The planning committee for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative will ask project leaders from seven project applications to make a presentation about their project at a future committee meeting, committee members decided during a meeting at City Hall this morning.
The projects are:
- Carr's Reborn
- Ellicott Place
- Theater 56
- Healthy Living Corridor
- Healthy Living Center
- BID marketing/branding
- Public Market
- GO Art!
The committee is either looking for more information, to clarify other funding sources, to ask if the amount of DRI funding for the project could be reduced, or just to better understand the projects.
The DRI is a $10 million prize received by the City of Batavia from the state to help fund a variety of downtown projects intended to increase traffic and business in the city's primary business and cultural center.
Several other projects, the committee felt, were complete applications already and no additional information is required, such as Ellicott Station, Newberry Place, Jackson Square, renovations to the second floor of 206 E. Main St., and the Masonic Temple Building.
Six other projects were selected for a group submission; however, the applicants will need to go through a process similar to the state's Main Street Program, which provides funding at 75 percent of the project's total cost. Those projects include building renovation to 39-43 Ellicott St., Borrell Gym, facade work for 214 and 216 E. Main St., and Batavia Showtime.
This morning's conversation included some concern about some of the projects under consideration.
Committee Co-Chairman Eugene Jankowski said he's hearing objections from local residents to using DRI prize money for the Healthy Living Center, which is a nonprofit, tax-exempt project. He said people felt the project backers, UMMC and the YMCA, being nonprofits, have other funding avenues not open to local business owners competing for DRI money. City Church Pastor Marty Macdonald shared the same concern and it was his perception that the project was well underway before the DRI award was made to the city.
Co-Chairman Steve Hyde said he was part of the project in its early stages -- he resigned after being selected for the DRI committee -- and he said organizers knew the city was applying for the DRI prize and that the potential of the grant was always part of the potential financing plan for the center.
There is also concern that the project is seeking $5 million, or half of the $10 million pie.
Similar concerns were raised about the $3 million for the mall and $5 million for renovations to Ellicott Street (a median, plus pedestrian and bike paths).
Committee member John Riter expressed concern that both of these projects aren't far enough along and aren't able to provide the committee with enough information.
Hyde said the Genesee County Economic Development Center is taking a lead role in the revitalization of the mall and suggested that perhaps the mall should be included with a $1 million request to provide some start-up funds for the potential $30 million project. He said there is a developer interested but there needs to be some preliminary work done.
The committee appeared willing to consider that request.
The committee will present a list of projects totaling $15 million in requested funding and state officials will select the final winning projects for a total prize of $10 million. The current list is at $16,187,000.
