By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
ELLICOTTVILLE — Proposed tax breaks from the Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency for a $770,000 expansion for an Ellicottville manufacturer will go to a public hearing later this month.
IDA members balked, however, at a payment in lieu of taxes (P.I.L.O.T.) agreement for a $2 million mixed-use structure — retail or commercial and market-rate apartments on East Washington Street in Ellicottville.
Bill and Lori Northrup of North Park LLC/North Park Innovation Group Inc., said they are in need of additional space at their 12,500 square-foot at 6442 Route 242 in Ellicottville which was constructed in 1991.
Their company manufactures equipment used by other companies to teach technical skills and train employees in setting up and repairing HVAC and electrical equipment with clients across the U.S. North Park also has international customers.
North Park is also branching out into the fields of green energy and cyber-security, Lori Northrup told the IDA board members. Drone pilot training equipment and cyber-security training are also planned at the Ellicottville site.
Bill Northrup said this will allow the company to retain employees and to grow its workforce. He invited the IDA board members to hold their July meeting at the North Park headquarters only a short distance away and to tour the facility. They design, manufacture and ship from the site.
Corey Wiktor, IDA executive director, said the project will necessitate a zoning change back to light density manufacturing. A public hearing on the application will be held after that.
The application seeks a sales tax exemption estimated at $45,000, a yet-to-be-determined mortgage tax exemption and a 15-year manufacturing P.I.L.O.T. of $65,000. That would not affect the $13,000 in current property taxes.
The company lists an additional two workers to its current 36 employees within two years of the completion of the expansion project.
The IDA board was glad to hear Buffalo developer Scott Croce had purchased a house at 41 Washington St. in Ellicottville for $325,000 and planned a two-story mixed-use development there.
Wiktor said Croce had considered locating a veterinarian on the ground floor as a commercial tenant, but was now looking at a dentist’s office. There would be five market-rate apartments in the building including one on the ground floor.
One IDA member, Ginger Schroder said she wasn’t keen on giving tax breaks on market-rate housing and four or five minimum wage jobs. It is hard to justify, she added.
Wiktor countered by asking if there was a need for market-rate housing in Ellicottville and did high construction and lending costs justify the tax breaks?
IDA board member Joseph Snyder asked why you would want to put a vet or a dentist’s office on the main street of a tourist destination. Ellicottville is paying a quarter of the county’s property taxes.
Snyder suggested the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce would be much more visible at that location than at its current offices at 9 W. Washington St.
Wiktor was directed to tell Q Ski LLC owner Croce a P.I.L.O.T. was unlikely for the project as proposed and to report back to the IDA board next month.
(Rick Miller/Olean Star)
North Park LLC/North Park Innovation Group Inc., is seeking tax breaks from the Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency for a $770,000 expansion of their 12,500- square-foot manufacturing facility in Ellicottville.
