In Lewiston, the nearly 200-year-old Frontier House has been approved for a $100,000 National Grid economic development grant.

National Grid has provided $376,000 in economic development grants to support five Western New York-area projects.

Among the grants is a $100,000 grant to be used to support a $2 million Cayuga Landings Brewery and Restaurant Project that will breathe new life into a vacant waterfront property in Niagara Falls.

Funding was made available through National Grid’s Main Street Revitalization program, which is used to support renewal plans of main streets and commercial corridors in villages, towns and cities within the company’s service territory.

"The Cayuga Landings Brewery and Restaurant Project is a welcome addition to the new Niagara Falls we are working to build," said Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino. "This administration encourages and supports development in underutilized areas -- especially those along our waterfront. As we continue creating a revitalized city and community, we intend to do everything possible to facilitate the efforts of people looking to do business in Niagara Falls."

Willberco Development Inc. President and Owner William Barrons, above, is reviewing an artist's rendering of the completed Frontier House with National Grid Lead Economic Developer Mary Grace Welch. He said that when renovation is finished, sometime next year, the 6,200-square-foot building at 519 Cayuga Dr. will include a state-of-the-art brewery, kitchen, tasting room and restaurant with outdoor waterfront recreation areas.

“The restaurant will include three levels of dining space, including patios and the first rooftop dining area in Niagara Falls, N.Y.,” Barrons said. “Cayuga Landings will become a family destination for dining and recreation, as we’ll be building new decks and areas for watercraft rental, floating docks and landings.”

Barrons appreciates the support from National Grid, which helped make his vision a reality.
           
“We’re grateful for the economic development grant that National Grid provided,” he said. “They’ve been a terrific partner throughout this entire process.”

Historic Lewiston building receives $100k grant  
A separate $100,000 Main Street Revitalization grant will be used by developer 4600 Group LLC as part of a $5.2 million conversion of the historic Frontier House in Lewiston into a mixed-use building.
 
Built in 1824, Frontier House earned the distinction as one of America’s finest hotels by the end of the 19^th Century. The building has been on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Niagara County since 1974. Besides a hotel, the building has been a private home, a fine dining restaurant, museum and a McDonald's restaurant.
 
Redevelopment plans include reinvigorating the property with restaurant space in the basement, first floor office and tenant spaces, and a mix of short- and long-term living spaces throughout. The outside of the building will resemble what it looked like in its horse and buggy days.

Expansion projects receive grants
Additionally, National Grid provided grants through its Electric Capital Investment Incentive program to award three Erie County companies a total of $176,500 to support their expansion projects.

The Electric Capital Investment Incentive program provides funds to offset costs associated with utility infrastructure upgrades to accommodate business expansion or new construction projects. It is one of 18 economic development programs that the company offers to support public and private investments that focus on site development, urban revitalization, job retention, marketing, growth of the regional economy, and more. 

The three projects in Erie County that are benefitting from National Grid funding include:

Gear Motions consolidating operations to serve global customers
Gear Motions is building a -new $8.7 million, 56,000-square-foot custom gear manufacturing facility at 75 Pirson Parkway in Tonawanda that will create efficiencies and room to grow as the company consolidates operations of Niagara Gear and Oliver Gear.  A $135,000 National Grid economic development grant will offset total electricity costs related to new pad-mounted electricity service.

Akron company expansion to enable pursuit of new business
To meet demand, Akron-based J.W. Burg Machine & Tool is adding around $500,000 of new equipment that requires upgraded electricity service. Company officials say that the upgrades will help the company remain competitive and attract new customers. J.W. Burg was approved for a $35,000 National Grid grant, which will offset costs associated with electricity contractor work related to the new service.

New CNC Machine at Amherst Location Requires Electricity Service Upgrade
In Amherst, N.Y., German hydraulic component manufacturer MHA Zentgraf GmbH is adding a third computer numeric control (CNC) machine, which requires an upgrade of electricity service to satisfy requirements if similar additional machines eventually are needed. The CNC method automates the control of machine tools through software that connects to CNC machines, which are commonly used for machining metal and plastic parts. A $6,500 grant was approved to cover costs related to the upgrade.

More about National Grid’s Economic Development Programs
National Grid’s economic development grant program aligns with the company’s Project C initiative. This community commitment is designed to be a collaborative effort with customers and those in the communities that the company serves to positively impact sustainability, neighborhood and community investment, and workforce development. 

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