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GCEDC board to consider assistance for $15 million apartment complex at Medtech

By Howard B. Owens
Countryside Apartments MedTech GCC
File photo by Howard Owens.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors will consider an initial resolution for a proposed market-rate housing development on MedTech Drive in the town of Batavia at its board meeting on Thursday, Jan. 11.

MedTech Landing LLC plans to invest $15 million to construct 100,000 sq. ft. of apartment buildings totaling 80 units. The project is comprised of five buildings with a dozen one-, two-, and three-bedroom units and one 8-unit building, along with 6 six-car garages. 

The project aligns with the GCEDC’s Housing Policy #1 and a recognized need for housing availability. The Genesee County Housing Needs Assessment identified in 2018 that 4,800 units were needed in the next 20 years across single-family homes and rental units.

MedTech Landing LLC is seeking a sales tax exemption estimated at $720,000, a property tax abatement of approximately $3,031,048, and a mortgage tax exemption of $120,000.  It is estimated that $12 of economic impact will be generated for every one dollar of public sector investment.

The project would also generate up to one million dollars over 20 years that will be dedicated towards the Batavia Home Fund (BHF) which was created to address shared housing goals and establish methods to fund beneficial activities to enhance the area’s housing stock.  The BHF is a collaboration between the Town and City of Batavia and the GCEDC.  

“As we all know, there is a housing crisis across New York State, and resolving it requires innovation and collaboration, and BHF is a unique way for our community to address our housing needs,” said Batavia City Manager Rachael Tabelski. “As we continue to revitalize our downtown core and infill areas adjacent to the town of Batavia, we are confident that the BHF will encourage developers and homebuilders across the region to invest here.”The Batavia Home Fund is being supported by host benefit agreements with developers and homebuilders for future multi-family housing projects in the City and Town. Projects will be considered by a committee of City, Town and GCEDC officials to determine how funds raised will be utilized.

“As the agricultural, commercial, and industrial sectors continue to grow in the Town and surrounding communities, it’s important that the workforce needed to fill these jobs have good housing options like the ones that MedTech Landing will provide,” said Town of Batavia Supervisor Greg Post. “An important component of this effort is refurbishing and rehabilitating existing housing structures, and this development will contribute to that effort through the BHF.” 

If MedTech Landing LLC’s application is accepted, a public hearing will be scheduled on the proposed agreement in the town of Batavia.

The Jan. 11 GCEDC board meeting will be held at 4 p.m. at the MedTech Center’s Innovation Zone, 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia. Meeting materials and links to a live stream/on-demand recording of the meeting are available at www.gcedc.com.

Previously: Apartment complex with 80 units proposed across the road from GCC

GCEDC board to consider $15 million apartment complex in Pembroke

By Press Release

Press Release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors will consider an initial resolution for Country Side Apartments LLC’s proposed four 24-unit market rate apartment buildings at its board meeting on Thursday, October 5. The project’s capital investment is estimated at $15 million and would be located in the town of Pembroke.

The project is requesting assistance from the GCEDC with a sales tax exemption estimated at $739,200, a property tax abatement estimated at $2,020,688 based on the incremental increase in assessed value via a fixed 60% 20-year PILOT (Housing PILOT for 20+ market-rate units), and a mortgage tax exemption estimated at $130,000.

Each building will have eight 1-bedroom and 16 2-bedroom units, totaling 96 units throughout the complex. The project aligns with the Genesee County Economic Development Center's recognized need for housing availability.

The fiscal impacts on local benefits total $10,032,176 ($8,705,683 in temporary and ongoing payroll and $1,326,493 to the public in tax revenues). For every $1 of public benefit, the company is investing $5 into the local economy.

If the project application is accepted, a public hearing will be scheduled on the proposed project agreement in the town of Pembroke.

The October 5, GCEDC board meeting will be held at 4 p.m. at the MedTech Center’s Innovation Zone, 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia. Meeting materials and links to a live stream/on-demand recording of the meeting is available at www.gcedc.com.

Previously: Shadow of Ellicott Station throws shade on apartment plan for Pembroke, developer promises no low-income housing

Town of Pembroke Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on Wednesday, May 17, 2013

By Chuck Lowder

I attended the Town of Pembroke Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on Wednesday, May 17, 2013. One of the items on the agenda was in regard to a permit granted to Mr. Jeffrey Humel for his converted multi-apartment building located at 1633 Indian Falls Road in Corfu. Jeffrey Humel, who is already operating under a special use permit what was supposed to be a “storage only” business at this location, has now not only converted an old nursery warehouse into a 3-unit apartment building, but has allowed families to occupy two of those units without the proper permits or certificate of occupancies. When the Town of Pembroke became aware of the multi-family units and that they were occupied they notified Mr. Humel that he was not in compliance with town code and that he needed to remedy the violations. The town Zoning Enforcement Officer issued a "Notice of Eviction" to both tenants residing in two of the apartments.

Since then, a certificate of Occupancy has been issued to Mr. Humel so he could rent out one (1) apartment. Mr. Humel then allowed one of the tenants that were evicted before to move back in.

Using definitions found in the Town of Pembroke’s Zoning Law, a neighboring property owner’s attorney explained to the board the difference between a single unit dwelling and a multi-family dwelling. He also reminded them that since the principal use of the property is already operating under a special use permit, the town zoning law only allows for a single unit apartment not a multi-family dwelling. The board gave me the impression that it must not understand what the law means. Numerous times Board member David Sabato questioned the attorney’s statement about what the difference is between single-family and multi-family. A couple of times, the attorney stated it is in black and white and Mr. Sabato could follow along on the copy that he (the attorney) made for each board member to read. Zoning Board Chairman Nathan Witkowski raised the question as to whether or not there were multiple units in the building (Prior to this statement, Chairman Witkowski held up the layout plans for the build where everyone in the meeting could see the 3 units). He said it was “too bad that someone wasn’t there to represent Mr. Humel”. (Mr. Humel has a history of not showing up at previous board meetings to answer violations and issues.) Thankfully, Mr. Charles Reid, the issuing Zoning Enforcement Officer, was able to make it to the meeting. Mr. Charles Reid was the ZEO who issued the Certificate of Occupancy this spring and he was able to validate for everyone at that meeting, including Mr. Nathan Witkowski, that in fact there are three (3) separate apartment units in the old nursery building. He reported that he had been at the location a number of times, he inspected each unit and he signed the Certificate of Occupancy for apartment “B.” It became rather obvious that the board was not happy about admitting that there were 3 separate apartment units in Mr. Humel’s converted warehouse building, particularly when Board member Terrance Daniel said that all Jeff has to do is “knock out a wall between the apartments or put a connecting door between them and then they could fall under code as a single unit apartment.” After being asked again, Zoning Enforcement Officer Mr. Charles Reid reiterated that he indeed had inspected the inside of the made over building and there were in fact three (3) separate apartment units in it.

I got a very strong message that the members of the Zoning Board of Appeals were all in favor of allowing Jeff Humel to continue operating the multi-unit apartments along with his multi-commercial businesses even though this type of activity is not allowed in an agricultural/residential area per town zoning laws.

The board seemed reluctant, but the certificate of occupancy was rescinded by a vote of 3 – 2. David Sabato and Richard Doktor both voted "nay" while Terrance Daniel, Ronald Kasinski and board chairman Nathan Witkowski all voted "aye."

The Town of Pembroke has allowed Jeff Humel, dba Creekside Septic, Mike’s Roll Offs and Creekside Rentals (which includes rentals of port-a-johns and closed storage units) to operate multi-commercial businesses in an agricultural / residential zoned district since 2008. Not only are commercial businesses not allowed on secondary roads by town law, but it has aggrieved neighboring property owners as well. And now he wants to add apartments!

For complete documented information, please go to www.crlowder.com/pembroke/

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