Nearly two months have passed since a developer with projects tied to Chautauqua County closed suddenly. What the shuttering ultimately will mean for the developments — one proposed and the other already taking place — still remains a question.

Savarino Companies out of Buffalo announced in August it was winding down its construction outfit and laying off 30 employees after it was dismissed from a state-funded SUNY project.

At the time of the announcement, Savarino was in the midst of a partnership to purchase and redevelop the C.E. Welch building in Westfield. Renovation plans for the 2 S. Portage St. historic property included dozens of mixed-income residential apartments and plenty of new commercial space.

Construction was slated to begin this year, but Savarino Companies’ closing has put the project on hold.

Mark Geise, deputy county executive and CEO of the county Industrial Development Agency, said he spoke with Sam Savarino about two weeks ago and said the developer is “currently weighing his options regarding moving forward with the Westfield project, whether that be with one of his current LLCs, in partnership with another developer, or something else.”

Geise added, “He was still trying to think through this and his other projects, but didn’t have a lot of specifics about the future until the dust settles.”

Developers, through 2 Portage LLC, already had completed the purchase of the property from the town of Westfield. The LLC received a $475,000 AL Tech Revolving Loan Fund as well as tax breaks through the IDA for the multi-million renovation project.

“We are staying in communication with him and hope to have some more definitive information in the coming weeks/months,” Geise said this week.

On Savarino Companies, Westfield town Supervisor Martha Bills told The Buffalo News in August, “They have been very good to work with and we are hopeful that this setback will not delay the completion of this important project.”

Falconer officials, meanwhile, are hopeful the closing of Savarino Companies isn’t spelling doom for a previously pitched project to bring commercial space and residential units to a largely vacant downtown.

Mayor James Jaroszynski said the village has heard from Rob Savarino, brother of Sam Savarino, who indicated a willingness to move forward on the project through his own company if funding sources were to come through.

Jaroszynski said Rob Savarino believes the development plan is “still a worthwhile investment for the village.”

In March, the Falconer Village Board approved a purchase and sale agreement with Savarino’s development company for six village-owned parcels on West Main and Everett streets. Jaroszynski confirmed the village still owns the lots with the company out of business.

During the March meeting, Savarino provided preliminary plans for the development project, indicating it would be mixed-use with both commercial space and residential units such as apartments or town houses.

“It’s a real estate development, so there is some time for us to sort out all of the issues. This is just the starting point,” he said at the time. “The company that I represent has done numerous projects of this type.”

His remarks followed a similar proposal to bring new life to a downtown left mostly vacant due to separate fires in 2017 and 2018. That project, known as Falconer Square, fizzled out after funding fell through.

Rob Savarino did not respond to an email this week seeking comment on his plans for Falconer

Buffalo Business First recently reported that Rob Savarino is looking to turn a former nursery in Amherst into a 22-unit townhome development. The news outlet said Savarino is continuing the project — initiated last year by Savarino Development — under his own company, RAS Development.

“I reached out to the seller and got the contract for the project under my company,” Savarino told Buffalo Business First.

The plan calls for constructing 11 buildings in Amherst, each with two residential units, at the former Gleason’s Nursery. Each would have an attached garage and a full basement, Savarino said.

In August, Savarino Companies cited “ongoing and increasing costs” regarding a project at Alfred State College as the primary reason for its closure.