OBSERVER Photo by Mary Heyl Pictured is the planned site for the new Hampton Inn on the four acres of vacant land located adjacent to and behind the Comfort Inn located at 3925 Vineyard Drive in the town of Dunkirk.

Project sponsor Jay Patel is hoping to break ground on the Hampton Inn planned for Vineyard Drive in the town of Dunkirk sometime in January. The 47,000-square feet hotel will be located next to Patel’s Comfort Inn at 3925 Vineyard Drive. Patel and his company also own the Best Western on Vineyard Drive, the Hampton Inn in Jamestown and approximately two dozen other hotels in Western New York.

On Wednesday afternoon, the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency hosted a public hearing at the Town of Dunkirk Town Hall regarding Lake Erie Hotel, LLC’s application to the CCIDA for sales and use tax and mortgage recording tax exemptions. Kristine Morabito, the CCIDA business development manager who has been working with the applicant, invited comments from the public regarding the application,

Town of Dunkirk Supervisor Dick Purol asked if the application involved a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreement or if the requested exemptions were meant “just financially to get them started?” Morabito deferred to Matthew Mazgaj, a lawyer from the Phillips Lytle firm that is representing the CCIDA.

“That is correct,” Mazgaj responded. “The request here, as Kristine noted, is potential exemptions from sales and use taxes and mortgage recording taxes, and will not be subject to a 412a or any property tax assistance.” In other words, the applicant is still responsible for all real property taxes, special assessments and other related levies.

After eight minutes, Morabito closed the public hearing, as there were no further comments or questions from the public. Morabito will be bringing all public comments (and any written correspondence received) to the CCIDA board for review. She explained that the application is a tentative agenda item for the next CCIDA meeting, which is scheduled for Nov. 27.

Following the hearing, Patel shared his plans with the OBSERVER. “This is something that is much needed,” he said of the proposed hotel. “I wish the project would have been here earlier, but for various reasons, we have had to push it back. Now for the past six months, we have been working, getting through the various stages like the planning board. As soon as we get the permit, we are ready to start.”

Patel regrets that the hotel will not be open for summer 2019, which was part of the original plan. However, he was pleased to share that financing with a local bank has been secured. “We are ready to start the project as soon as we get the necessary permits and approvals,” he stated.

“I’m hoping now, with the meeting that’s scheduled coming up, that by January we can break ground. It will be done, I would say, by September or October 2019. It’s about a nine-month project,” said Patel. Patel feels the brand new, modern hotel with top notch amenities will be a great addition to his other hotels in Dunkirk.