Grant program has made Hamburg a model village

Mammoser’s Tavern celebrated its completed renovations last Thursday (Jan. 5) morning. They are one of nearly 40 businesses in the Village of Hamburg that have benefited from the New York Main Street Grant Program.

The Village of Hamburg has applied for the matching grant program, and had its applications approved every year between 2006 and 2009.

Pete Dimpfl, owner of Mammoser’s Tavern at 16 S. Buffalo St., used the matching grant awarded to businesses in his block, for painting, new concrete, awnings and a new patio built behind the facility.

He expressed his gratitude to the Village of Hamburg and New York State for approving the funds and believes it has helped transform the business community throughout the village into a model for how the program can benefit villages.

Village Trustee Laura Hackathorn said the state has praised the Village of Hamburg as a “best practices” model for its program, which she said began in 2004 under then Gov. George Pataki.

“We know the state uses us as an example,” Hackathorn said.

To date, there has been nearly $800,000 in matching grants awarded to the Village of Hamburg and so far, nearly 40 businesses have benefited. They are reimbursed by the state for half of the money spent to upgrade their facilities.

“Coupled with the road project, we’ve come a really long way,” Hackathorn said.

She said the process to apply is an involved one. Part of the process involves a target area in which the village must designate where grant money can be applied.

In this case, these are blocks.

“It’s very competitive throughout the state,” said Hackathorn.

Dimpfl added that along with designating an area, architectural drawings also must be submitted.

Hackathorn said the Village of Hamburg was not awarded grants in the latest round. She said it was because the state wanted to “spread the wealth.”

She said the Lake Avenue area had been targeted during the latest grant submissions.

The businesses and areas which benefited from the matching grant program included:

• Buffalo Street in 2006. The businesses which benefited included One Buffalo Street (Staub Square); Corto’s at 20 Buffalo St.; PVS Process Equipment at 189 Buffalo St.; Sans Furniture at 215 Buffalo St.; Fix Chiropractic at 246 Buffalo St.; and B & P Restaurant at 255 Buffalo St.

• Buffalo Street again in 2007. The businesses awarded matching grants were United World Martial Arts at 17 Buffalo St.; Angel D. LLC at 19 Buffalo St.; Creek Bend Heights Apartments at 25 Buffalo St.; The Hamburg Palace Theatre, 31 Buffalo St.; Benz Associates. LLC, 36 Buffalo St.; Shear Satisfaction, 37 Buffalo St.; Braymiller Lanes, 39 Buffalo St.; Paulus and Company, 47 Buffalo St.; The Sun, 48 Buffalo St.; Hamburg Optical, 51 Buffalo St.; and Mike’s Village Service, 58 Buffalo St.

• In 2008, grants were awarded to businesses in the Main Street and South Buffalo Street area. This included Villarini and Henry, LLC, 16 Main St.; Tina’s Italian Kitchen, 22 Main St., Main Street Ice Cream, 35 Main St.; Account Review Services, 40 Main St., Ayer Development LLC, 52 Main St.; Now Pizzeria, 86 Main St.; 10,000 Vines, 8 South Buffalo St.; Evans Associates LLC/Kirst, 17 Main St., Coyote Cafe, 36-38 Main St., and Zintz, 22-28 South Buffalo St.

• Grants awarded in 2009 helped several businesses located on Main Street, Buffalo Street and South Buffalo Street. This included O’Brien’s Farm Fresh Meats and Smokehouse, 32 Main St.; The Hamburg Palace Theatre, 31 Buffalo St.; Coyote Cafe, 36 Main St., Overdorf Insurance, 81 Buffalo St.; MLT Properties, LLC at 87 and 97 Main St., Ayer Development, LLC, 52 Main St.; Mammoser’s Tavern, 16 South Buffalo St.; 10,000 Vines, 8 South Buffalo St., Benz Associates, 36 Buffalo St.; and Kluckhohn Brothers, LLC, 50 Buffalo St.