Most of the Jamestown Local Development Corporation’s active loans are paying off.

Aili Makuch, city economic development coordinator, recently updated the status of the active loans for JLDC board member. Makuch began by presenting on the JLDC’s oldest active loan to Labyrinth Press Company and Brazil. Makuch said the loan was to purchase the building that the business was in, which they were originally leasing.

“They combined funding from JLDC, Greater Jamestown Zone Capital Corporation and Western Region Commission and some of their own private investment to purchase that space,” Makuch said. “As you can see they’ve gone from four to five full-time and four to five part-time employees to consistent 14 full-time and 11 part-time staff since 2023.”

The business has also purchased a second building to the left of the first, and have been working with the JLDC for expansion work.

The second loan Makuch discussed was HH Jamestown, put together for the DoubleTree Hotel for renovations, which she said came together with “a bazillion different partners” for funding. This includes being a part of the city’s original Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

“They are doing amazing things over there, we love DoubleTree,” Makuch said. “They are by all accounts doing very well.”

She also noted that this loan is interest only and the DoubleTree does not pay back the capital itself.

Next was Falcon Acquisitions, which Makuch said was purchased by Scott Clark, using a similar combination of funding resources as the first two businesses talked about. At the moment there are multiple tenants in the building and Makuch said one just renovated and opened as Buzz Western New York. Additionally, the business owner’s plan for Falcon Conveyors did not end up going forward.

Makuch then talked about International Ordinance, which used their funding to repair a piece of equipment for their business that was purchased with CCIDA funding that was damaged in transit. Makuch said they now have a functioning piece of equipment as they were supposed to.

Fun Foods New York is owned by the Carlson family, who had a different loan with the JLDC for renovations with the Chop House on Main that was just recently closed out and paid off. Makuch said she knew they were working closely with the Gebbie Foundation to have things such as a feasibility study done, with the goal to update the space and put in a banquet facility with room for up to 300 people.

Makuch then talked about Fire Guys Bounce Houses.

“They used their funding to purchase a building at 270 Steele Street,” Makuch said. “Before I even worked here I had to go by the building and was so impressed by their renovations that they had done to the outside, you know it was looking a little bit shabby after some time and they had it totally redone with metal siding. It’s got the big 270 you can see as you are driving down there.”

They are currently staffing six employees, which they expect to grow as the business grows.

Wicked Warren’s was the next active loan, which Makuch said has a loan deferment at this point in time. There have been regular meetings with them and Makuch said the business owners are feeling hopeful for the future, with 27 current employees. Makuch added she knows they have been trying to ramp up their marketing.

Monroe and Moore came before the JLDC twice, with the most recent time being April of last year to increase their total loan amount. A gutter trailer was purchased with JLDC funds, and Makuch said a team went to visit the day before the meeting and the business is in the process of working on manufacturing some smaller-scale homes. The business owner is also still actively working on moving into the city, with the current property sitting just outside. The administrative offices are inside the city limits.

Moving into the significantly more recent loans, Makuch then gave an update on Ramsey Agriculture, the vertical hydroponic farm that purchased the buildings at 40 Winsor Street and 65 River Street. TJ’s Plumbing and Heating came before the JLDC in the fall, with plans to redo their parking lot. Makuch said while working on this plan, the discovery was made that the National Fuel gas line was too high in the ground to be able to accommodate their plans. In that process and working with both the JLDC and Planning Commission, the JLDC funding helps them to work on that aspect of their plans as well to be able to move forward.

AKS Sign Designs and Marketing used the JLDC funding to purchase their building on Eighth Street. Significant renovations have been done inside, Makuch said, and added that she has been told that these renovations and having a building are making the business owner’s life much easier to be able to do work in-house.

Jade Empire was the next loan discussed, passed earlier this year. The plans for the building are entire renovations, and as far as the JLDC side of it, Makuch said they provided a brick loan, which can be paid back sooner than the end of the term with grant funding.

The final JLDC active loan is for 137 Water Street Brewing Company. Makuch said she had gone by there recently and it looks like good progress is being made on the property.

“They are planning, last I knew, to operate about five days a week as a brew pub and tap room,” Makuch said.

Renovations will be done on the existing space to add in a kitchen and bar and an outdoor patio. Makuch said they are expecting to have between 17 and 24 part-time jobs to offer over the first five years.