County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA)

The CCIDA is an economic development organization authorized and empowered by the State of New York to make Chautauqua County a better place to work, live, and visit. We facilitate development by attracting new businesses, while promoting the retention and expansion of existing businesses. Assistance in the forms of incentives – tax abatements, low interest loans, and bond financing – enhances the opportunities for job creation and retention by our businesses.

2021 Year-End Report & 2022 Work Plan

The year-end report (linked below) summarizes the transactions of the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) and the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) for the period covering January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021.

Section I summarizes all transactions approved by CCIDA and CREDC, including those for loans, incentives (federal, state, and local), and grants secured, and concludes with a tally of the total investment ($164 Million), number of permanent jobs created (314), and number of jobs retained (1,752) that will result from these development activities.

Read the full 2021 Year-End Report & 2022 Work Plan here.

Section II summarizes what I perceive to be the top 10 economic development-related accomplishments from our activities in 2021, which extend beyond the activities of the CCIDA and CREDC to include activities of the Department of Planning & Economic Development in my role as Deputy County Executive for Economic Development.

Section III summarizes what I perceive to be our top 10 economic development-related goals for 2022 which, again, includes the activities of County Planning.

Top 10 Economic Development – Related Accomplishments in 2021

• Hideaway Bay Site Redevelopment – The former Hideaway Bay site was purchased by 42 Lake Erie, LLC for redevelopment as a “glamping” resort. CCIDA assisted with PILOT and Loan for this $1.2 Million project, as well as a $434,000 HUD CDBG OCR grant. Property was pulled from foreclosure 6+ years ago, and was actively marketed by the Land Bank and CCIDA for many years.

• Welch Building Redevelopment – This Town-owned property languished for many years. CCIDA worked with Town/Village to market the site and to find a suitable developer. The Town recently signed a contract with a Savarino/Raant, Buffalo Developers, to invest more than $11 Million to restore/convert the building for a mixed-use project with commercial and housing components.

• Americold Freezer Warehouse Facility – The CCIDA worked with Americold Real Estate to provide financial incentives for an 181,000 square foot facility costing a little over $41 Million located in the Town of Dunkirk. The facility will store Wells’ Blue Bunny Ice Cream inventory, and will create 68-70 full time jobs. This project complements the $87 Million in upgrades Wells made to the former Fieldbrook Farms facility in Dunkirk.

• Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth – CCPEG was formed in 2019 as a public-private partnership under the umbrella of CREDC (CCIDA), and represents the active participation of over 100 economic development partners from throughout the County. CCPEG is supported by the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Gebbie, the CCIDA, and the County. After completing an economic development strategy for the County, CCPEG was awarded a $1.05 Million Grant from the Ralph Wilson Foundation. CCPEG worked with Business, Community, Workforce, Housing, and Tourism Development partners to identify and submit 9 state grant applications for funding, and provided technical assistance to a multitude of other applications that were submitted throughout the County. Three awards were funded.

• ARPA Funding Award – The County was awarded $24.6 Million in American Rescue Plan funding, of which a substantial amount ($4.3 Million) has been allocated for economic development-related projects (and more than $10 Million for other infrastructure-related projects). These include:
  • Site acquisition for shovel-ready sites – $1.4 Million
  • Water/sewer infrastructure for shovel-ready sites – $1.4 Million
  • CCPEG for a multitude of Economic Development-related projects – $500,000
  • Workforce Development Initiative with WIB, JCC, CCVB, CCIDA – $352,000
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension Ag. Improvement Program – $232,540
  • Marketing Assistance to Businesses and NFPs – $400,000

• Webb’s Hospitality Resort – The CCIDA has been working with Webb’s on a new resort “hotel” in Mayville for many years. Webb’s broke ground in the summer of 2021, with the assistance of a range of incentives provided by the CCIDA.

• Collaboration with Dunkirk and Jamestown
  • Dunkirk DRI Application – CCPEG/CCIDA provided technical assistance and financial contributions toward a consultant to the tune of $20,000 for the development of a Downtown Revitalization Initiative application seeking $10 Million to enhance Dunkirk’s waterfront and downtown core. Their application was not approved by ESD.
  • Chadakoin River Strategic Business Plan – CCIDA, CCPEG, Gebbie, BPU, RTPI, and other partners worked collaboratively on a strategic action plan for enhancing the navigability of the Chadakoin River by small motorized watercraft, from McCrea Point Boat Launch to the basin. The business plan identifies projects, both economic and environmental-related, as well as marketing recommendations, and resulted in conceptual drawings, costing, a proposed timeline, suggested partnerships, and the identification of funding sources. This project was awarded more than $1.2 Million via the CFA to implement several recommended projects, including signature gardens, channel markers, kayak launch, boat docks, tiered seating, visitor kiosk, removal of debris, etc.

• COVID-Related Business Assistance
  • EDA Loan Program – The CCIDA was awarded a $10.5 Million Grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to create a high-risk, low-interest rate loan fund to assist businesses throughout the County. The funding was awarded in less than 9 months to more than 50 companies for working capital, equipment purchases, and other uses.
  • PPE Business Assistance Program – The CCIDA worked collaboratively with local philanthropic institutions to create a grant fund that was allocated to several dozen businesses and not-for-profits to provide technical assistance through JCC, and to purchase PPE to protect employees and customers from COVID-19 risks.
  • CCIDA Working Capital Loan Program– The CCIDA created a specialized working capital loan program to assist businesses to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-four businesses were each awarded $10,000 low-interest loans over the course of several months.

• Comprehensive Analysis for Shovel-Ready Site(s) – Worked with consultant to identify, vet, and prioritize sites throughout Chautauqua County suitable for industrial/business development. This is in response to the need for an improved inventory for market/shovel ready sites based on the current low inventory of such sites. We are currently negotiating with the owners of three priority sites.

• Agricultural Development & Enhancement Strategy – The Chautauqua County Agricultural Development & Enhancement Strategy (CCADES) is an update to the County’s Farmland Protection Plan. The objective of the update is to provide an accurate reflection of the current agricultural conditions in Chautauqua County and devise strategies to increase the economic viability of the agricultural industry, encourage farmland protection, and to increase public interest and awareness of local agriculture. The team of County, CCIDA, CCPEG and other partners are collaborating on this strategy.

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Top 10 County Economic Development Goals for 2022

• Acquire Shovel-Ready Site(s) – Acquire a site or sites (a minimum of 80 acres) and determine what level of infrastructure and due diligence is required to make the site(s) suitable for industrial/business development. This is in response to the documented need for an increased and improved inventory of market/shovel ready sites.

• Re-activate Properties of Community Importance
  • White Inn Redevelopment – Work with the owner (JG Funding), community stakeholders, and the State to get the facility sold to a responsible developer who will restore it to its once-prominent status.
  • Furniture Mart Redevelopment – Continue to work with the Gebbie Foundation and other key stakeholders in Jamestown to que up the Furniture Mart building for future development. This has been an ongoing process that we will continue to put time and effort toward until it is accomplished.
  • Talcott Street Sale and Redevelopment – Continueto work with Refresco, Empire State Brands, Hanna Realty, and other potential developers, to market it to outside developers so that we can get it back into use while creating jobs and commerce in Dunkirk.
  • Silver Creek School – Continue to work with the developer (Region Nine) to convert the dilapidated Silver Creek School into senior housing by providing incentives and technical expertise.
  • Welch Building Redevelopment – Continue to work with the selected developer (Raant/Savarino) to provide the appropriate incentives from the CCIDA, ESD, and other sources to redevelop the Welch building for a mixed-use project with commercial and housing components.

• NRG Re-Use Initiative – The County is working with the City of Dunkirk to undertake Phase II of this initiative, which is being funded by a grant of $160,000 through NYSERDA’s Just Transition Site Reuse Planning grant program, to advance several predevelopment activities. These may include a detailed infrastructure assessment, Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment, development of marketing materials, site planning, workforce development strategies, non-site-specific community revitalization strategies, public engagement, and others as determined through the initial baseline planning process, and is follow-up to Phase I work already completed.

• Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) – Continue to collaborate with community partners and the five work groups to identify and que up projects for the 2022 CFA process, while implementing projects awarded through the 2021 round of funding. CCPEG is placing a special emphasis on reversing population decline and workforce retention & attraction projects/activities.

• County/Economic Development Marketing & Branding to Reverse Population Decline – In an attempt to “sing our praises” about what a great place Chautauqua County is to conduct business, raise a family, and visit, the CCIDA and CCPEG hired a marketing/communications director (Jason Toczydlowski) to develop and implement a marketing strategy in conjunction with a myriad of other county stakeholders, which will result in more people staying or relocating here to fill available job positions, retiring here, and/or visiting, ultimately resulting in a reversal of population decline.

• Aggressive Proactive Business Retention & Expansion Initiative – Continue to work with current businesses throughout Chautauqua County to ensure they continue to prosper and grow by providing technical assistance and incentives through the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA), Empire State Development (ESD), and other sources.

• ARPA Funding Award – Work diligently to get all of the Economic Development-related ARPA projects underway and implemented, which includes the following:
  • Site acquisition for shovel-ready sites – $1.4 Million
  • Water/sewer infrastructure for shovel-ready sites – $1.4 Million
  • CCPEG for a multitude of Economic Development-related projects – $500,000
  • Workforce Development Initiative with WIB, JCC, CCVB, CCIDA – $352,000
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension Ag. Improvement Program – $232,540
  • Marketing Assistance to Businesses and NFPs – $400,000

• Collaboration with Dunkirk and Jamestown
  • Dunkirk Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) – Assuming Dunkirk is awarded a $10 – $20 Million DRI grant award through the 2021 CFA process, continue to work with the stakeholders to ensure that projects enhance Dunkirk’s waterfront and downtown core while aligning with the County’s Economic Development Strategy. 
  • Chadakoin River Strategic Business Plan – Assuming the City of Jamestown is awarded a CFA grant submitted in July 2021 through the CFA process, the CCIDA, CCPEG, Gebbie, BPU, RTPI, and other partners will work collaboratively with the City to implement the projects from the 2021 Plan, which includes economic, environmental, and marketing-related projects that is intended to activate Jamestown’s waterfront.

• Agricultural Development & Enhancement Strategy – Implement recommendations resulting from the County’s Agricultural Development & Enhancement Strategy (CCADES), which is an update to the County’s Farmland Protection Plan. The objective of the update was to provide an accurate reflection of the current agricultural conditions in Chautauqua County and devise strategies to increase the economic viability of the agricultural industry, encourage farmland protection, and increase public interest and awareness of local agriculture.

• Workforce Development/Childcare – Continue to work with our community workforce development partners, as well as the childcare advocates, to put in place the appropriate programs that will help to prepare our workforce for today’s jobs, as well as help facilitate and advocate for resources for the provision of childcare.

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