There are signs of life.

A quick glance at the agenda of area planning boards and industrial development agencies shows a deeper list of projects.

The Sept. 14 meeting of the Buffalo Planning Board had 34 items on it and lasted several hours. Collectively, the items represented more than $100 million in new construction. They run the gamut from a $31 million, 1,800-space parking ramp for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to proposals to bring two new Family Dollar stores to city neighborhoods.

A day earlier, Erie County IDA directors approved incentive packages for two key downtown projects and agreed to serve as the pass-through for federal funds that would aid four more projects. The IDA-approved projects tallied nearly $35 million in private-sector investment.

Agendas in Niagara County are bulking up, as well.

These are a good start.

And there's more to come.

Ciminelli Real Estate Corp. recently signed four deals for expansion projects and/or new office deals in Amherst and Cheektowaga:

• Classifieds Plus agreed to a five-year lease to stay put in Village Park Business Park. The company had been a sub-tenant in the park but now is full-fledged. That in itself shows a certain level of stability.

Village Park has rapidly filled up with anchor tenants such as Buffalo Cardiology and UBS Financial Group.

• In Ciminelli's Centerpointe Corporate Park, meanwhile, Buffalo Medical Group is expanding its space in the 325 Essjay Building nearly fourfold. The group, which already has a significant presence there, will grow from 5,700 square feet in the 325 Essjay Building to nearly 20,000 with the addition of 13,615 square feet.

• Elsewhere in Centerpointe, New England Financial is moving from 300 Essjay to 400 Essjay, taking 8,500 square feet in the process. The firm, working with RealtyUSA brokers Joe Deck and Tim Hourihan, considered a number of other sites.

• And at Ciminelli's Airport Commerce Park in Cheektowaga, Hammond Manufacturing nearly doubled its space to 16,000 square feet. The Canadian company uses the space to warehouse and distribute its racks, rack cabinets and transformers.

"Even in this crazy economy, we've put together some deals with some good, solid tenants," said Robert McDonnell, Ciminelli vice president. "We've held our own."

Economic development leaders admit the region isn't out of the woods yet, but they're definitely optimistic.

"We're smiling more," McDonnell said.

Cup winners?

The new owners of FWS Home Furnishings have a deal for local residents.

People who spend $1,500 or more in their two area stores could have their money fully refunded if the Buffalo Sabres win the Stanley Cup this season.

The deal covers purchases made from Sept. 7 to Oct. 7.

FWS has a store on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo and in Clarence's Transitown Plaza.

The offer is similar to one made three years ago by Jordan's Furniture in Boston. It offered refunds on certain purchases if the Boston Red Sox won the World Series that year.

The team did, sweeping the Colorado Rockies.

John Wanat and John Grimaldi, who bought FWS earlier this year, say the potentially expensive risk is worth it. (They took out a special-promotions insurance policy, just in case the Sabres do win Lord Stanley's Cup.)

"One of our challenges is finding creative ideas to compete with the big-box retailers," Wanat said.

It also helps that both men are huge fans of the Sabres and hockey in general.

"We just ran with this," Wanat said.

The timing of the promotion coincides with the start of the 2010-11 season - the Sabres begin regular-season play Oct. 8. And fall is when lots of people tend to buy new home furnishings.

"I would love nothing more than to see Buffalo finally win a championship. not just to celebrate a hometown team but to give away all of this merchandise to Western New York families," Grimaldi said. "It's just really exciting to think about."

It's beginning to look like ...

Christmas.

Buffalo Place Inc. scheduled its annual holiday tree-lighting ceremony by Rotary Rink in Fountain Plaza for Dec. 4.

Ice in the downtown, outdoor rink should be ready right after Thanksgiving. Skating will last through mid-March.