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Sun and clouds mixed. High 57F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph..

Mostly clear. Low 33F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.

Gary Hammond presents the plans for a brew pub at 41 W. Main St. in Canton as Village Trustee Elizabeth R. Larabee and Deputy Mayor Carol S. Pynchon look on. Tom Graser/Watertown Daily Times

St. Lawrence/Franklin County Editor

Gary Hammond presents the plans for a brew pub at 41 W. Main St. in Canton as Village Trustee Elizabeth R. Larabee and Deputy Mayor Carol S. Pynchon look on. Tom Graser/Watertown Daily Times

CANTON — The village Board of Trustees took two votes Wednesday night in favor of a proposed brewery and restaurant at 41 W. Main St.

St. Lawrence Suds, LLC was well represented at the meeting, which began with Gary S. Hammond, a partner and the organization’s chief financial officer, giving a presentation on the plan.

The group plans to renovate the dilapidated century-old barn that was most recently known as the Mattress Barn and was at one time owned by Stillman Foote, Canton’s first permanent resident.

St. Lawrence Suds is seeking a more than $500,000 Restore New York Grant to help complete its $1.5 million project. The village needs to apply for the grant on behalf of the organization.

Leigh Rodriguez, Canton’s economic development director, said the state this year has opened up the sixth round of the Restore New York grants which have not been offered since 2017.

Mr. Hammond said the group’s budget for the project includes $665,000 for purchase and rehabilitation, $260,000 for brewery equipment, $100,000 for restaurant equipment and $99,500 for working capital.

The group is seeking $544,500 from the Restore New York grant program, $50,000 from National Grid’s Main Street Revitalization Grant and private financing of $240,000. The group is using $240,000 of its own money, leaving their budget underfunded by $50,000.

The barn needs a lot of work, Mr. Hammond said, but that makes it perfect for the Restore New York program, which revives vacant, abandoned surplus or condemned buildings. “This project is perfect for this Restore (program) as its goal is to bring back vacant buildings into purpose,” he said.

The company will be known as Bent Beam Brewing, he said.

“Our concept is Bent Beam Brewing and Gastro Pub. We want to be able to bring great beer, great food, give another option in Canton,” he said. “We want to be able to expand Canton’s dining and entertainment options.”

Mr. Hammon said when the restoration is done there will be about 4,500 square feet of usable space with the pub and brewery in the front of the building and the restaurant in the back. He said there will eventually be space on the second floor that can be used for small events. The pub will feature a loft area where patrons can look down to see the brewing process.

The company hopes to be at the point where it can start serving beer next July and have the rest of the project finished by the end of 2023 and the restaurant opened in the late spring.

The village board voted unanimously to apply for the grant and later voted unanimously in favor of a resolution that said the project was not subject to environmental review.

St. Lawrence/Franklin County Editor

Slowly self-propelled. Two-time cancer survivor. Nearly 30-year newspaper veteran.

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