Work is underway to upgrade a large West Pulteney Street building that will house Union Chill Cannabis, a Corning cannabis dispensary that is expected to open early next spring.
Construction crews began work at the 34 W. Pulteney St. building, which formerly housed The Leader newspaper, in mid-October.
“It’s been almost two years since we purchased the building, and we got building permits about three months ago,” said Union Chill owner Josh Canfield, who also owns Next Level Wellness, a CBD shop in Hornell. “We’ve done a lot of electrical and plumbing work throughout the building, and the floor is being dug up and all the studs and framing is going up right now.”
Canfield said opening Union Chill has been a longer journey than first thought, but the pace of progress is beginning to pick up.
“We are slowly getting there,” Canfield said. “I would have liked to be open yesterday, but that’s not in the cards. Tentatively we are looking for a complete buildout of the entire building in the early spring.”
Canfield said Union Chill may be able to begin cannabis sales late this winter with deliveries in February or early March, before the full building is open to customers. The exact timeline depends on the pace of construction.
“Unfortunately, due to construction and delays that is the earliest we will be able to open,” Canfield said.
When complete, Union Chill will feature a retail space for walk-in customers, a delivery center for online orders, and a public gathering space available for private parties or public events.
Canfield said when visitors enter the front of the building, off W. Pulteney Street, they will walk into the retail space.
“So as everyone comes into the building, they will be able to see everything in the retail space as they enter,” Canfield explained. “We are going to have our delivery section, also called a fulfillment area, on the western section of the nearly 15,000-square-foot building, which also has space for private parties or public events.”
Union Chill will also deliver cannabis products to people in the City of Corning and the surrounding areas. Deliveries will be offered shortly before the retail space debuts to customers.
The delivery distribution will be for online purchases only, with the transaction handled entirely online.
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Canfield was awarded one of New York’s first cannabis dispensary licenses in late 2022. He could not set up a business in Hornell due to the city opting out of allowing dispensaries within its borders.
Canfield said upgrades to the Corning building will include several projects on both the inside and outside of the building, which was purchased in April of 2023 for $485,000 from Gatehouse Media.
Union Chill received final approvals from the City of Corning in early 2024 after more than a year of consideration.
“It’s good to see it’s moving forward,” said Corning Mayor Bill Boland. “I know it was on hold for a long time. The sooner we get a viable business at that location the better. I think Union Chill will be a nice asset to the city’s Northside.”
For additional information on the Office of Cannabis Management adult-use regulations, go to cannabis.ny.gov/marihuana-regulation-and-taxation-act-mrta
“It’s my expectation that the licensee will make significant improvements to the site and run a tightly regulated, well managed business, not so much different than a liquor store,” Boland said.
When will cannabis business open in Steuben County? Union Chill renovating Corning site – Corning Leader
