Business is booming, according to the manager of Koolatron Corp. on Commerce Drive, north of the NYS Thruway, and more space is needed to store the hundreds of products distributed by the Canada-based company.
Gordon Pringle, head of the Batavia site, and Rick Giraulo, representing LandTech Surveying & Planning PLLC, of Rochester, appeared before the Town of Batavia Zoning Board of Appeals Monday night as part of a public hearing in connection with the firm's plan to construct a 25,000-square-foot (158x158) warehouse with another set of loading docks and a driveway for trucks to exit the property.
While no one spoke either for or against the project during the brief public hearing, going forward Koolatron will need Genesee County and Town of Batavia to approve a couple requests for area variances.
Giraulo pointed out to the ZBA that the firm is seeking setback and building coverage variances.
"Our plan has the distance (from the building to the property line) at 28.3 feet as opposed to (the minimum) 30 feet and lot coverage of 39.7 percent as opposed to 35 percent, so we're slightly over," Giraulo said. "But we're smaller than the property across the street, which is at 48 percent, so the impact is negligible really. We're not setting any precedents that haven't already been established."
ZBA members indicated that they didn't see any issues with the requests, but will not be in a position to vote on the variances until Oct. 17, four days after receiving a recommendation from the Genesee County Planning Board. Town of Batavia planners are expected to render a final decision on Oct. 18.
Pringle said the nearly $1 million project will result in the addition of a few more jobs. Currently, the business, also known as Mega Properties Inc., employs eight people.
This latest endeavor comes on the heels of a 2014 project when Koolatron increased its warehousing space from 25,000 square feet to 45,000 square feet, receiving about $200,000 in tax abatements from the Genesee County Economic Development Center.
"Business has grown so much recently, especially with Amazon, Home Depot and Walmart, which just ordered 48,000 coolers," Pringle said, noting that the company ships products around the globe. "And this is just one of many. Beyond that, dot.com orders are increasing like crazy."
Headquartered in Brantford, Ontario, Mega Properties Inc. has an international presence with facilities in England, Florida and New York. It began with a flagship product line of 12-volt portable thermoelectric coolers and has expanded to manufacture, market and distribute a wide range of items via dealer-distributor network and the Internet.
In rendering above, the blue area represents the proposed warehouse expansion at Koolatron on Commerce Drive.
