Reprinted from Post Journal 2/7/10
A new state-of-the-art medical facility is being planned for Jamestown in hopes of providing better treatment to patients, but also to help recruit doctors.
The 31 Sherman Street Investors will be developing the project, believe it or not, at 31 Sherman St., near WCA Hospital. The project will consist of renovating the 34,500 square foot building located on a two-acre parcel into the Orthopedic Center of Excellence.
Bill Daly, Industrial Development Agency director, said 50 percent of the facility will be owned by WCA Hospital with local doctors and developers possessing the other half.
The IDA will hold a public hearing on the project at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25 at its 200 Harrison St. location to discuss the financial assistance the county will give the developers. Daly said the IDA will help with exemptions on sales taxes for materials used in the renovation of the building, exempting the mortgage recording tax and providing a payment in lieu of tax agreement.
''The need for doctors is high,'' Daly said. ''It's very difficult to recruit doctors now. In Chautauqua County, in the Southern Tier, there are only two orthopedic surgeons. These are good doctors, but they have a heavy workload. The hospital and the orthopedic group has a need to recruit. With a first-class quality facility they will be able to attract physicians. This is an extreme important need in the community.''
The IDA will also hold a public hearing for a Clymer-based business at 9:30 a.m. on March 4 at the Clymer Community Building. Maplevale Farms is looking to renovate and add a 36,000 square foot addition at 8956 W. Main St., Clymer. The company will seek exemptions on sales taxes for materials used in the renovation and on the mortgage recording tax, and a PILOT agreement with the IDA. Daly said the project will be a new distribution center for Maplevale Farms. ''This is extremely good news,'' he said. ''They're doing a nice expansion.''
By Dennis Phillips
