Business

Press release:

Batavia and Genesee County have continued their streak of being recognized as one of the nation’s top micropolitan regions for business growth, as the area was ranked third in Site Selection magazine’s annual rankings.

The ranking of “Top Micropolitans” is based on cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people which cover at least one county. It is the 16th consecutive year Batavia and Genesee County have been recognized and the fifth consecutive year ranked in the top five.

The area received its highest ranking ever in 2017 as it climbed all the way to number two among the annual survey of micropolitans across the country. 

“We are thrilled that the hard work that Genesee County and our partners in the public and private sector continues to be recognized as making Batavia-Genesee County the top micropolitan for business in New York,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic development Center.

“Our region is focused on building the shovel-ready sites, active business attraction, expansion and retention, and workforce talent development to continue our economic growth.”

Site Selection magazine recognized 13 of the GCEDC’s project “wins” in 2018 across several stages of project development. The GCEDC closed on 16 projects in 2018, securing $33.7 million in capital investment, 99 new jobs, and more than 189,000 square feet of new construction in Genesee County.

Since 2003, the GCEDC has provided similar assistance and incentives for 465 projects which have generated $1.3 billion in capital investment and the creation and/or retention of approximately 4,627 jobs.

Above, file photo of inside LB Grand taken in March 2018.

Press release (inset photo below submitted):

• Ribbon Cutting with the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce at 3:30 p.m.
• Feast: 4 to 8 p.m.

Executive Chef Sean Wolf reassures that the menu will still include favorites such as tripe, fish fry and of course, Dolly’s famous sauce, but guests can also expect to find new Italian American selections as well as an updated bread program that includes house-made sourdough.

On March 19, guests will have the option to order a "St. Joe’s Plate" with traditional St. Joseph’s Day selections including the customary anise-flavored bread and Italian cookies.

Fish Frys will be available Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the Lent season.

For more information visit LBGrand.com or call to reserve a table 585-768-6707.

Some History on the LB Grand

The LB Grand came to be in 1983 as a result of the extraordinary efforts of Ron and Dolly Piazza. In the subsequent decades, the Piazza family fed and served drinks to two generations of LeRoyans, Genesee County residents, friends, neighbors, and lovers of homemade Italian food. In 2017 the Piazzas “passed the torch” to the Farmer family.

Admittedly, when the Piazzas approached the Farmer family, the timing wasn’t ideal. With the restoration of Farmer’s Creekside Tavern & Inn well underway, the thought of opening two restaurants simultaneously seemed challenging.

However, after touring the facility, Bill Farmer, proprietor, remarked, “We saw something” mentioning that the building had a sort of “mystique” that he was drawn to.  He added that his Italian heritage added a nostalgic pull as well.

Executive Chef Wolf said that he was all for the idea and that he saw the LB Grand as “the spot” for the community, noting that the size of the building and history associated with it made the LB Grand a real gem within the community that was worth maintaining.

After the purchase, the Farmer family decided to keep the name that the Piazza family had built and continued operations while working towards exposing the character of the building.

Bill noted that “Things that take longer often yield a better result,” and for the past two years has worked in conjunction with his team to fine tune the interior, exterior and overall operations. “As with any business, it’s still a work in process but we’re proud of where it’s come and are excited to celebrate with the community.”

An executive with Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc. announced that it has signed a purchase agreement to buy the Alpina Foods plant in Batavia.

Larry Webster, chief executive officer of Upstate Niagara, broke the news at tonight's Genesee County Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony at Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

The Alpina plant is located in the Genesee Valley Agri-business park at 5140 Ag Park Drive West. The plant operated by the yogurt maker closed in January.

UPDATE 10:20 p.m. (by Howard): After tonight's Chamber awards, Webster said Upstate's immediate plans for the former Alpina plant aren't settled but that acquiring an ultramodern dairy-processing facility in a strong milk shed where Upstate has been looking to expand was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

"The way I termed it, it's the farm next door," Webster said. "When it came up for sale we were looking to expand and so it just kind all worked out well."

The plant represents a $60 million investment by Alpina, a Colombia-based company that attempted to crack the U.S. greek-yogurt market by opening the plant in the Genesee Valley Ag-Business Park five years ago. Webster said Upstate will pay somewhere in the neighborhood of the $20 million to $25 million asking price on the plant but said he wasn't ready to disclose the purchase price.

"We just knew that it was an opportunity to pick up a production-ready plant in our area and so we did," Webster said. "We're not 100-percent sure exactly what we're going to do there yet."

The plant will be filled, Webster said and he expects that the plant is ready to employ 40 to 60 people, and more if the plant expands. Part of what attracted Upstate to the property is that while the plant sits on a 10-acre parcel, there is a 10-acre parcel next to it that is vacant but is included with the purchase.

"That makes room for expansion, which we were interested in," Webster said. "It's in the right place at the right time and ready to go. We've got some customers that we think could fit in there quite well and we could utilize it fairly quickly."

Frequently, Upstate operates on a co-packing basis with clients who need a production facility for their dairy-product brands. Webster indicated he expects that's how the former Alpina plant will be used.

The purchase offer was signed Thursday and is contingent on a due-diligence process but Webster didn't expect any issues to arise before the acquisition is final.

The project will likely also be eligible for an incentive package from the Genesee County Economic Development Center, which also provided more than $700,000 to Alpina to build and expand the plant, according to a source who was at Saturday's dinner. The scope and nature of the incentive package has not yet been settled on. 

When Massachusetts-based HP Hood bought the former Muller Quaker plant, which is also in the ag park, it also negotiated an updated tax-abatement package with GCEDC.

Webster said he doesn't expect Upstate will follow the example of Dairy Farmers of America, which purchased the former Muller Quaker plant across the street and flipped it to HP Hood a year later without ever producing any product at the plant.

"That's not in our plans at all," Webster said. "We bought it for our use and our history is just that. We've been operating plants for quite awhile and didn't buy it because we thought it was cheap and we could turn around and resell it or anything like that. We felt we paid a fair price for it but it's for our use."

Press release:

Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer is advocating for a new set of common-sense solutions to address New York’s ailing business climate so that more hard-working families can live, work and thrive in Western New York.

The Re-Open New York for Business Plan is in response to Senate Democrats outright rejection of the Amazon HQ2 project, costing New Yorkers 25,000 new jobs and $27.5 billion in revenue.

The new plan would help reinvigorate the state economy and establish countless job opportunities for middle-class workers while beginning to undo some of the damage Senate Democrats have done by stopping the Amazon HQ2 project.

“When Senate Democrats turned down 25,000 new jobs, they sent a clear message to job-creators across the nation that New York is closed for business,” said Ranzenhofer. “That is why I am fighting to reopen New York for business by enacting each one of these sensible tax and economic development reforms.”

The comprehensive jobs plan includes: 
• Fighting for Meaningful Tax Cuts for Small Businesses, including a $495 million income tax exemption for Small Businesses & Farmers, as well as a STAR program for Small Businesses, achieving another $275 million in savings;
• Fighting to Cut Burdensome Energy Taxes, including the elimination of the 18-A Regulatory Assessment, and building upon the successful elimination of the Senate Democrats’ 18-A surcharge;
• Making the Property Tax Cap Permanent, currently, a temporary measure which has saved taxpayers $37 billion since its inception;
• Opposing any new taxes to balance the budget, including the Governor’s plan to impose new taxes on internet purchases and prescription drugs, among other fees in the Executive Budget proposal;
• Pushing for much-needed needed reform of the Public Authorities Control Board, so one person can never again misuse their vote to impede job growth and progress for New York; and
• Calling upon the Governor and Legislature to enact comprehensive regulatory reform for small businesses across the state this year.

Editor's note: The 2018 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet will be held Saturday, March 2, at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

John Harrower said he recalls a story that his late father, Robert, told him about how Genesee Lumber got started way back in 1928.

“My grandfather, a pioneer in his vision and thinking, shook hands (on the deal) with the former owner of what was Franklin Street Lumber at the time, and he (the seller) said, ‘Good luck, it’s a dying business.’ ”

Today, that “dying business” is alive and well – continuing to serve Genesee County and, in recent years, Erie and Monroe counties – as both a contractor yard and retail outlet.

It’s doing so well, in fact, that it is being honored as the 2018 Business of the Year by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and will be recognized as such at the chamber’s 47^th annual Awards Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. on March 2 at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road in Batavia.

“We are very honored and humbled to receive this award,” Harrower said, speaking for his wife, Leslie; sons, Michael and Eric, who are both in the business, and his employees.

Genesee Lumber was nominated by Batavia John Riter, who praised the Harrowers for their “vision, willingness to bet on the community and commitment to success” as key elements in the company’s ability to expand considerably in recent years.

“Their success has contributed to the community’s success in a variety of ways, not the least of which is an expanded workforce,” Riter wrote in his nomination letter.

John and Leslie purchased the company from Robert in 1994, but John actually worked for his dad as a child before coming on full time after college in 1983. Leslie, an accomplished business person in her own right, came on board in 1987.

Robert Harrower, well-known for his efforts as a Rotarian and on several community boards, passed away last June at the age of 84.

The origins of Genesee Lumber are best captured in John’s words:

“The company was started in 1928 by my grandfather, Harold Harrower, who was a traveling salesman and a lumber dealer. He wanted to own a lumber yard one day, and he called on this place – the old Franklin Street Lumber – and ended up buying it.”

John said the business prospered through the Depression and World War II, and was supported by three big silos, which kept Harold busy during the winter months. “A big source of revenue, and the fuel supply was coal,” he noted.

In time, the coal aspect went away, the silos were removed and the business became known as Genesee Lumber Company Inc.

Robert Harrower worked beside his dad and uncle as a child. In 1963, he bought out his father (who retired) and owned the business until selling it to his son and daughter-in-law 25 years ago.

John Harrower said he sees himself as a combination of the two – a bit of a risk taker like his grandfather and a sense of conservatism, more like his father.

“Yeah, I think I have some of my grandfather in me in that we took a leap of faith about 15 years ago to venture outside of Genesee County,” John said. “We added four or five buildings, and while continuing to be very heavy in the retail business (in Genesee County) we have expanded those avenues into Monroe and, especially Erie County.”

He said the company owns a fleet of a dozen trucks and 10 forklifts, features a large showroom area to “give people a feel of what they could envision for themselves, no matter the size of the project that they have going on.”

The Andersen Windows line has been a key part of the company’s offerings for about 60 years. “They (Andersen) are, if not No. 1, No. 2,” he said.

Genesee Lumber also carries siding, metal roofing, top quality shingles, the Trex decking product, storm doors, windows and more.

“We also do a large amount of interior packages – styles, color, paint grade option or also a stain finish product,” John said, “and a wide array of exterior door options, and patio doors (with a) great selection. It’s quite an expansive line.”

John said Genesee Lumber has several skilled sales and service employees in the areas of kitchen cabinets and countertops – “not our main line, but we can do pre-built or custom cabinetry,” he said.

Much of the expansion has occurred under John and Leslie’s watch.

“We tore down an old building and a house and put up this nearly 10,000-square-foot warehouse – that mostly houses windows and doors,” he said. “We cut lumber, plywood and have a shop for custom painting.”

John said that they take on a lot of lumber by rail, with one railroad car holding more than four tractor-trailer loads.

“Rail helps reduce our costs quite a bit. It reduces the freight tremendously, which we can pass on to our contractor and customer base,” he said, adding that the majority of the lumber comes from Canada or the West Coast.

The Harrower family continues to be active in the community, as both John and Leslie have served on the Genesee Area YMCA board (Leslie is a former president) and as volunteer coaches for a variety of school and youth sports.

Per Riter’s nomination, “John and Leslie have been great ambassadors in that they are always friendly and welcoming to people who are new to the community, including Liz (his wife) and myself.”

John said he embraces what he calls “the hometown spirit.”

“Nothing comes near it,” he said. “We like to see people within the community; we’ve made a lot of friends and have had a tremendous amount of support from the community. And, for that, we’re very grateful.”

Editor's note: The 2018 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet will be held Saturday, March 2, at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

As Batavia’s oldest service club prepares to celebrate its 100^th anniversary, it will be honored by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce with the Special Service Recognition of the Year on Saturday.

Rotarian Christopher White stressed the importance of the Rotary Club of Batavia in the community when he nominated it for the Chamber award.

“Founded by local businessmen looking for camaraderie and an opportunity to give back to their community, the Club has made meaningful contributions, not just financial, but of their time, talent and expertise to make Batavia a better place to live,” White wrote.

Rotary’s contributions to the Batavia community include support of Batavia Concert Band, Genesee County Youth Bureau Community Garden, Genesee Cancer Assistance, Crossroads House, Genesee Symphony Orchestra, GO ART!, Fourth of July Picnic in the Park, Genesee/Orleans ARC and United Memorial Medical Center.

And they support local youth in ice hockey, minor league baseball, Boy Scouts, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), YMCA Camp Hough and the YMCA Summer Adventure Program. 

The Rotary Scholarship Program provides $18,000 each year to high school students from Batavia, Notre Dame and Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.

Rotary also gives local high school students a chance to spend a year abroad, and has hosted foreign exchange students looking to experience life in the United States and Western New York. Two of these students, one from Australia and the other from Denmark, are in Batavia now and attended a recent meeting to tell of their experiences at Algonquin Provencial Park in Ontario, Canada.

Rotary has also provided youth leadership training to many local high school and college students through Rotary International. And they support the world by continuing to raise funds from club members to support Rotary International in its quest to eradicate polio from the face of the earth.

Batavia Rotary hosts the annual girls’ and boys’ high school basketball tournaments, the annual Father’s Day Fly-in Breakfast at Genesee County Airport, the annual Beerfest and raffle, and the Memorial Day Flags and Flowers Sale.

Not to be forgotten are the Rotary shows which were put on for so many years.

White noted that many of the current 75 Rotary members sit on boards of local organizations and nonprofit agencies, lending their support and knowledge to them. They can be found making an impact outside of the Club itself, he said. Members range in age from 28 to 88 and all believe in the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”

Batavia Rotary was founded in 1919 by Batavia businessman Carlton M. Sleight, who had only lived in the city little more than a decade, according to William F. Brown Jr. in his book "Service Above Self: The Story of a Rotary Club."

Sleight had attended a Rotary meeting in Elmira, while living and doing business in Canandaigua, and Brown believes that his visit may have inspired him to form a club in Batavia. On March 13, 1919, Sleight invited 25 business and professional men to meet at the Holland Club with Dr. John H. Ready from the Rochester club to learn how to form a Batavia unit.

The group was so enthused that, two months later, a dinner meeting was held at the Batavia Club to discuss the reports of committees working on bylaws and a constitution. Officers were installed May 26 at the Odd Fellows Temple (the former St. James Episcopal Church on Ellicott Street). More than 200 Rotarians attended from Rochester to Niagara Falls and enjoyed a five-course dinner served by the Eastern Star. 

Batavia became Rotary International’s charter No. 491.

Batavia dentist Joseph Rowbottom is a 50-year member of Batavia Rotary, along with Dave Schwartz and Don Iwanicki.  

Rowbottom first became exposed to Rotary after moving to Corfu. When he was a freshman in dental school, he had a friend whose fiancee’s mother knew a dentist in Corfu who was retiring. That turned out to be Guy Patterson and Rowbottom bought his building. (Guy Patterson's daughter was the famous swimmer Greta Paterson, who swam across Lake Erie in 1955.)

In 1966, the Vietnam War was heating up, and Rowbottom didn’t want to be drafted, so Patterson agreed to hold the building and Rowbottom enlisted. He served two years in the military and after returning home, started attending Rotary meetings with dentist Patterson. 

“I’ve been coming ever since,” Rowbottom said. “I continued to block off time on my schedule from noon to 1:15 p.m. so I could attend Rotary. I’ve always had a lot of fun at Rotary. I also liked the Buffalo Club, but they were so formal.”

Rowbottom said his friends challenged him in the beginning to propose that women be allowed to join Rotary. At the time, the Batavia Jaycees were thrown out of the organization for accepting a female member. He proposed Rotary welcome in Terry Carauna, the dean of Business at Genesee Community College.

“They didn’t accept her and I almost got thrown out of Rotary,” Rowbottom said. “Today, we would be in a world of hurt without women. This club could not function as it does without women.”

One of the newer, younger members is Pam Sivret, who joined in 2017. Her sister, Teri Yasses has been a member since 1994 and Sivret has helped her with the fly-in breakfasts and Rotary shows. 

When Yasses said Sivret should join, she did.

“I love the friendship and how we are all very like-minded,” Sivret said. 

She was the first winner of a Rotary Youth Leadership Award to become a Rotary member. She won the award in 1990 while a student at GCC.

Lori Aratari was working for Triple AAA when she joined Rotary. 

“They encouraged us to be part of our community and get involved,” Aratari said. “I explored the service clubs locally and Rotary stood out.”

She has chaired fundraisers and is in her second term on the board.

“I’ve made amazing friends through Rotary and my husband enjoys participating in Rotary events,” Aratari said.

Editor's note: The  2018 Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet will be held Saturday, March 2, at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc., a dairy cooperative owned by 340 farm families located throughout Western New York, will be honored March 2 as the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce’s Agricultural Organization of the Year.

“On behalf of our member-owners, especially those located in Genesee County, we are honored to be presented with this award by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce,” said Keith Telaak, senior marketing manager of Upstate Niagara Cooperative. “We are grateful of this recognition and are proud to be a part of the Genesee County community.”

Upstate Niagara Cooperative is a result of several mergers, acquisitions, and consolidations of local dairy processors over the past 100 years, as dairy farmers realized the need for increased efficiencies to be able to grow their businesses and compete in the changing marketplace, Telaak said.

In 2006 Upstate Farms Cooperative and Niagara Milk Cooperative consolidated, bringing together two of the nation’s top dairy cooperatives. Its history, however, goes back even further.

Some of Upstate Niagara Cooperative’s family-owned farms have been in existence for more than six generations, according to Telaak.

The cooperative operates seven manufacturing facilities – three fluid plants (Buffalo, Rochester and Williamsport, Pa.), with their main office in Buffalo; two cultured facilities (West Seneca and North Lawrence); one cheese plant in Campbell; and O-AT-KA Milk Products in Batavia. The Membership Office is also located in Batavia, Telaak added. 

“Our mission is to serve each one of our customers the highest quality dairy products and services, in order to market milk and maximize returns for our dairy farmer owners, while providing a rewarding environment for our employees,” Telaak said.

“Our commitment to quality dairy products extends to every stage of production, from the farm to the consumer. The success of our cooperative begins with the passion and dedication of our farmer-owners to work hard every single day to produce the highest quality milk.”

Upstate Niagara’s high-quality dairy products have earned several first-place awards at dairy competitions, including their Bison French Onion Dip and light sour cream. They are marketed to consumers throughout the country.

Their products include milk, flavored milk, yogurt, dip, sour cream, cheese and ice cream marketed under the Upstate Farms, Valley Farms; Intense Milk for consumers looking for a healthier way to indulge; Bison; and Milk for Life. 

“We are also a private label manufacturer of dairy products for many of the largest retailers throughout the country,” Telaak said. 

Today, Upstate Niagara employs more than 1,400 people in their offices, manufacturing facilities and distribution network. 

Batavia was chosen as the site for the Membership Office because of its central location to member farmers in Western New York, Telaak said. Mike Davis is plant manager of the Batavia plant.

Press release:

Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (GCASA) is very pleased to announce that it has been named one of the "Best Companies to Work for in New York State" for 2019 for the second year in a row.

Best Companies Group analyzes employee survey data to determine what companies are selected and how they are ranked.  

“We decided to participate again this year because the feedback we received last year was really helpful," said John Bennett, executive director. "We continue to look for opportunities to enhance employees’ day to day job satisfaction in meaningful ways."

“This honor is because of our amazing employees and board of directors,” said Shannon Ford, director of Communications and Development.

GCASA will be honored at a public awards dinner to be held at the Albany Marriott on Wednesday, April 24. During the event, GCASA will learn its rank among the 26 companies in the category for small employers with 15-99 U.S. employees.

GCASA has been serving Genesee and Orleans Counties for more than 40 years. Services include prevention education and outpatient and residential treatment for individuals with substance use disorders; and an employee assistance program.

GCASA is located at 430 E. Main St. in the City of Batavia.

Due to dangerous winds, Chassix-Automotive LLC, located at 4320 Federal Drive in Batavia, will be closed for the third shift this evening at 10:30 p.m. (Feb. 24) and will reopen Monday for the first shift at 6:30 a.m. (Feb. 25).

Submitted photos and press release:

Last year, Homeland Security Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recorded 28,000 seizures of counterfeit goods valued at $1.4 billion. One raid alone in Laredo, Texas, brought in 181,000 items valued at $42.9 million. The serious issue of counterfeit merchandise hits much closer to home, however, with ongoing investigations and detective work occurring each year at the New Era Field in Orchard Park throughout the Buffalo Bills season.

John K. Payne, senior detective with the Orchard Park Police Department will share his vast experience and knowledge about counterfeiting NFL products and other merchandise on Wednesday, March 6, at 1 p.m. in room T102 as part of Genesee Community College's Fashion Business Speaker Series. The event is free and open to the public. Limited seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Counterfeiting is a form of theft and seriously impacts businesses, the economy, and our society. The International Chamber of Commerce estimates nearly $500 billion in lost economic activity in one year alone as illegal competitors steal brands and products from legitimate companies who hold genuine trademarks and patents.

Many companies have invested years of research and millions of dollars in product development, typically they employ U.S. citizens, and also support local communities. Stealing revenue from these companies through counterfeiting their products not only affects their bottom line, but also significantly hurts their ability to innovate and invest back in the company and community.

This crime can also pose a serious health risk with products in the food and pharmaceutical industry. 

Detective Payne began his efforts to curtail counterfeit merchandising at football games nearly ten years ago when the Buffalo Bills alerted local law enforcement that numerous vendors were selling illegal items outside the stadium. NFL officials worked closed with the Orchard Park Police Department to train key members of the force to identify legitimate products against the counterfeit.

Detective Payne assembled a task force which included the assistance of federal agencies. In the past few years, numerous arrests have been made including a major supplier, and thousands of dollars of counterfeit merchandise has been seized and destroyed. 

With more than 25 years in law enforcement, including 20 years with the OPPD, Detective Payne has a broad base of experience in criminal justice. He has been a SWAT Team member, sniper, observer, major crimes and fire investigator, as well as an instructor with the Erie County Police Academy. He earned both a master's degree in Police Administration and Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Hilbert College.

"This is the first time the Fashion Business Lecture Series has covered the topic of counterfeit merchandising, and we are honored to have Detective Payne share his expertise to our campus and community," said Laura Taylor, instructor of Fashion Business.

"This is not only an important subject to my fashion business students, but GCC's criminal justice and business students will also gain a vast amount of information from his lecture."

Below, Orchard Park Police Department Senior Detective John K. Payne and some counterfeit NFL merchandise.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center is pleased by the announcement today that Ryan Homes has officially broken ground on its new residential project in Oakwood Hills in Batavia.

Ryan Homes broke ground on the first of 56 new homes which vary in size ranging from 1,483 square feet to 2,190 square feet. Affordably priced and located conveniently to all Genesee County has to offer, these new sites will sell quickly.

The Oakwood Hills project will provide single-tenant living along with homes containing up to five bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, and a basement. All of the homes are designed with an open floor plan that places an emphasis on allowing natural light to come into the homes. The homes will be affordably priced from the $190's.

“The growth happening within Batavia is undeniable, so it is extremely satisfying for us to be a part of fostering that growth by building more housing options for both residents and newcomers alike,” said Shawn Benzer, Regional Sales and Marketing manager of Ryan Homes.

The Oakwood Hills development is located within a community experiencing significant business activity. Food and beverage manufacturing companies have invested nearly $500 million into the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park, and the next phases of development at the 1,250-acre WNY STAMP campus and Batavia’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative are catalyzing future growth.

“More people will be moving to Batavia and Genesee County as new opportunities and businesses open up, which means we need more housing options,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

“Batavia is filled with so many incredible people and providing both current and future residents with beautiful places to call home is a strong asset in our continued economic growth.”

The new construction by Ryan Homes also supports Genesee County’s Smart Growth development plan and the need identified in county’s 2018 market analysis for new single-family homes. The analysis projects a housing demand for more than 1,100 new single-family homes by 2040 in a mid-range growth scenario for Genesee County.

“As we recently learned from our housing needs assessment, the rise of new businesses and attractions locating in Genesee County over the next 20 years will lead to a rapidly growing demand for new housing options,” said Felipe Oltramari, director of the Genesee County Planning Department.

“Targeted new home construction in Batavia helps meet our housing needs as our county continues to grow, and supports Genesee County’s Smart Growth development plan.”

Ryan Homes encourages interested prospective tenants to join a VIP list at RyanHomes.com to be the first to get information on the community and exclusive access to VIP-only offers like special pricing and incentives for the early birds.

For more information regarding the houses, visit oakwoodhills.co. or click here.

Press release:

The Batavia Development Corporation (BDC) Board of Directors reviewed the agency’s 2018 results and set goals for 2019 at their last board meeting.

In 2018 the BDC assisted eight projects that invested $3.5 million and pledged to create 38 new jobs. The JJ Newberry Building, award winner of the Robert Macon Award from the Community Design Center of Rochester, was the signature project opening its doors in February of 2018.

“The BDC is positioned to help small businesses and building owners in the City advance their projects,” said Pier Cipollone, president of the Batavia Development Corporation.

“We are also working to advance the Batavia Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) sites including Ellicott Station, Creek Park, City Centre, the Medical Corridor and the Harvester Campus.”

Other planning efforts guiding the BDC’s work include the recently updated Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Revitalization Investment (DRI) Strategy.

“The BOA, Comprehensive Plan and DRI Plan were created through a civic engagement model that allowed input and direction from the community to create a road map for land use and economic development in the City,” said Martin Moore, City of Batavia manager.

“The plans identify some of the most pressing issues in the City including blighted, contaminated and underutilized sites, housing issues and recommendations to reverse these trends.”

With the DRI award of $10 million the BDC plays a critical role in overseeing and advancing DRI projects. Currently the BDC is working with all of the DRI project owners and multiple state agencies to coordinate and assist projects.

The BDC successfully launched the $600,000 Batavia DRI Building Improvement Fund and is in the process of working with applicants before final selections are made.

“The momentum and excitement of the DRI has attracted new businesses and developers across the City,” said Rachael Tabelski, director of Economic Development for the BDC. “We will start to see scaffolding and construction starting in 2019.”

BDC Board approved 2019 goals:

• Secure capital/business commitments of $5 million;
• Secure business pledges to create 25 jobs;
• Secure a micro-enterprise grant/loan program for the City of Batavia to foster new start-up businesses;
• Achieve the BDC’s 2019-2020 budget;
• Successfully administer and implement the Batavia DRI Building Improvement program;
• Encourage, enable and incentivize downtown building owners to add new upper-floor apartments and new residential living in the City of Batavia;
• Participate in the City’s environmental investigation and planning around the BOA Creek Park site;
• Continue to enhance the BDC’s value and build strong relationships with the City of Batavia government, schools, businesses and residents, and other economic development organizations.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) has announced that the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP) will receive the Economic Development Partner of the Year award at the agency’s annual business meeting, which takes place March 8 at Batavia Downs.

GVEP serves more than 24,000 students in 22 school districts in  Genesee, Livingston, Steuben and Wyoming counties. The Partnership offers a wide range of programs and services including career and technical education, special education, alternative education, instructional and technical support services, and management services.

“The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership has been instrumental in advancing workforce development initiatives in Genesee County and across the GLOW region,” said President and CEO of GCEDC Steve Hyde. “We look forward to celebrating the Partnership’s tremendous achievements as we continue to invest in the youth of Genesee County.”

GVEP played an instrumental role in bringing a new program called Edge Factor into Genesee County schools. Edge Factor provides a high-tech Web platform and creates high-end videos for students, parents, teachers, counselors and businesses that help introduce the stakeholders across the county to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) career pathways that align with the type of jobs currently in demand across the region.

“The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (the Partnership) is honored to be selected as the Genesee County Economic Development Center’s 2019 Partner of the Year,” said District Superintendent for The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership Kevin MacDonald.

“We truly appreciate our partnership with the GCEDC as we create and develop new programs and services that are aligned to meet the needs of our communities, businesses and workforce. We are pleased to support the introduction of Edge Factor as a local resource for students to explore regional career prospects.”

The theme of this year’s annual meeting is “Investing in Our Strongest Assets.” The event will emphasize the GCEDC’s workforce talent development and shovel-ready site development achievements, and thank the partners involved in those efforts.

A statement from Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) on the decision of Amazon to axe their HQ in New York City:

“Talk about making ‘Open for Business’ a punchline – the governor and New York City politicians have failed to close the deal with Amazon but there is hope for Mr. Bezos: Western New York is truly open for business and we would gladly accept Amazon’s Headquarters to be located at our STAMP site.

“I have already been in contact with the Orleans County IDA and Economic Development Center in Genesee County to make this a reality and I’m confident our 57 local colleges and universities educating more than 300,000 students could easily accommodate their labor needs.”

Press release: