Falconer Forward committee to meet July 29
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FALCONER – Falconer officials put together a convincing plan to receive a $4.5 million NY Forward grant.
Deciding exactly how those millions of dollars will be spent begins on Wednesday, July 29, when the Falconer NY Forward Local Planning Committee holds its first meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Falconer High School auditorium.
The Village of Falconer is one of two Western New York communities selected to receive $4.5 million through Round 4 of New York State's NY Forward program. Funding will help advance transformational projects located within the Village's downtown area.
The Local Planning Committee, which is comprised of community stakeholders nominated by Mayor Jim Jaroszynski, will work closely with state agency partners and a professional consultant team to craft a Strategic Investment Plan that will guide how the $4.5 million is used. The plan will identify and recommend a slate of priority projects aligned with the community's vision for a more vibrant, prosperous, and welcoming downtown. The topics covered at this first meeting will include an overview of the NY Forward program, a presentation on components included in the Strategic Investment Plan, a review of Falconer's NY Forward application, proposed NY Forward boundary, and example projects included in the application, a discussion on the Open Call for Projects that will be held to solicit proposals from potential project sponsors and the public, and identification of community engagement opportunities to ensure the public is involved throughout the process.
The public is welcome to attend. LaBella Associates has been named the lead planning consultant for Falconer's NY Forward grant. For more information, email Joshua Greene at jgreene@labellapc.com or call 716-422-2814.
Among the priority projects listed in the village's application to the state are:
– A partnership with Peak Development Partners to build two four-story buildings, at a total project cost of $20,956,000, at 21-37 W. Main St. The project will also have $19,206,000 in private investment along Empire State Development and Pro-Housing Capital. The project could be done in as few as 24 months. Part of the site is land that was cleared after fires in 2017 and 2018. In the years since Falconer and Ellicott officials have tried to find partners to build new mixed-use buildings on the site that include ground floor retail with upper floor apartments.
– Another $500,000 of the NY Forward grant is proposed to be used on the third phase of work at 1 E. Main St. The building, owned by J. Siriano Holdings, currently houses Prevention Works. The next phase of the project is estimated to cost $1 million - of which $500,000 would come from NY Forward - with $500,000 in private investment to add an elevator, refresh the building's facade and create new commercial spaces.
– Village officials also propose spending $1.5 million as part of a $3.5 million project to revitalize 27-28 E. Main St., with 26 residential units as well as work planned for 27 Merchant Lane. Another $185,000 is proposed to be spent on 17-19 W. Main St., the site of the West Main Mercantile. That project would include $65,000 in private funding as well as NY Main Street and Restore NY money to refresh the building's facades, create new entrances and renovate four currently vacant upper floor apartments. Properties at 9-11 E. Main St. that currently house the Belle-view East and PersNikkity Pies would receive $172,000 to refresh the building's facade and, according to the application, "introduce a new dining destination..."
– Hanson Sign is requesting $382,000 in NY Forward money as part of a $510,000 project to build a new 4,000 square foot steel facility to expand production capacity. The expansion is expected to create three or four new jobs. Also expanding is Falconer Printing, which is requesting $405,000 from the NY Forward grant as part of a $540,000 project to add 4,000 square feet to the existing 66 E. Main St. building to expand production capabilities, introduce vehicle graphic installation services and accommodate new equipment and staff. The company expects to add two or three new jobs once the expansion is complete.