A 475,000 s/f building in the city's downtown area is being revitalized to help small businesses start, grow and create jobs. The Mancuso Business Development Group has been hired by the Greater Lockport Development Corp. (GLDC) to lead the project. The GLDC's objectives for the property, originally built as the Harrison Radiator manufacturing plant in the early 1900s, are to create jobs, improve the property and become profitable in a three-year period.
The building will be renamed "Harrison Place" and will focus its marketing efforts on entrepreneurs in the region, including the greater Buffalo area, Niagara County and Ontario, Canada. Small businesses create more than 70% of net new jobs in America according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. 98% of Niagara County business establishments are small businesses (almost 78% have fewer than nine employees).
In addition to a $250,000 grant from senator Masiarz, a Restore NY grant of $1.5 million has just been awarded. The combination of these kinds of programs with improvements in building operations is expected to fund the revitalization. Tags: