By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
ELLICOTTVILLE — Longtime Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency board member Joseph Higgins was recognized Tuesday for his 34 years of service.
Higgins, who retired from the IDA board of directors last month at age 89, was present Tuesday when the IDA welcomed his successor, former Assemblyman Joseph Giglio of Gowanda.
Higgins presented Giglio with a binder full of information on IDA projects going back several years. Everything you need to know is in here, Higgins said.
Higgins, of Allegany, who is widely known for his proposal to build the Allegheny River Trail in Olean and Allegany, was initially credited with 40 years of service in a resolution before the IDA board of directors.
Higgins quickly corrected the error, saying he was appointed to the IDA board in 1992, making it 34 years. He is the longest tenured IDA board member.
He was president and CEO of Abbott Welding after purchasing the company in 1975. The company was sold to Airrgas in 2014.
Higgins has also served as president of the Olean Area Chamber of Commerce and president of the Allegany-Limestone Board of Education.
IDA executive director Corey Wiktor told Higgins, “I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your involvement and we’re glad you were able to come today.” He said the IDA will host a retirement party for Higgins and his family in September at Holiday Valley.
IDA board chairman Thomas Buffamante said, “You’ve been a wonderful member as long as I’ve been on the board and even before that. And you’ve got a long history with the agency and we’re going to miss you.”
“This group is such a great group,” Higgins said. “I mean everybody’s fantastic. I’ve really enjoyed it all. As far as Joe (Giglio) is concerned, with all the meetings he’s been to, you know I think he’s going to find this to be one of the most pleasant kinds of meetings he’s been to.”
Giglio noted he has spent his whole life in public service from the Sheriff’s Office in Erie and Cattaraugus counties to deputy Inspector General in Western New York to assemblyman for 19 years. He said he looks forward to helping improve the economy through IDA inducements and help people.
“I want us to grow,” Giglio said. “I want Olean to grow. I thank everyone for the opportunity to serve.”
The IDA board approved a transfer of ownership of Olean Manor Inc., better known as Field of Dreams in Allegany from Nick Ferreri to Olean Property Holdings LLC, owned by Gary Robinsky.
Ferrari, of Jamestown, has invested more than $35 million in the Field of Dreams campus which includes assisted living and memory care in the 140-bed main facility, as well as a growing number of one-family homes being built on the property. He projects about 100 employees at full occupancy in the main building.
Ferrari said he will remain involved as a consultant to the new owner for one year. Besides the Field of Dreams daycare and dementia facilities, Ferreri plans to help set up a new hospice unit on one end of the facility, as well as a home care component for residents of the homes on campus.
In addition, Ferrari said he is urging Cattaraugus County to sell its two nursing homes in Olean and Machias, which he said were the only county-owned nursing homes left in the state.
He told the IDA board he knows talking about selling the county nursing homes is “a scary thing for everyone,” but that he has “communicated to the county that I have people that want to buy them. So that’s down in the future. The people that would buy it would be equal to or better than the operator who just took Absolute and changed it.”
Ferrari did not suggest any timetable for the county to sell its nursing homes, but noted the county is losing money on the facilities.
IN OTHER ACTION, the IDA:
Approved a 15-year payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with Steelbound Franchising LLC and Stillhouse of Buffalo LLC to build a 6,000 square-foot facility adjacent to its Ellicottville brewing and distilling facility to create a refillable spirits program.
Owner William Bursee is asking for sales, mortgage tax and property tax abatement for the $1.2 million program. Sales tax abatement of about $80,000, $9,375 in mortgage tax abatement and PILOT savings of $167,000 are being sought in the application.
The program would provide six full-time positions with a $375,000 annual payroll. The building in the Ellicottville Steelbound complex along Route 219 will cost $400,000 with another $800,000 for materials.
The program will feature returnable spirits bottles that will be delivered to participating bars, restaurants and hospitality centers by electric delivery vehicles. The truck would also pick up bottles for return, cleaning, disinfecting and refilling.
The IDA board also approved tax breaks for North Park Innovations Group Inc., to purchase property at 4580 Route 219 in Great Valley and renovate it for manufacturing products. It is the site of the former Timber Hut manufacturing facility and auto sales showroom.
North Park Innovations Group.
North Park Innovations builds iConnect training units for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration instruction and education. The iConnect training units are designed and built to customers’ exact needs and specifications.
North Park acquitted the property for $400,000 and plans to invest $100,000 to begin its manufacturing. The company currently has 51 employees at its Ellicottville site — up from 36 in June 2024 — and plans to add 10 employees within two years of completion of the expansion project.
The company expects a $2.3 million payroll at the site at project completion. Average annual full-time production salary is $45,000.
The IDA approved tax break totaling $23,000 for the project. Sales tax exemptions are estimated at $8,000, mortgage tax exemption is $5,000 and a 15-year PILOT is about $10,000.
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