The roots of the project, for Savarino and Jacobs, are rooted in civic pride as much as dollars and cents. Both have portfolios filled with revitalizing older buildings or building in distressed neighborhoods.

Jacobs has renovated a series of long vacant and derelict Main Street buildings.

Among the many construction projects Savarino has worked on includes restoring the troubled Central Park Plaza.

“If we really looked at this for pure risk and reward scenario, we probably wouldn’t be doing it,” Savarino said. “But you know what, you get a tremendous sense of civic pride by taking on a project like this.”