Jeffrey Hornburg

Action Clears the Way for Construction of 54-unit Senior Housing ProjectSILVER CREEK, NY - The effort to redevelop a major blighted property in downtown Silver Creek is taking a significant step forward this week. Demolition of the former Silver Creek High School building at 60 Main St. is now underway, clearing the path for a three-story multi-unit apartment complex for seniors. The Silver Creek Apartments project is being developed by Southern Tier Environments for Living (STEL), in conjunction with Park Grove Development, LLC. The former high school building has sat vacant for more than 45 years with several efforts to redevelop the property occurring – including as recently as 2022 - but each was ultimately unsuccessful. A renewed effort to develop the property began in 2023. In October of that year, representatives from STEL and Park Grove Development appeared before the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) Board to provide initial details of their project, which involved the demolition of the former school building and replacing it with a very attractive 50,574 square-foot apartment building. In February 2024, the CCIDA Board authorized local assistance for the project, which included a Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement along with exemptions for both sales and mortgage tax payments. Throughout the rest of 2024 and into 2025, the developers worked to secure all funding for the project and also ownership of the property. Last month the property was transferred over to Silver Creek Apartments, LLC, clearing the way for the project to move forward. Demolition of the existing building involves long-needed environmental remediation, including the careful removal and disposal of hazards including asbestos, PCBs, and lead paint. Once the building has been demolished, work can begin on the new apartment building construction, which will provide 54 safe and affordable apartments for seniors age 62 and up. Of those units, 51 will be one-bedroom apartments, and three will be two-bedroom apartments. Fifteen units will also be set aside for supportive housing. The new building will also include a community room, fitness room, laundry facilities, and an onsite property management office. There will also be a large parking lot for up to 58 vehicles, along with a patio and shed. The project will provide 180 construction jobs and, once complete, 4.75 full-time equivalent jobs. The total cost of the project is $20.2 million. In addition to assistance from the CCIDA, the project also received $1 million in assistance from a New York State Restore NY award, which will be administered by the Village. The CCIDA assistance also helped the developers with securing $6.9 million in funding from New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). Several other entities also played a role in helping to move the project forward, especially in regard to transferring ownership of the property over to the developers. “There was perhaps two dozen different entities involved in helping to close this project - between STEL and Park Grove, the insurance companies, mortgage companies, the CCIDA, Chautauqua County government's legal and real property departments, New York State, and the list goes on,” said Mark Geise, CCIDA CEO, who notes it was an extremely challenging project and timeline. “In March of 2025, the CCIDA Board authorized an indemnity resolution to help facilitate transfer of ownership, as recommended by our own attorney, Milan Tyler, and that ultimately helped to get it across the finish line. It's amazing it all came together in the 11th hour. It was a terrific team effort!” "Seeing this project move forward is gratifying on multiple levels,” said Tom Whitney, STEL Executive Director. “STEL has been working on this project for many years. It's been a very difficult project both to get approved for funding through the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal, and to finally close on the property. But it's also easy to see how worthwhile these efforts will be in the end. Silver Creek has such a pretty Main Street. We are thrilled to finally be able to remove the dilapidated school building and to replace it with what promises to be a beautiful senior housing facility. I would like to thank State Senator George Borrello, as well as Mark Geise and the staff at the Chautauqua County IDA for working behind the scenes to help bring all of this to fruition. STEL has developed housing as far as Brooklyn and Long Island and each project is always rewarding. But this is easily one of my favorite projects because of the positive impact it will have on one of our local communities."  “The abandoned school really does send the wrong impression of what Silver Creek is,” said Allen Handelman, Vice President of Park Grove Development. “So this project goes a long way towards both providing affordable housing for members of the community, but also sending a message to the people that live in Silver Creek and people that visit there that this is a growing community that is poised to reach its full potential.” “We never gave up hope on that site and now new development is finally taking place,” said Chautauqua County Executive Paul “PJ” Wendel. “Since first highlighting this in my 2022 State of the County Address, this project has remained a top priority for my administration. We’re thrilled to see STEL and Park Grove Development leading the way, with strong support from the CCIDA and New York State. The former high school sat vacant for far too long despite multiple efforts to revitalize it. Now, it will be replaced by a modern building that brings much-needed housing to some of our most vulnerable residents. I want to thank all the stakeholders who helped make this possible. We look forward to seeing this new development thrive and strengthen the surrounding community.” “The village is excited to see this long-standing eyesore in the heart of the downtown finally being removed and replaced with a significant housing project,” said Mayor Jeff Hornburg. “Due to the limited availability of housing units in our community, many of our local seniors have had to leave the area in order to find adequate housing and services. This project will finally offer additional modern housing for our older population.” “I am very excited about this long awaited project and investment in Silver Creek where our seniors are able to remain in the community and have a new up-to-date residence with available services,” said Lou Pelletter, Hanover Town Supervisor. “Silver Creek has needed a project like this for a very long time. While I, and many members of the community, that attended the Main Street school are sad to see the old building being torn down, I, as Village Historian, feel the old building has served the community well from its first graduating class of 1923 to the final closing of the school in 1979. I am hopeful that this new construction will not only provide the much needed affordable housing for our senior residents, but also bring a renewed interest in our community.” “This is a moment many in Silver Creek have been waiting decades for, and I’m proud to have stood alongside this community every step of the way. Time and again, this project hit roadblocks, but we never gave up. We kept pushing, kept advocating, and now, demolition is finally underway. The old school building will be replaced by something our community truly needs: safe, modern housing for our seniors. This isn’t just about removing a long-vacant eyesore, it’s about renewal, progress, and honoring the people who helped build this community. I’m grateful to STEL, Park Grove Development, the CCIDA, and all the partners who made this long-overdue project a reality,” said State Senator George Borrello, who previously served as Chautauqua County Executive and also as a representative of Silver Creek and Hanover in the Chautauqua County Legislature. Once demolition is complete, the developers will begin the effort of building the new apartment complex later this year, with an anticipated completion date set for the summer2026. About CCIDA – The CCIDA is an economic development organization authorized and empowered by the State of New York to make Chautauqua County a better place to work, live, and visit. They facilitate development by attracting new businesses, while promoting the retention and expansion of existing businesses. Assistance in the form of incentives – tax abatements, low interest loans, and bond financing – enhances the opportunities for job creation and retention by our businesses.  For more information visit www.CCIDA.com.

Boutique Resort in Silver Creek Serves as a Lakefront Beach Resort, Restaurant, and Event VenueImage Caption: Several local and state officials gathered on the shores of Lake Erie in Silver Creek Tuesday afternoon to join with the owners of Hideaway Bay Resort - Kevin Cullen (holding scissors), Christian Cullen, and Gene Tundo (both to the immediate left of Kevin Cullen) - to cut the ribbon and officially open the business to the public. SILVER CREEK, N.Y.: --- There’s a new destination on Lake Erie, offering visitors and residents alike the opportunity to experience a one-of-a-kind stay featuring sandy shores and breathtaking sunsets. View Ribbon Cutting Photo Stream Local and state officials gathered in Silver Creek on Tuesday, June 11, to help cut the ribbon for Hideaway Bay Resort, a four-season, eco-friendly resort located on 3.6 acres of secluded lakefront property just to the east of the Walnut Creek outlet on Lake Erie. The event was co-hosted by the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) and the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce. WATCH THE RIBBON CUTTING EVENT Hideaway Bay Resort is the culmination of a $2 million redevelopment project made possible by an ownership team represented by Kevin and Christian Cullen of Adventure Sports Development and Mathew and Gene Tundo of Tundo Construction. In 2021, the group formed 42 Lake Erie, LLC to develop the project. The resort provides high-end boutique resort and recreation opportunities, featuring ten new waterfront cottages (each 360 sq. ft.) and a 4,080 square-foot, two-story restaurant and banquet space designed to host events, including weddings, banquets, and retreats – with upper and lower patios and indoor/outdoor full service bars. The restaurant, called “Drift”, will be open to the public seven days a week and can also be rented for private events and parties. Watersports operations will also be provided on site, including paddle boarding, kite boarding, and a natural kayak launch. The resort will also feature a hot tub, sauna, and spa service as well as walking trails, a fire pit, in-house fishing guides, and educational birding events. Hideaway Bay also presents itself as being eco-friendly, inside and out. This includes a dune restoration project, complete with native plants and a rain garden. Each cottage will have eco-friendly sheets and bath products and the owners are working to make Hideaway Bay the first destination anywhere on the Great Lakes to be certified as “eco-friendly” by the Surfrider Foundation. “We are excited to showcase the area’s natural beauty and leverage its recreational attributes to draw visitors and sports enthusiasts to the area,” said Kevin Cullen. “There really is something for everyone to do in this region and we are going to celebrate the variety of activities that are available here in Chautauqua County.” “It’s also personally important for us to live in harmony with nature, as opposed to just extracting from it,” added Christian Cullen. “That’s why having an eco-friendly focus is so important to us, in addition to providing a space that people of all ages will enjoy when they come here to stay or to simply attend an event.” “This latest attraction on the shores of Lake Erie will help to make Silver Creek a year-round destination for visitors from throughout the region,” said Paul “PJ” Wendel, Chautauqua County Executive. “Congratulations to the Hideaway Bay team for all the hard work and dedication they put forward to help make this development effort come to life.” The opening of the resort is the culmination of years of planning and development. Formerly the site of the regionally well-known Hideaway Bay Restaurant, the property went into foreclosure and later was destroyed by arson. The vacant land had been actively marketed for development by the Chautauqua County Land Bank for many years, leading up to an RFP process with 42 Lake Erie, LLC selected as developer. After securing the necessary funding for the project, a groundbreaking ceremony took place in June 2023. A year later, the resort is now open and ready for business. “The resort is a terrific new development that connects the community and the Local Waterfront Redevelopment Plan very well,” said Gina Paradis, Chautauqua County Land Bank Executive Director. “We were happy to facilitate the process of identifying the best new development for the site and are extremely excited to see it is now open and ready to serve the public.” “Seeing this project completed has been a long-term goal of mine, going back to the days when I served on the Chautauqua County Legislature and later as County Executive,” said Sen. George Borrello, who attended the 2023 groundbreaking but was unable to attend the ribbon cutting in person and instead made a prepared statement. “As a Hanover resident and a local business owner, it’s exciting to welcome a world-class resort like Hideaway Bay to our community. It will be a wonderful addition to our Lake Erie businesses and contribute to our reputation as a desirable vacation destination. We wish them great success!” “We’re extremely grateful to the Cullen family and the Tundo family for making this long-term investment in our community,” added Jeffrey Hornburg, Mayor of Silver Creek. “The Hideaway Bay Resort will fit nicely within the lakefront area and is going to help put Silver Creek on the map as a must-visit Western New York destination. We look forward to the positive impact it will have on our village in the many years to come.” Funding for the project came from a variety of public and private sources, including CCIDA, which authorized tax abatements and exemptions for the project in 2021 and a 15-year PILOT agreement totaling $191,285 for the involved taxing jurisdictions, along with a $491,210 low-interest loan. CCIDA also provided extensive project coordination and technical expertise. The project also received a $434,000 low interest loan from New York State’s Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) program, funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. A total of 30 temporary construction jobs benefited from the project and 16-plus new jobs created, once fully open. “This is yet another project that illustrates how we can make positive change to our region and the local economy when we all pitch in and work together,” said Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and CCIDA CEO. “Chautauqua County, the Village of Silver Creek, Land Bank, CCIDA, and the JCC Small Business Development Center all provided expertise, working collaboratively and diligently for several years to attract this exciting new tourism and event venue to Silver Creek and to help it cross the finish line. Thank you to everyone involved with this project for helping to make it a reality.” For more information on the Hideaway Bay Resort, visit HideawayBayResortNY.com, call (716) 401-5762, or find it on Facebook. About CCIDA - The CCIDA is an economic development organization authorized and empowered by the State of New York to make Chautauqua County a better place to work, live, and visit. It facilitates development by attracting new businesses, while promoting the retention and expansion of existing businesses. Assistance in the form of incentives – tax abatements, low interest loans, and bond financing – enhances the opportunities for job creation and retention by our businesses. For more information visit ChooseCHQ.com. Hideaway Bay resort features ten waterfront cottages (each 360 sq. ft.) and a 4,080 square-foot, two-story restaurant and banquet space designed to host events, including weddings, banquets, and retreats.