SILVER CREEK — The Hanover Community Chamber of Commerce is working to organize a committee to help catalogue empty business properties in order to help find new uses for the space. Hanover Community Chamber President Rick Klisiewicz noted there are approximately fifteen empty storefronts in the town.

“I am disheartened at the number of vacant and underutilized properties within our town. We have been entrusted by local business people to help drive business in our town. I would like to take on the challenge of cataloging these buildings and to work towards new uses for them,” he said.

The first objective is to form a committee with local business stakeholders, elected officials, and landlords, and then to hold a brainstorming session on how to fill the vacant spaces and drive foot traffic to the community. Klisiewicz is working with the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency and the County Land Bank to seek guidance and assistance.

Klisiewicz added, “Maybe we could come up with incentives that would benefit the building owners as well as the business trying to occupy, whether as a startup or a new location. This will increase employment opportunities, drive foot traffic and increase our share of sales tax revenue.”

In other news the Hanover Community Chamber of Commerce approved Matt Shaw as a new committee member representing VFW Post 6472 Silver Creek. The annual Silver Creek Yard Sales have been approved for the 28th year by the Silver Creek Village Board for Saturday, August 1. Volunteers will be needed to help sell yard sale maps. The Chamber is also seeking window painting artists and a coordinator for the annual downtown Silver Creek window painting contest during the Silver Creek Festival of Grapes in September.

The Hanover Community Chamber of Commerce met at Silver Creek’s newest restaurant, Villaggio Italiano. In attendance were Klisiewicz, Kelly Borrello, Judy Hilliker, Matt Shaw, Aimee Rogers representing Imagine Forestville, Silver Creek Mayor Jeff Hornburg, and Village Historian Louis Pelletter.

For more information about the Hanover Community Chamber of Commerce contact Rick Klisiewicz at (716) 410-7425 or Coordinator Dave Kleparek at (716) 366-6200.