For over three years, Colley's Pools & Spas in Hamburg has been working to overcome the destruction caused to its business from seven feet of snow that fell during the November 2014 "Snowvember" Storm (also referred to as winter storm "Knife").
The storm destroyed Colley's showroom and offices and caused over $1 million in damages.
Employees worked out of temporary trailers and facilities to keep the 55-year-old local company in operation. In recent years, a new warehouse has been built but the company's retail store is still being operated out of a temporary area.
However, the struggle to recover may soon be over.
Colley's is now in the process of constructing a new plaza building on Camp Road that will allow the company to once again have a full size showroom. The new building will also have additional space that Colley's can lease out. It is being constructed on nearly the same spot where the old showroom had stood.
General Manager Erie Fusco said Colley's is hoping to move into the new facility starting in April.
While employees are excited, Fusco said many never thought it would take this long to recover from the storm. Permitting issues with the Town of Hamburg and the New York State Department of Transportation took longer than expected.
Colley's is now the last business to recover from the storm. Others like Flexovit USA in Evans, Mr. Tire in Hamburg, Zittel Farms in Eden and BJ's Wholesale Club in Blasdell, all of which had extensive building damage, rebuilt and repaired structures. (Mr. Tire reopened briefly after the repairs but the building is now empty and up for lease)
A building on Lake Street, Hamburg that once housed Schmidt's Collision and Glass had its roof collapse during the storm. It was never rebuilt and Schmidt's moved to another location in Hamburg.
Ed Reilly has more in his reports.
