Batavia tentatively OKs grants for new downtown craft brewery

Batavia city council members this week gave preliminary approval for several grants for a new craft brewery in the city's downtown.

Frank and Diane Mercadente plan to open Sturdy Shelter Brewery in the former Kluber Architects building at 10 S. Shumway Ave.

The brewery's owners have requested three grants, including a downtown signage assistance grant and an improvement grant to make the building safe and accessible. Aldermen reviewed the request this week during a committee of the whole meeting.

"(The owners) are also seeking a facade grant to assist with the installation of a garage door that would be visible from the Shumway right of way when you're traveling south," Economic Development Manager Shannon Malik Jarmusz said. "To open it up during nice weather months and allow for a little bit of street presence there."

Frank Mercadente said the garage door also would allow food trucks to be parked near the brewery.

Meeting documents said that the total amount of funding between the three grants would be $31,000.

"The public might wonder what the source of funding for grants like this is," City Administrator Laura Newman said. "These particular grants are funded by our TIF districts. So the increments that are being generated on an annual basis, we are utilizing to invest in people like Frank and Diane who are making exponentially more of an investment than we're providing in these grants to create viable businesses."

The city council will take a final vote Monday on the request for the grants.

Mercadente says the building's history influenced his approach to the new brewery.

"Many of you know that this building. It started out as an opera house and a theater. It was renovated beautifully," Mercadente said. "We're hoping to get your support to bring it back to the original intent, where it was a place that the community gathers."

Mayor Jeff Schielke said he remembered when the building was used as a movie theater.

"We're all about making great craft beer, but, in addition to that, we're all about community," Mercadente said.

Multiple aldermen commented that they had been receiving questions about when the brewery will open.

"I've had tons of comments and had to answer a lot of questions when people ask," Alderman Alan Wolff said. "Everybody's excited when the new place comes in, and it's something that we don't have right downtown that people want."

Mercadente said that he expects the brewery to open to the public this summer.