Willsborough Hardware/town win $1.3M Restore NY funds

WILLSBORO | The third attempt at Restore NY funding proved fruitful for the Town of Willsboro and Willsborough Hardware Store owners Mark LaFountain and Van Calkins. The local business owners' goal to purchase and remove the aged IGA building on Main Street here won $1,337,296 in Empire State Development funding. The state announced 43 winning projects at the end of July, and Willsboro made the cut. In a brief description of Willsboro's Restore NY revitalization goal, Empire State Development (ESD) said "engineering review has determined that demolition and reconstruction (of the former IGA building) will be more cost effective than rehabilitation of the existing abandoned structure. The proposed demolition effort will require asbestos abatement due to the age of the building. The new building will be an insulated metal building that incorporates energy efficiency standards and enhances the character of the community center." LaFountain and Calkins will provide a 20 percent match for new construction. "It was our third time trying for the Restore NY grant. It's pretty exciting for us," LaFountain said in an interview with The Sun. He and Calkins purchased the hardware store across the street from the vacant IGA building in 2017. In seven years since, they've been able to expand Willsborough Hardware and have reached the edge of existing space. The vacant property across Main Street drew interest as a makers' space for several years from about 2016 through 2020, but faltered around the COVID epidemic. But this renewal lifts that effort, too. As Willsborough Hardware expands, the makers' space, called MakeBoro, will have a place to grow inside the hardware store. "Our plan is to rip down the old IGA and build a new state-of-the-art hardware store with a MakeBoro space in a 700 square foot area," LaFountain said. "Hopefully, once they get a new spot there, they'll be able to draw more interest." "It goes hand-in-hand with our expansion," Calkins said. What better place for makers than inside a hardware store? Calkins and LaFountain agreed: it's a great fit. LUMBER, PET SUPPLIES They are also looking forward to adding product lines. "Being able to offer another 3,000 square feet of retail for community is going to be great. Hopefully it will help bring more life downtown," Calkins said. LaFountain said their expansion plan would add a good-sized lumber yard for the area. "We do sell quite a bit of lumber. We're looking to bring wholesale pricing on lumber. And we want to bring on more environmental, eco-friendly products," he said. The hardware store owners want to add other key retail goods, including pet supplies, plumbing supplies and grains and feed for farm animals. "We just haven't had the room," LaFountain said. "Customers have been asking if we have these items. With the new building, we'll to be able to do that and so much more." The current Willsborough Hardware store will remain part of the company's operation. "Some have suggested we call it the Willborough Hardware and Emporium," LaFountain quipped. "But we see this as an investment in our local community." LaFountain and Calkins have supported many community events, such as hosting an annual Trunk-or-Treat on Halloween, supporting golf tournaments and donations for local fundraisers. "We are here for the people, we appreciate them," Calkins said. "And Willsboro has supported us." The timeline for removal of the old IGA building is pointed toward next year's construction season. "We're going to meet with the town and the IDA, hoping to get going next spring," LaFountain said. "We would like to open the new store location towards fall next year." Restore NY grants are designed to help local governments encourage new investment through community revitalization. They are administered by Empire State Development. This year marked Restore NY Round 8, and five North Country projects won funding for business and/or housing revitalization projects. WILLSBORO PRO-HOUSING Willsboro also earned Pro-Housing Community designation in July. Criteria to qualify requires the town to show with permits that they increased housing stock by 1 percent (upstate) over the past three years or by 0.33 percent in the past year. Pro-Housing Communities are eligible to apply for state funding to address the shortage of affordable housing. Resources available could come from the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), NY Forward, capital from the Market New York program and the New York Main Street program, among other state resources. Municipalities in Essex County that have qualified as Pro-Housing Communities so far are: Jay, Chesterfield, Lake Placid, Minerva, Newcomb, North Elba, Willsboro and Saranac Lake.

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Willsborough Hardware/town win $1.3M Restore NY funds

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