By RICK MILLER Olean Times Herald

Septeber 7, 2023

OLEAN — Olean is about to get greener.

Ellicottville Greens, a company that has developed a vertical growing system to fit in storage containers, has found a home in Olean.

Gabe Bialkowski, president of Ellicottville Greens, confirmed Thursday the company plans to build and install their vertical growing systems outside the Olean Times Herald building on Norton Drive.

He did not disclose a start date, but said more news would be forthcoming soon. Some containers that will house vertical growing systems have already been delivered and more will arrive soon, Bialkowski said.

Bialkowski’s background is not in agriculture, but technology. He’s an RIT software engineering graduate. He recruited an agriculture expert and has a team of qualified people to tend to the faming

The newspaper headquarters was recently sold by Bradford Publications to Allegany businessman R. Donald Benson, who is leasing space to Ellicottville Greens.

The Times Herald is also leasing space for news and business operations. Benson said additional office and commercial space in the building remains to be leased.

Ellicottville Green will utilize space inside the building for processing and packaging as many as 20 types of greens such as lettuce, herbs and micro-greens in vertical spaces inside the outdoor storage containers with computer-controlled LED lighting and nutrient delivery systems.

Ellicottville Greens looked at other other properties Benson has in Olean, but the Times Herald building seemed to fit the bill.