino Companies listed several projects it completed across Western New York in its 23-year history. Local work includes the Appleyard Terrace Apartments in Jamestown; Bush Elementary School in Jamestown; Maytum Plaza, Houghton Hall and Reed Library at SUNY Fredonia; Pine Valley Central School in South Dayton; and Randolph Country Estates in Randolph.

Savarino said it is working with its clients to complete work on active projects and is making arrangements with replacement contractors for upcoming work the company was slated to perform.

“The status of several initiatives and development projects that Savarino Companies was affiliated with has yet to be determined,” the company said in a statement.