The former Acu-Rite building in the town of Ellicott is being sold. That also means that a previously announced development for the site is no longer coming.
On Friday, the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency authorized a resolution regarding the sale of 1 Precision Way to Sustainable Energy Jamestown, LLC. According to Milan Tyler with the IDA, the resolution was for recording tax benefit only. He added that the building is being purchased “for high tech manufacturing” in the future.
In February 2020, the county IDA announced that Arktura of California was purchasing that location. The company creates custom ceiling tiles, acoustic panels and facade systems. It was supposed to invest $7.3 million into the community and generate 50 jobs.
On Friday, Mark Geise, IDA chief executive officer, confirmed that company was no longer in play. “COVID more or less killed that deal,” he said. The COVID-19 pandemic was declared worldwide 14 days after the Arktura announcement.
During Friday’s meeting, Tyler said Sustainable Energy Jamestown may or may not come back to the IDA, once they secure a tenant for the building.
Geise described the new owners as “a group of investors that have been formed to purchase the building.” He added that they do have future plans, but he is not at liberty to give any additional information.
Acu-Rite moved into 1 Precision Way in the late 1980s. A Post-Journal article dated May 26, 1989 describes the company giving a tour of the building to IDA board members for its brand new facility.
According to Acu-Rite’s website, in 2009 Acu-Rite Companies Inc. were merged into Heidenhain Corporation of Schaumburg, Illnois, though the engineering and electronics production continued on in Chautauqua County.
Heidenhain announced in April 2018 that 40 employees of the optics and electronics business would be laid off as it moved its operations elsewhere. MD Electronics, also previously located on Precision Way in Ellicott, announced in September of that year it was closing and moving business to Mexico.
In other business, the IDA changed its meeting procedures, so that in-person meetings can take place simultaneously at the BWB Building in Jamestown and the SUNY Fredonia Incubator building in Dunkirk. Board members and the public can attend either meeting, which will also continue to be streamed on YouTube. Voting board members can also attend virtually as long as a minimum of five members are either in Dunkirk and/or Jamestown.
Previously the IDA had been meeting virtually, however, due to changes made by Gov. Kathy Hochul, boards cannot meet fully virtually unless a certain number of hardships are met.
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