USA, NY: Ellicottville Brewing Co. eyeing vacant building in Little Valley for its new expansion project

Ellicottville Brewing Co. has Little Valley on tap for its latest expansion project, Buffalo Business First reported on October 27.

Fresh off opening its third location in Bemus Point in Chautauqua County, Ellicottville Brewing is eying a vacant building in the heart of Little Valley, also in Cattaraugus County where the brewer is based. The latest development would include a brewery and adjoining tasting room and an outdoor concert venue and a museum that would focus on the history of local and regional craft brewers.

The project carries a $5.5 million development price tag and could see Ellicottville Brewing Co. hire as many as 30 new workers.

“This project hits on many economic development silos,” said Corey Wiktor, County of Cattaraugus Industrial Development Agency.

The CCIDA is working with Peter Kreinheder, Ellicottville Brewing Co. founder, on a variety of incentives. The IDA is expected to vote on the plan next month.

Wiktor said the project qualifies for tax breaks because it is manufacturing based but also has a tourism, agri-business and adaptive re-use attributes.

Additionally, it will bring a vacant, two-story, 75,000-square-foot building in Little Valley back to life while creating new jobs in the small town. Little Valley is less than 10 miles from Ellicottville.

“Anyway you look at it, this project has a lot of pluses attached to it,” Wiktor said. “For Peter, this is the next step is the progression and growth of his company.”

Work on the building, last used by Salamanca Beverage Co. as a distribution center, will be extensive, including roof and siding repairs, parking lot improvements and electrical upgrades — all needed before beer-making equipment can be installed.

Unlike Ellicottville Brewing Co.’s locations in Ellicottville, Fredonia and Bemus Point, the focus on the Little Valley project will be on beer production, the concert venue and museum.

Little Valley will be the company’s primary brewery while Ellicottville will shift to the production on a new line of aged beers.

Founded in 1995, Ellicottville Brewery Co. now sells its beer in four states and in South Korea.

The company has 160 employees spread among its three locations.

Work on the project is expected to start later this winter with the production facility and tasting room anticipated to open late next year and the concert venue and museum to follow in 2018.

27 October, 2016