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Agency funds Canal Side, 4 other projects

By Jonathan D. Epstein

January 13, 2010

 The Empire State Development Corp. awarded $11.33 million to five Western New York projects, with nearly half of it—$5million— going to the Canal Side project on the Buffalo waterfront, the state agency announced.

The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. will use the money for its Canal Side Phase III projects, including the Bass Pro Outdoor World Store. In all, plans call for 1,095,000 square feet of commercial, cultural and residential space on more than 20 acres.

The goal is to provide year-round offerings such as restaurants, entertainment venues, retail outlets, cultural attractions, public space and access to the Buffalo River.

Another $3.15 million went to Baja Beach Club Inc. to convert the long-vacant Curtiss Building at Franklin and West Huron streets into a boutique hotel. Plans call for the complete rehabilitation of the building and construction of a new banquet facility on an adjacent property that will be demolished.

The Town of Tonawanda received $1 million for its Riverwalk East Park Connector, which will link the North Youngmann Commerce Center—a vacant, unimproved site owned and served by the town — and the nearby Riverview Commerce Park, which is owned by Broad Elm Management.

The project involves building 5,900 feet of roadway, with utilities such as water, sanitary sewer and storm water sewer, from the current end of East Park Drive to the current end of Riverwalk Parkway. It will also include construction of a bridge for trucks to gain access to the two parks.

The work will provide infrastructure to develop 227 vacant acres in the commerce parks — 135 in Riverview and 92 in North Youngmann.

Newbrook Machine Corp. in Silver Creek received $175,000 to put up a new building and buy equipment to expand its product offering and push into new markets.

An additional $2 million was awarded to Merani Hospitality’s Fallside Hotel renovation in Niagara Falls.

In total, Empire State Development gave out $22.4 million in Upstate Regional Blueprint Funding for 23 projects, as part of a $120 million fund to benefit the upstate economy.

jepstein@buffnews.com