Local businesses seek to grow, with help from Wheatfield

By Benjamin Joe

On Monday, two expanding businesses sought approval from the Town of Wheatfield Board to begin the process of financing their projects with Community Development Block Grants, which also promise the creation of over 50 new local jobs.

The Town Board approved the two requests for funding following the public hearings, which did not draw any comments.

Chuck Bell, an economic development adviser for the Wheatfield Local Development Corp., summarized the request to board members: Pellicano’s Marketplace is in the midst of expanding its location on Niagara Falls Boulevard, while Swogier Construction Inc. in Sanborn is looking to build a new facility on Walmore Road.

“The way the process goes is when you have a project where you’re seeing significant private investment and job creation, and at least half of those jobs are somewhat akin to entry level, where people don’t need to have very specific training or experience – you’re really just improving the overall economic health in the community – and you can apply for these funds,” Bell said.

The funds are from the federal government, Bell said, and in other communities like Buffalo or Syracuse, they would be allocated through federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In smaller communities, the funding comes from the state – in this case, the New York State Office of Community Renewal, which is requested by the town.

Pellicano’s Marketplace and Swogier are asking for $750,000 and $100,000, respectively, creating 50 and four to eight full-time-equivalent jobs.

Chris Pellicano, of Pellicano’s Marketplace, said he expects to hire staffers for all departments in his grocery store.

“Our projection is we’re going to create 50 full-time-equivalents, which is what the state requires,” he said.

“It’s not just jobs, it’s full-time equivalents. So, if I hire 75 people with 23 hours, it averages out to 50 full-time-equivalents,” Pellicano estimated, noting the process was more complicated, but that is how he understands it. “Basically, they want to make sure I’m hiring people.”

At this time, the breakdown has not been made for how much of the funding will be in the form of deferrable loans, basically a grant, which does not have to be paid back if all requirements by the state are followed.

According to Richard Torcasio, secretary of the WLDC, that part of the funds will also be paid back to the WLDC. He noted Pellicano’s Marketplace paid back a former loan through the WLDC very quickly.

At this point, WLDC can help other businesses with those returned loans and work under its own requirements for funding.