P.O. Box 1002
Port Jervis, New York 12771
(845) 858-4024 - Voice
Meetings are held the 4th Thursday Wednesday of the month
2 Year Term
John Russell, Chairman
1-31-09
Reverend Steven Houston
1-31-09
Stanley Siegel
1-31-09
Hank Dunn
Russell Potter
Kevin P. Cunningham
Robert Onofry, Attorney
Since
1981, The Port Jervis Community Development Agency (PJCDA) has been the City's local
administrator of federal, state and local funds for housing and public improvements and
economic development programs. The mission
of the Agency is to preserve the City's housing stock, upgrade and improve public
infrastructure and leverage private investment through the use of available public
resources to retain and attract new industry, promote employment opportunities and improve
the quality of housing and neighborhoods in the community.
PJCDA
is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors committed to the economic prosperity of
the community and quality of life for its citizens. Located
in the heart of the City's downtown district, PJCDA has spearheaded the growth and
expansion of many small businesses and created a public/private partnership for
revitalization of the City's Central Business District and enhancement of the City's tax
base.
Downtown Comes Alive!
The
City of Port Jervis maintains a strong connection to its past while paving the way for a
prosperous future. Many of the buildings in
the downtown district date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, resembling the
charm and character of the Victorian era with elaborately decorated facades, eye-catching
streetscapes and turn-of-the century lighting.
Through the efforts of PJCDA, the
City has been awarded more than $4 million in Small Cities Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG) federal funds of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. These funds provided the impetus for the
investment of nearly $10 million of private capital for creation/expansion of 20
businesses and 150 jobs in the community, with a primary focus on a comprehensive
revitalization program in the City's downtown district.
In
recognizing the City's progress in its downtown district, Port Jervis was honored as the
1995 New York State Main Street Award Winning Community.
The
ERIE DEPOT, a national historic landmark located in downtown Port Jervis, is the crown
jewel of a community bearing a rich and proud railroad heritage. This structure, once
doomed for demolition, was rescued by railroad enthusiasts who organized the Depot
Preservation Society and purchased the building in 1984 for $50,000. An ambitious project of historic preservation and
restoration was originally started with private donations from local residents, many of
whom were retired railroad workers from Port Jervis and the surrounding communities. Restorations continued with public funds including
the HUD-funded UDAG program and an economic development loan from the Small Cities CDBG
Program which assisted in the establishment of the Depot Museum, a proud display of
memorabilia reminiscent of the City's famous Railroad era.
With the rapid depletion of public funds, private investment was critical to assure
the success of this important project. In
1993, the Erie Depot was sold to local developers interested in adapting reuse of the
building for retail and essential services.
Today,
the Erie Depot serves as an historic retail center occupied by a Medicine Shoppe pharmacy,
health foods store, antiques & gift shop and a telecommunications company, all locally
owned and operated by members of the community. With
the assistance of additional CDBG funds awarded in 1994, the building owners constructed
an ADA-approved elevator for handicapped accessibility to the second floor which currently
houses the offices of the Port Jervis Community Development Agency.
The Erie Hotel & Restaurant, a
mixed-use structure destroyed by fire in January 1993, has been restored by its owner as a
restaurant and banquet facility. The top
floors of the building was renovated as a Victorian-style Bed & Breakfast to
accommodate area visitors taking in the scenic beauty of the Delaware River and
surrounding mountains. This building captures
the feel and flavor of its neighboring partner, the Erie Depot, in terms of historic
railroad theme and Victorian charm. The
interior of the restaurant is a constant reminder of the early railroad and canal days of
Port Jervis, consisting of rail artifacts, pictures of a turn-of-the century community
(donated by the Minisink Valley Historical Society) and an antique Wells Fargo safe
leading to the outdoor cafe which is open to restaurant patrons during the warm weather
season.
This project was made possible by a
joint venture of private lenders, public funds and owner equity. Bank funds were provided through a consortium of
area lenders under the Community Preservation Corporation as well as Small Cities CDBG
funds of the Port Jervis Community Development Agency.
The
Erie Depot and Erie Hotel & Restaurant represents the truest sense of public/private
partnership with the active participation and support of local residents, the business
community and local government.
PJCDA continued revitalization efforts in the Port Jervis downtown center assisting in the creation of 20 new handicapped-accessible senior citizen apartments, renovation of 8 new commercial storefronts, and public improvements in the Pike Street corridor of the City's downtown district.
Workforce Development & Training
Community
Development funds also assisted in the establishment of the City's first Business
Development & Workforce Training Center, the Port Jervis Economic Resource Development
Complex.
In
partnership with the City, PJCDA and Orange County Community College, the center provides
job training & employment services to area residents, and business development
services to start-up companies and existing small business owners. The Complex, which also offers credit and
non-credit courses of Orange County Community College, is equipped with a state-of-the-art
computer lab and Distance Leaning Center (via the Internet).
* New
York State Department of Labor
* Orange County Partnership
http://
www.ocpartnership.org
*
Orange County Workforce Investment Board
*
Small Business Development Center
*
Hudson Valley Technology Development Center
The
Hudson Valley School-To-Work Alliance is also a partner of the PJERDC offering summer
youth employment opportunities and mentoring services for high school students to prepare
young persons in the community for college and careers.
In
meeting the training needs of Port Jervis employers, the PJERDC also serves as a satellite for advanced technology
that provides training for professionals in the technical fields who require specialized
skills. PJERDC staff develop custom-tailored
technological training programs, such as the ISO 9000 and ISO 14000, for small businesses
and major employers in need of workforce skills enhancement.
Be Your Own BOSS!
The
City was recently awarded a Small Cities CDBG Grant to establish the Business Orientation
and Survival Skills (BOSS) Program. This
economic development initiative represents a continued partnership of government, industry
and education for small business growth and development to encourage the creation of
entrepreneurial businesses and provide a "safety net" for our growing, existing
small business owners.
The
BOSS program combines incubator-type services such as shared office space, staff and
equipment at low cost with technical services and training in the area of business plans,
marketing/advertising, accounting & budgets, product development and application of
new technologies. BOSS program services are
tailored to the individual needs of start-up and existing small businesses to assure their
economic survival, particularly during the early stages of a company's growth when the
majority of small business owners are most vulnerable.
Orange County Community College will deliver services through a network of
providers, professional trainers and the education and business resources of the
College/IBIG division and Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
The
BOSS program will be located in a city-owned vacant building in the downtown district
where businesses will be visible and accessible to new and existing customers. Total investment in the BOSS program is close to
$1 million combining the City's CDBG funds with other public/private investment through
Orange County Community College, the Small Business Development Center and renovation
funds for the building site as provided by the Port Jervis Industrial Development Agency.
Grow America - Helps Port Jervis Businesses Grow
The
City launched its first Small Business Loan Program as a cooperative venture with the
national small business lending company, Grow America Fund, Inc..
Small
Cities CDBG funds of $75,000 provided the seed capital for a $375,000 loan pool making
available guaranteed loan funds of the U.S. Small Business Administration for small
businesses in the Port Jervis community. Loan
funds can be used for land and building acquisition, property improvements, purchase of
machinery/equipment and the working capital needs of expanding companies.
One of
the city's premier locales is "Riverside Park", a 20-acre, municipally-owned
parksite and recreational complex located near the Port Jervis downtown business district. With the funding assistance of the New York State
Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, PJCDA has assisted the city in the
continued development of this prime river site by providing residents and tourists with
expanded recreational facilities in the park and new water access for recreation and
enjoyment of the Delaware River.
In the
summer of 2000, the City constructed its first boat launch at Riverside Park to
accommodate rafts, canoes and paddle boats, the popular water sports enjoyed by residents
and area visitors alike. A new 150' dockside
pier has also been added to the riverfront for the benefit of fishing enthusiasts who
frequent the Delaware waters in search of shad, bass and trout. The new fishing pier is also a promising site for
local fishing tournaments which are sponsored through local sports clubs and recreation
groups. Dockside view finders, installed at
the river bank, will give park visitors an "up close and personal" view of the
river and its majestic landscape.
To
extend use of the park during the winter months, a combination ice skating and hockey rink
will be installed providing year-round activities at Riverside Park. The city has also constructed a pavilion for
outdoor concerts, community presentations, and nature talks as well as the many cultural
programs sponsored by the Minisink Valley Historical Society. Residents and visitors can also take a stroll
along the famous Delaware River Heritage Trail, a 5-mile path which crosses Riverside Park
and ends at the historic Tri-States Rock, a monument to the 100-year old boundary dispute
between the New York and New Jersey colonies which is centrally-located in the states of
New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The
city has also added new colorful playground equipment for the kids and picnic tables for
families choosing to "dine out" by the Delaware River.
With its close proximity to the Port
Jervis downtown center, Riverside Park enhances the active and ongoing revitalization of
this prime city area to spur increased traffic and tourism, by adding another picturesque
quality to the Central Business District. Visitors,
enjoying a day of shopping, sightseeing and dining, can take a paddle boat ride down the
river, walk along the nature trail or take in a concert at the park pavilion. Downtown employees can also break for lunch at the
park and take in the breathtaking views of the Delaware and all its natural beauty.
Coming
Attractions....
PORT JERVIS WELCOMES
"SAVE-A-LOT"
By the
end of 2000, the City of Port Jervis will welcome a new supermarket to its downtown
district. Save-A-Lot, a high quality,
value-priced grocery chain, will be locally owned and operated by two successful young
entrepreneurs. Since the closing of the Great American in February 1999, the city had been
aggressively marketing for a new grocery store to meet the demand of local residents who
must now travel to Pennsylvania and New Jersey to do their food shopping.
The
Port Jervis Save-A-Lot store will be centrally-located in a prime commercial center of the
City's downtown. The new Save-A-Lot will
occupy 15,000 s.f. of retail space in a commercial building which was the former home of
the city's A&P supermarket. Family
Dollar, a popular retailer, will be the Save-A-Lot's neighbor. Property owners, Michael & Kathleen Hylas, are
currently expanding the Family Dollar store in anticipation of increased customer base and
demand for retail services at the site.
According
to William Moran, Jr., President and CEO of Save-A-Lot, "Having independent persons
in the community own and operate our stores brings an entrepreneurial spirit to the
Save-A-Lot family." Independent
operators are the lifeblood of the Save-A-Lot retail business where interest and demand in
the local marketplace is driven by "word of mouth" advertising and growth of the
company's customer base is promoted through "homegrown" retail stores.
Water's
Edge Senior Campus...Retirement Living at its Finest!
Also
during this year, the city will break ground on a new affordable senior housing
development to be constructed on a former 7-acre industrial site located near the Port
Jervis downtown center. Water's Edge Senior
Campus will consist of 120 one-bedroom rental units overlooking the beautiful Neversink
River. The development will also include a
Senior Center and 40 additional units of senior assisted living. The housing development will offer seniors the
amenities of a community room for meetings, clubs and activities, laundry facilities and
an ADA-approved elevator for handicapped-accessibility.
Support services of home-based health care, housekeeping and congregate dining will
also be available for seniors of the assisted living residences.
Water's Edge Senior Campus is ideally
located near the downtown district where senior residents can easily access shopping,
banking and doctor's offices. Dial-A-Bus
transportation and home-delivered meals will also be available at the new senior housing
development.
Water's
Edge Senior Campus expands housing choice in Port Jervis for the benefit of our senior
residents who comprise a large segment of the city's population. Quality housing at affordable rents, combined with
support services, will assure our senior residents can remain in their community to enjoy
their retirement years with family and friends.
Financing
Opportunities
There
are a wide variety of financing programs available to businesses in the city of Port
Jervis, administered by the Port Jervis Community Development Agency (PJCDA) and Port
Jervis Industrial Development Agency (PJIDA)
* Take Five Facade Loan Program - provides loan
financing for commercial property owners in need of funding assistance for building
exterior improvements. Rates are as low as 5%
with terms of 5-10 years and loan amounts of $5,000 to $20,000
*
Business Loan Program - in cooperation with the Grow America Fund (GAF), an SBA-7A
approved lender, providing long-term, reasonably-priced financing for purchase of
machinery/equipment, acquisition and renovations to commercial property and working
capital for small businesses
*
Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program - HUD-funded program which makes capital available to
for-profit businesses with the goal of job creation - terms range from 7-15 years based on
financial need and rates are tied to the U.S. Treasury bills
*
Small Cities CDBG Program - provides long-term, low- interest rate financing for new and
expanding companies with job creation activities. Funding
is based on an annual competitive application to the New York State Empire State
Development Corporation for pre-approved projects
*
Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) - issued by the PJIDA for financing of capital investment
projects initiated by for-profit businesses. Rates and
terms on based on bonds sold in the
secondary market to private investors.
*
Orange & Rockland Utilities: - offers utility rate discount and incentive programs to
expanding manufacturing businesses
Banking & Finance
The
City of Port Jervis is the home of several commercial lending institutions in the
community:
Bank
of New York (BNY)
Charter
One Bank
Fleet
Bank
Hudson
United Bank (HUB)
LA
Bank
M&T
Bank
Deposits
at local banks total nearly $75M with a significant investment in community-based and
small business lending.
Other
financial institutions in the city are the brokerage house of Smith-Barney Associates and
the Progress Development Corporation, a certified SBA-504 lender providing
reasonably-priced financing for small businesses.
PORT JERVIS TAKES CARE OF
BUSINESS!
Port
Jervis is proud to be the home of 10 manufacturing industries ranging from its oldest
employer, Gillinder Glass, to the newest company, Amberfields, which located to the City
as recent as January 2000.
Other
renowned companies such as A&W Products, a manufacturer of school and office supplies;
and H.G.I. Skydyne, which produces hi-tech fabricated cases for the military and aerospace
programs, also make Port Jervis the place they do business.
Kolmar Laboratories, the world's largest manufacturer of cosmetics and the city's
major employer, has been a business mainstay in the community for more than 50 years.
Additionally, Artwork Reproductions and Flanagan's Creative Displays are family-owned
technology firms located in the city's downtown district.
Collectively,
Port Jervis manufacturing businesses employ close to 1,500 persons and produce a wide
range of fine products.
The
city's West End Industrial Park was developed in the 1970's for the purpose of attracting
new and innovative light industry to the city of Port Jervis. As of March 1997, the city achieved a 100%
occupancy rate at West End Industrial Park with 4 manufacturing companies operating at the
site and employment of more than 300 workers.
During
the last 2 years, company relocations and expansions created another 50 new jobs with 40
more jobs planned in the upcoming year.
RECENT COMPANY EXPANSIONS
GILLINDER
BROTHERS - THEY STILL DO IT THE OLD FASHIONED WAY
On
August 22, 1997, the Gillinder Brothers Glass Company celebrated a Grand Opening
introducing the public to its new factory tours, gift shop and museum.
For
over a century, Gillinder Brothers has been manufacturing glass products including
industrial glass and handcrafted classic pieces for the avid collector. Since 1912, Gillinder Brothers has been a proud
member of the Port Jervis business community occupying its historic glass factory on Erie
Street in the city of Port Jervis West End Industrial Park.
Charles and Susan Gillinder, company principals, credits the success of the
family-owned business to a long tradition of quality craftsmanship and the dedication of
its nearly 65 employees. After more
than 150 years, the company still does it the old-fashioned way by transforming the molten
glass into works of art ranging from decorative collectibles to functional glass pieces,
many of which light up the airport runways around the world.
On May 27, 1999, Port Jervis
officially welcomed a new manufacturer to the community, namely Kalport Food Packaging,
Inc.. This family-owned and operated business
packages and distributes Italian specialty foods ranging from nougat candies and cookies
to gourmet vinegars and oils. Many of the
company's famous products are featured in the annual San Genaro feast of Little Italy in
downtown New York City.
The
company acquired the former Chronar plant facility in the city's West End Industrial Park
and a city-owned 3.3 acre parcel which sits adjacent to the state-of-the-art building. In 1988, the Chronar building received the
prestigious NYS Gubernatorial Award for Design.
The
vacant land acquired by the Kalport company will serve as the future expansion site for
its pasta sauce division which will be relocated to Port Jervis in the very near future. Currently, the company employs 40 persons and will
more than double its present employment when future expansion is complete
FUTURE
HOME TECHNOLOGY, INC. - SEES PORT JERVIS IN ITS FUTURE
On
June 25, 1999, Future Home Technology, Inc. (FHT), another member of the city's diverse
team of manufacturers, kicked off its first major expansion in the city's West End
Industrial Park. The company employs 113
persons and has maintained a manufacturing presence in Port Jervis since 1987 with the
construction of modular housing including multi-family units and custom-designed single
family homes.
With a
20,000 s.f. expansion and 20 new jobs, FHT will increase production of its high-quality
modular homes. In 1998, Future Home
Technology celebrated the anniversary of its 1,000th modular home constructed at the Port
Jervis plant.