OBSERVER Photo by Gregory Bacon Maplevale Chief Executive Officer Keith Rogers said the tax incentives offered by Chautauqua County helped them decide to build a new facility in Findley Lake, instead of moving to Pennsylvania.

A Falconer food distribution company is looking to start construction of its new multi-million facility in Findley Lake area next month.

On Thursday, the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency’s Board of Directors approved tax breaks for Maplevale Farms to construct a new 150,000 square foot $41.3 million refrigerated warehouse facility and distribution center at 3196 Route 426, in the town of Mina.

Maplevale Farms has been at 2063 Allen Street Extension in the town of Ellicott just outside the village for the last 15 years.

Chief Executive Officer Keith Rogers said they can’t expand their current facility any further and need to move.

He said they had been eyeing a property in Pennsylvania, however due to the tax incentives offered by the county IDA, they chose to stay in Chautauqua County.

He said they like the Route 426 property in part because of the easy access to I-86, close proximity to I-90, and it’s actually quicker to get to Buffalo.

The move will mean the retention of 213 jobs, as well as additional 23 jobs. The construction work will create 300-400 temporary positions.

At Thursday’s meeting, Rogers said they would be going to the Mina Town Board that evening to get final approval. Should that be given, he said they plan to break ground in October.

FALCONER

LOCATION

Before moving to its current facility on Allen Street, Maplevale had been located in the town of Clymer. Rogers noted that they were in the process of building an expansion about 15 years ago when heavy snow collapsed the roof.

They quickly relocated to the Allen Street property, which had been owned by Sysco Food Services but was no longer there.

“With the county’s help as well, we were able to seamlessly, in two weeks, move and have continuous operation,” he said.

But ever since moving there, Rogers said they knew long-term they would need to go elsewhere.

“Our business is one of logistics and efficiency. We move boxes. They just happen to have food in them, refrigerated or frozen. The warehouse was quite inefficient especially as we grew,” he said.

With their eventual departure from their current Allen Street location, county IDA Chief Executive Officer Mark Geise said they will work hard to find a new business to utilize that space.

“We will work proactively to make sure that building gets a good tenant,” he said.

Rogers said he’s already been approached regarding their current building.

“We’ve already experienced interest, so I’m excited for that phase of it,” he said.

TAX INCENTIVES

The county IDA Board of Directors approved a 10-year Payment In Lieu Of Taxes agreement which would include sales tax exemption, mortgage tax abatement and property tax abatement. The PILOT will produce payments to taxing jurisdictions in the amount of $1,190,296. The property tax exemptions total $2,177,193. Sales tax savings are around $2 million with mortgage recording tax savings at $465,340.

The resolutions were unanimously approved.

IDA Board Chairman thanked the board for making it possible for Maplevale to stay in the county.

“We were ‘that’ close to losing them, so it’s a little extra special that we’re able to retain all those jobs and stay in our community,” he said.

County Executive PJ Wendel thanked everyone as well.

“This is keeping jobs here. They were out the door. We stopped them before they left. I think that’s huge and it’s critical to keep that workforce here in Chautauqua County,” he said.