SALINA —  Construction of a new Hampton Inn & Suites, proposed to replace the soon to be shuttered Syracuse Ramada at 1305 Buckley Road in Salina, is one step away from moving forward.

The Ramada Syracuse will be demolished and its 74 jobs lost later this year, according to Anthony Mangano, who co-owns the 150-room Ramada and five other hotels with his cousin, Carmen Emmi, Jr. 

He says securing the right financing package is the only major hurdle that remains after they received site-plan approval from the Salina planning board for their proposal.

Mangano estimates the project to construct the 5-story, 124-room Hampton Inn & Suites would cost between $15 million and $16 million.

The pair have spoken with several local banks about financing and are close to signing one of the offers they have received, according to Mangano. He maintains that the proposal is still not guaranteed to move forward because there is always the chance that an unexpected problem could arise.

The developers hope to sign an offer in the next two months, but Mangano says they can wait until the end of the year, emphasizing that they want the right package. The pair are currently fine-tuning the project budget and exploring different tax incentives they may receive.

Should the proposal move forward, Mangano would like to break ground on the Hampton Inn & Suites in early 2016. If that happens, the hotel would open either later that year, or in early 2017. He says construction typically takes a year.

The Ramada will close its doors on Sept. 7, Labor Day. It will be demolished, most likely in October, according to Mangano. The closure has been in the planning process for about a year.

“A lot of customers are sad to see it go,” he says.

Building details

The proposed Hampton Inn & Suites would be smaller than the current two-story hotel, comprising about 78,000 square feet as opposed to the Ramada’s 100,000, Mangano estimates. It would also use up less land thanks to its additional stories, according to Mangano, projecting that it would rest on about two acres instead of the six acres the Ramada currently covers.

The developers have only recently begun exploring uses for the saved space, he says.

Despite the smaller size of the building, the rooms would be larger. Mangano says a typical hotel room is 12 feet wide and 28 feet deep, which is about the size of the Ramada’s rooms. The Hampton Inn & Suites’ rooms would be 14 feet wide and about 29 feet deep, which makes them much more comfortable for working or relaxing in, according to Mangano. Bathrooms would be larger as well.

About 30 percent of the rooms would be suites, which Mangano says are about 24 feet by 21 feet, making them almost 100 square feet larger than the regular rooms.

Prices would vary from $140 a night for some smaller rooms, up to $170 for suites, he says. The Ramada’s room prices average about $100 a night. All prices fluctuate throughout the year, Mangano adds.

The Hampton Inn & Suites would also have a meeting room for groups up to 50 people in size, a fitness room, and a business center with computers and a small conference room that could fit about six people, according to Mangano. An indoor pool facility built in 2009 for the Ramada would also be part of the new hotel’s amenities, rather than be demolished with the rest of the Ramada, he adds.

The plot of land the developers are working with is comprised of three different parcels they own, totaling about 8 acres, says Mangano. Two businesses — The Flat Iron Grill restaurant and an auto mechanic shop called Hill Brothers Service Center — are tenants on the plot, situated at 1333 and 1313 Buckley Road, respectively.

The decision to close and tear down the Ramada didn’t come easy, says Mangano. He declined to give specific financial information, but says that the hotel’s revenue has held steady over the years. However, costs have gradually increased due to “the reality of the world,” says Mangano, and raising the room rates hasn’t been successful in making up the difference.

“We have to do what reality forces us to do in order to maintain our future,” he says. “It seems rather bold, but when we look at our financial situation and our economic situation within our family, we think this is the best move.”

Improving efficiency

One of the outstanding issues with the Ramada is how energy inefficient it is, says Mangano. The building is nearly 50 years old, built in an era not known for quality structure or efficiency designs, he notes.

When Mangano’s family bought the Ramada in 1982, he says the building had no insulation, even in the attic. The owners have changed that and instituted about half a dozen renovations since the purchase, he says.

The proposed Hampton Inn & Suites would be much more efficient simply by the nature of the construction method and materials, Mangano says. The developers are also looking into additional energy-saving methods, such as solar panels and cogeneration, a method of producing multiple forms of energy through one process. In the case of the Hampton Inn & Suites, Mangano says they have looked into an electricity generator that runs on natural gas, whose heat byproduct is used to make hot water.

Mangano doesn’t know yet if either of these methods will be incorporated should the project move forward. The building’s structural design is complete, but other areas have yet to be finished.

There is no general contractor for the project yet. Mussachio Architects P.C., which is based in the Buffalo area, is the architect, while Camillus–based TDK Engineering Associates, P.C., serves as the site engineer for the proposed hotel, according to Mangano.

Mangano is working to help as many Ramada employees as possible transfer to one of his other hotels, or possibly land a job at a hotel he doesn’t own, he says. He is also working with the state Department of Labor to provide job retraining and counseling services. About half of the employees work full time.

“I’ve had a lot of people reach out,” says Mangano, about interviewing some of the Ramada staff for open positions, some of them outside of the hotel industry.

If the Hampton Inn & Suites is built, Mangano says former employees will be given preference during the hiring process.

Mangano and Emmi own three other hotels in Salina: the Homewood Suites at 275 Elwood Davis Road, the Super 8 at 421 Seventh North St., and the Hampton Inn at 417 Seventh North St. The Hampton Inn would be rebranded under a different hotel chain after the completion of the new, proposed Hampton Inn & Suites, says Mangano. He doesn’t know which hotel chain.

The pair also own two hotels in the city of Watertown — the Comfort Inn & Suites and the Hampton Inn, located at 110 and 155 Commerce Park Drive, respectively.         

UTICA — A&P Master Images is continuing its growth streak. The business, which has grown steadily since its founding in 2003, is seeking to purchase land adjacent to its 205 Water St. location in Utica.

The company’s offer on the land has been pre-approved by the city’s Urban Renewal Agency and, at press time, was awaiting final approval from the Utica Common Council, which met recently. Purchase information was not disclosed at press time.

The embroidery, screen printing, and promotional products company currently owns just over 1 acre on Water Street and will acquire another three-quarters of an acre if the sale goes through. Co-owner and CEO Howard Potter says the company plans to build a 3,200-square-foot building to house the company’s new vinyl production department.

A&P moved into its 5,500-square-foot Water Street location in February 2014 and added a vinyl printing machine that July. The company previously outsourced vinyl work, but the demand grew to a point where it had to bring the process in-house, Potter says.

The machine can print vehicle wraps, banners, floor graphics, magnetics, window graphics, and more, Potter says. “It’s pretty much endless,” he notes of the capabilities. And the company’s 3,000-plus clients have embraced the vinyl services, growing them to the point where A&P had to add a second machine just over a month ago, Potter says.

 Now, the company is fast running out of space in the current facility, Potter says. The new building, which he hopes to complete next spring, will house A&P’s vinyl department, freeing up space in the current building.

However, Potter doesn’t plan for the growth to stop there. Within the next three to five years, he expects he will need to add another building on Water Street to accommodate the company’s growth. The business has generated a growth rate of about 30 percent annually, Potter says. “Even if that held at 15 percent, we’d outgrow this building in a year or two,” he adds.

Ideally, Potter says he would like to build an 8,000-square-foot building to house all the company’s production, leaving the current building free for sales offices and a larger showroom. Currently, A&P displays products in a 400-square-foot showroom. With more than 700,000 promotional products available, Potter says the firm needs more room so customers can see the full scope of what it offers. “It’s going to open their eyes to a whole new world of what’s out there,” he says.

About 60 percent of A&P’s customers are located in New York state, with the remaining 40 percent coming from 15 other states and four other countries. About 50 percent of orders are repeat business, such as retailers ordering restock items like coffee mugs with their logo on it. And, the remaining orders are a mix of new orders from existing customers and new ones. Potter declined to share revenue information.

A&P Master Images (www.masteryourimage.com) employs 15 people. The company offers an array of promotional products and provides screen-printing, embroidery, graphic design, rhinestone apparel, sublimation, laser apparel, and vinyl services to customize those products. 

Some of A&P’s customers include Utica Coffee Roasters, Big Apple Music, the Boilermaker Road Race, Adirondack Bank, First Source Federal Credit Union, Roser Communications Network, Inc., and numerous area public schools and colleges.

ROME — Oneida County microenterprise companies that need working capital may be eligible for a grant program that Mohawk Valley EDGE is administering.

The organization defines a microenterprise company as one with five or fewer employees.

Grant recipients can request funding awards between $5,000 and $35,000 for machinery, equipment, and working capital, according to a recent news release.

Recipients will need to provide a minimum of 10 percent equity in the project. 

Eligible applicants must locate and operate their businesses outside the cities of Utica and Rome and must create at least one new job as a result of grant funding.

Mohawk Valley EDGE refers to Utica and Rome as U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) entitlement cities, so businesses located in those cities aren’t eligible to apply.

The eligibility requirements indicate that “utilization of funds must be eligible pursuant to the guidelines governing the HUD community-development block grant program and as amended,” Mohawk Valley EDGE said.

The New York State Department of Homes and Community Renewal provides the community development block-grant funding for Oneida County, the organization added.

Mohawk Valley EDGE will accept applications on a “rolling basis” and a volunteer committee will review them. 

The program will continue until Mohawk Valley EDGE awards all grant dollars, it said. 

Interested candidates can visit www.mvedge.org to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire and review the program details. 

Applicant eligibility

To be an eligible applicant, a microenterprise owner needs to be registered as a U.S. corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship; demonstrate the ability to repay if found in default of program objectives; have “good character and reputation;” and be of legal age, Mohawk Valley EDGE said.

Businesses must be involved in sectors that include manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, agri-business, high technology, research and development, and “traditional and innovative” small-business endeavors.

An applicant also needs to work with the SUNY Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for help with business-plan development “and/or a demonstrated track record of success along with an adherence to a business plan,” Mohawk Valley EDGE said. 

If the business has been operating for less than 24 months, the grant program requires the owner or principal to participate in the SBDC training course, called “Small Business In Depth.” 

The cost of $95 per attendee will be an eligible expense of microenterprise grant funds.

The program will provide grants for any microbusiness activity that supports the program objectives and leads to the creation or retention of jobs for “low or moderate” income people as the New York State Office of Community Renewal guidelines define the status. 

The owner must meet the low or moderate income criterion if the company has no plans to hire new or retain existing employees.

The microenterprise must demonstrate a “reasonable likelihood” for long-term viability, based upon issues such as “feasibility, marketability, management, competition, and capitalization,” according to Mohawk Valley EDGE.       

FRANKFORT, N.Y. — Northern Safety and Industrial, a company based about 10 miles east of Utica that sells safety and industrial supplies, is being bought by the Würth Group, a Germany–based company whose main business is in assembly and fastening materials.

No job cuts are planned as a result of the pending change in ownership, according to a company news release. Northern Safety has nearly 500 employees, about half of whom work in New York state, according to Northern Safety’s vice president of marketing, Kathleen Pezzulo.

The acquisition is scheduled to close at the end of July, according to Pezzulo, who declines to disclose terms of the acquisition.

Northern Safety has two New York state facilities, both in the Herkimer County town of Frankfort. One is its headquarters, situated at 232 Industrial Park Drive, which will not be moved as a result of the pending acquisition, the company says.

 “Northern Safety has been one of the largest privately owned companies in this market for a long time,” Marc Strandquist, executive vice president of the Würth Group, says in the release. “The Würth Group has a long-standing strategy of enhancing our product offering. The acquisition of Northern Safety supports that strategy. Their core competency of personal protective equipment and safety supplies is a great complement to our current offerings.”

Northern Safety’s current owner and CEO, Salvatore Longo, who founded the company in 1983, says in the release that the firm is excited about joining the Würth Group.

“Northern Safety will be the platform company for safety and industrial supplies in North America,” Longo says. “We have a large long-term investment with the Würth Group, and they’ve committed substantial resources to grow this company,”

Northern Safety has 16 other facilities outside of New York state, according to its website — five in Texas, three in Tennessee, two in Oklahoma and Louisiana, and one in Delaware, Missouri, South Carolina, and Georgia.

The Würth Group is privately held, and comprised of more than 400 companies, located in over 80 countries, according to the release. It employs more than 66,000 people.

Contact Nick Kapteyn at nkapteyn@cnybj.com