business first lockport

7/29/2019 Business First Lockport

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Locks Heritage District ThrivingPage 7

Advanced Technology

Taking off inLockport Page 3

Agriculture, Arts &

Activity Equal BusinessOpportunity Page 6

Key Hospitality and

IndustrialOpportunities Page 8

OPENFORBUSINESS


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If there was ever a time thatLockports reputation as a vibrantbusiness community was a secret

outside of Niagara County, that timemay be over. Word is spreading fastthat the Lockport area has become oneof Western New Yorks hot spots forcommercial and industrial development,tourism, and special events, and it seemslike not a week goes by that you donthear about a groundbreaking, ribbon-cutting, or new attraction in the City.

In reality, Lockports surge in activityis no surprise. The combined City andTown of Lockport population is over45,000, and over 30,000 cars travel

daily on the Lockport portion onTransit Road. Further, the Citys statusas the Niagara County Seat and as aregional center of commerce for theentire eastern portion of the county hasalways positioned it well for a strongdiverse economy. What many WesternNew Yorkers dont realize, however, is

just how deeply the Citys roots go intothe history of industrial and commercialdevelopment in Upstate New York.

The die was cast as far back as 1822when a State of New York engineerselected what is now the heart ofthe City of Lockport as the site fora series of five hand-operated locksthat would serve as the gatewayfor all shipping heading westward

to the Great Lakes and eastwardto New York City and beyond. Theworld-renowned twin Flights ofFive led to an unprecedentedgrowth in manufacturing spurredboth by commercial traffic andby the extraordinary hydropoweropportunities created by the locksand the 70-foot Niagara Escarpmentelevation change.

While Lockports growth continuedsteadily throughout the 19th century, itwas an automobile radiator developedby Herbert C. Harrison that would launchanother industrial revolution in theCity of Lockport. The Harrison RadiatorCompany started in 1910, established itsinitial facility on CanalStreet right abovethe Locks and quicklygrew to become adivision of GeneralMotors and one of themost iconic brands inautomotive history.

All of this richheritage still livesin the amazingarray of historicbuildings, tunnels,and infrastructuresurrounding theoriginal Flight ofFive and modern-day twin locks, andis being broughtback to life in a 21st

century renaissance that has generateda surge in new retail, industrial, andcommercial development throughoutthe Lockport area.

N Niagara Produces choice of Lockportas the home for its new facility in2009 sparked renewed interest indowntown commercial developmentand led to the establishment of avariety of new retail and servicebusinesses in the area.

N Technology giant Yahoo! (in 2010)and area electronics leader Trek,Inc. (in 2013) established majoroperations in Lockport.

N The Citys Canal Street Block, thesubject of a $5 million restorationproject, hosts four significant historicbuildings including the Erie CanalDiscovery Center and Penney Gallery.

N In May of this year, Lake Effect IceCream completed the renovation of a1910 building overlooking the Locksfor its manufacturing operations,scoop shop, and administrativeheadquarters.

N The Lake Effect Ice Cream project wasquickly followed by the opening ofthe newly constructed ticket officeand gift shop for the Lockport Cave& Underground Boat Ride attraction

directly above the Flight of Five.N Finally, last month saw the openingof the Flight of Five Winery in an1864 Canal-era stone building thatalso sits just above the Locks.

With more exciting new projects andattractions being planned and implement-ed, including the restoration of two of theoriginal Flight of Five locks into hand-op-erated working models and the construc-tion of a downtown hockey arena, Lock-port is poised for even more growth andinvestment. The following pages highlightonly some of the key activities and oppor-tunities that are making Lockport the talkof the business community.

Riding Lockport

Visitors get a tour of the Locks before taking theUnderground Boat Ride and Cave Tour

Serving our Customers

for Over 40 Years

Industrial - Commercial - Construction

50 Simonds St.

Lockport, NY 14094

phone: (716) 434-7301 fax: (716) 434-3553

[email protected]

Alliance Innovative Mfg.LACKAWANNA

David ChevroletNIAGARA FALLS

Presbyterian HomesLOCKPORT

2 | GREATER LOCKPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: PAID ADVERTORIAL SEPTEMBER 6, 2013


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Trek, Inc., an internationalmanufacturer of high voltageand electrostatic equipment, is

making a habit of reinventing space thatat one time housed Harrison Radiator.In 2011, the Medina, NY companypartnered with the Greater LockportDevelopment Corporation (GLDC) toredevelop Harrisons original CanalStreet facility into the Trek TechnologyCenter for research, development anddesign engineering. The results were

everything we hoped for and more,said Trek President Mike Dehn. Someof our peoplestartedreferringto it as TheCountryClub due tothe historicsetting, viewsof the Canal,and levelof activityaround theLocks.

In 2013,the companydeepened itscommitment

to Lockportby againpartnering with the GLDC, this timeon a$4 million renovation at HarrisonPlace for the companys corporateand manufacturing headquarters. The495,000 square foot industrial complexon Walnut Street in downtown Lockporthad been built out during the 1920sand 1930s as Harrison Radiators secondlocation after it became a division ofGeneral Motors, and it has now comeback to life as the home to Trek andalmost two dozen other companies.

While Treks move was justcompleted in July, the company already

has its sights set on future expansion.According to Dehn, The space andlocation is perfect for us. Now we haveevery amenity we could want withinwalking distance. The community hasbeen incredibly welcoming and we lookforward to growing in Lockport foryears to come.

Trek is not the only high-techcompany doubling down onLockport. After a successful start with itsinitial facilities in 2009, Yahoo recently

committed to investing an additional$168 million in their now 63-acre

Lockport campus, creating 125 newjobs and bringing the companys totalinvestment in the area to over $300million. Paul Bonaro, the data centerfacilities manager at the Lockportsite, said Yahoo executives werepleased with the performance of thefacility, the area labor force, and thesupport theyve received from the localcommunity. Theyre excited about theopportunity to establish a campus, hesaid. Theyre buying all the way intothis project. Yahoo is going to see itthrough. The pump is primed for futuregrowth here.

Wave of Success

Treks new conference space withtraining facility in the background

Yahoo is making their mark in Lockport

Were very proud to have been selected to workhand in hand with TREK to deliver an on time, on

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SEPTEMBER 6, 2013 GREATER LOCKPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: PAID ADVERTORIAL | 3


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Not on map: The Kenanand recreation

The Lockport Ice Arena and Sports Center ta

The Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Rideopened a new visitors center in 2013

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Nick Sinatras Lockport Retail Group, LLC purchasedthe 35,000 square foot City Center in 2013

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Lake Effect Artisan Ice Creams sleek scoop shop andnew manufacturing space opened in 2013

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Sweet Ride Bicycle Rental anchors Canal Street and theCommunity Market

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The site of the historic Flight of Five lock system

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Iconic Old City Hall became home to the Flight of Five Winery in 2013

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Exclusive photographs donated by

Dennis Stierer Photography



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community home for arts, education,

The Palace Theatre marquee,upgraded in 2012

Treks newtrainingspacewill bringtechniciansanddistributorsfromaround theworld

014 opening

The Market Street Art Center features studios, galleries,and shopping all under one roof

With over 40,000 annual passengers, the Lockport

Locks & Erie Canal Cruises is a major draw

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495,000 square feet of opportunity in 5 buildings

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B e l l



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Quality of Life Adds to

Arts and culture have longbeen woven into the fabric oflife in Lockport. The Palace

Theatre, Kenan Center, Market StreetArt Center, and the Erie Canal DiscoveryCenter and its PenneyGallery are only a fewof the contributorsto the Lockportexperience. The streetsare always alive withmusic, theater, and artand the City practicallybreathes historywith its stunningturn-of-the-centuryarchitecture, Canal-era stone buildings,and stately mansionsthat harken to thedays of the Citysearly merchants and

industrialists.Despite all of the

increased economicactivity, Lockport hasmanaged to maintainits communitycharacter and livability thanks to itsvibrant neighborhoods, beautiful andaffordable housing opportunities,first-rate schools, parks and otherrecreational venues, and thrivingsmall business environment. Add tothat a reputation as one of the mostfamily-friendly communities aroundand its no surprise that Lockport isalways mentioned as one of the mostdesirable areas to live in Western NewYork.

While it has always been known forits many recreational outlets, the Cityhas recently seen a surge of interestin activities that support a healthylifestyle. New trails and walkwaysthat have expanded hiking and cyclingopportunities have combined withinitiatives such as urban farming tocreate a sense of vitality throughoutthe community.

Lockports historical position asthe mercantile center for NiagaraCountys agricultural communityhas never been more evident thantoday. Farm-to-table and other localproduct initiatives are experiencing aresurgence and Lockport is at the heartof it. Niagara Produce Lockport, the

Flight of Five Winery, Blackman FarmsGourmet Foods, and Cream & Sugarare just some of the recently openedoutlets for local products within theCitys core.

Since 1925 The Palace has been offering liveperformances and movies to people of all ages

Local ingredients served with adelicious Elmwood flair

In just 3 years theCommunity Market onCanal Street has become ahot spot for area farmersand local vendors

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

COMMERCIAL I RESIDENTIAL

716.439.0518Ifax: 716.439.8266

P.O. Box 555ILockport, NY 14095

We look forward to continued successful businessdevelopment in the City of Lockport.

We are proud to be City of Lockportnatives and business owners.

Pleased to Welcome Trek toNiagaras Technology Corridor

Town of Lockport Industrial Development Agency716.439.9535www.lockporteconomicdevelopment.com

The road ahead looks as smooth as ice!

Waterbourne Construction Advisors, LLC

2430 North Forest Road, Suite 120

Getzville, NY 14068

Phone: 716-564-3944

Heres to Lockport!

We fll buildings with businessesthat create jobs or people.

Manager & Leasing Agent for Harrison Place in Lockport, NY

Since 1959Commercial RE Brokerage Property Management

Business IncubatorConsulting Leadership

B. Tomas Mancuso, SIOR585.343.2800 www.mancusgroup.com



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ealthy Business Environment

If success is measured in activity,people, and smiles, then the 2013season in the Locks Heritage District

in downtown Lockport has alreadybeen a winner in all respects. Whetherit was the buzz of tourists visiting theLocks and the Erie Canal DiscoveryCenter, music from a dozen outdoorpianos as part of the Sweet Harmonypromotion, the inaugural Chalk Festivalfor artists and children, an episode ofthe popular cable television series GhostHunters filming in Old City Hall and theLockport Caves, the Friday Night LabattConcert Series, the Farmers Marketon Canal Street each Saturday, theshooting of a movie featuring MatthewBroderick and Janeane Garafalo, orthe openings of Lake Effect Ice Cream,the Flight of Five Winery, and thenew ticket office and gift shop for theLockport Cave Tour and UndergroundBoat Ride, it seemed as though therewas something special happening everyday of the week.

And the best is yet to come. Withina matter of weeks, work will begin onthe long-anticipated restoration of thehistoric Flight of Five. Once the first twohand-operated lock gates are madeoperable, a replica 1840s-era packetboat will be designed and built by theBuffalo Maritime Center to traverse the

locks daily. Based on a New York Statesponsored economic impact analysis,this engineering marvel will draw anestimated 250,000 visitors to the LocksHeritage District each season.

People are taking noticeSince the announcement of the

Flight of Five restoration, Locks HeritageDistrict businesses have invested over$2 million in capital improvementsfor expansions and new operations.The public sector is doing its part withinfrastructure upgrades to support

business growth and to accommodatethe continued increase in pedestrians,cyclists, boaters, cars, and buses. Someof the highlights for the area include:

N A new train platform being completedin partnership with the Medina RailMuseum to begin running foliage andwinery tours this fall.

N New York States commitmentto funding a multi-million dollarupgrade of the Erie CanalwayRecreational Trail throughLockport, Pendleton, and Amherst.Upgrades will allow the Trail,which runs through the heart ofthe Locks Heritage District, to rununencumbered from Buffalo toFairport.

NThe City of Lockportsconstruction of a newPine Street parking areathat will add 50 parkingspaces to the Districtscurrent capacity.

With 2013 alreadybreaking seasonal salesand attendance records ata host of area attractions,the only question is howmuch activity will continueto skyrocket in 2014 andbeyond.

The inaugural Sweet ChalkFestival was a hit on Canal Street

Canal Street has become a tourism andrecreational destination

Pleased to have been a par of Lockporsprogess for over een years.

Providing community and economic development services tomunicipalities, industrial development agencies, and not-or-proft

development organizations throughout Upstate New York.

5852 Forest Creek Drive East Amherst, NY 14051

Phone: (716) 689-2980 Fax: (716) 689-6123 [email protected]

H. SicHerman & company, inc.Development Consulting And Management

ESTABLISHED 2002 12 West Main Street | Lo ckport | jf itzgeraldgroup.com

this ishome.

This is our international port for business.

Marketing | Incentives | Branding

From the Liberty Building, to Rochester, to Lockport.

Rupp Baase supports the City of Lockportas we both continue to grow.

WWW.RUPPBAASE.COM



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Niagara County Center forEconomic Development

Samuel M. Ferraro, Commissioner(716) 278-8750

[email protected]

Greater LockportDevelopment Corporation

Chuck Bell, President(716) 439-6688

[email protected]

Lockport IndustrialDevelopment Agency

David Kinyon, Administrative Director(716) 439-9535

[email protected]

Lockport Main Street, Inc.Heather Peck, Program Manager

(716) [email protected]

A historic building in asignature location:57 Canal Street isa beautifully restored three-story historic building

located in the heart of the Citys busy Locks HeritageDistrict. Its stunning views into the Locks, tourist

activity, and ample parking make this 21,000 squarefoot facility perfect for the development of a

boutique hotel with restaurant/brewpub. Financialincentives are available and a PILOT has already been

approved providing five tax-free years.

140,000 square feet ofincomparable space: With fivebuildings forming a 495,000 square foot campus,including The Atrium (shown above), HarrisonPlace provides unique and flexible spaceconfigurations for companies ranging in size fromTrek, Inc. (48,000 square feet/90 employees) tothe smallest start-ups. Owned by a subsidiary ofthe GLDC, Harrison Place offers quality, value, andconvenience that adds up to opportunity.

Greater Lockport

The Greater Lockport Development Corporation has control of two strategicsites in the heart of Lockport that are primed for development. The GLDCs

progressive business-friendly mission and its access to financial incentivescreate outstanding opportunities at 57 Canal Street and at Harrison Place.

Contact Information:


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