MedTech Park

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

Developer David Mazur said he's been building apartment complexes and running the ones he builds for 18 years.  He has a formula. He knows it works. And he knows the type of tenants he expects to be attracted to his units.

With that experience, he's sure the 80-unit complex he is proposing for Medtech Park by GCC will be market rate, with rents ranging from $1,350 to $1,895 per month (that rate could be as much five percent higher once construction is done, he said).

To qualify for a rental agreement, tenants must have a job, if not retired, and a monthly income of 3.5 times the monthly rental rate.

That rules out college students as potential tenants, he said, and parents can't co-sign for a child. Whoever signs the rental agreement must live in the apartment, he told the Genesee County Planning Board at Thursday's meeting.

After his presentation, when told that other developers have promised market-rate complexes only to change the terms during construction, he said he's 100 percent certain that won't be the case with his development.

"I have never had a project go a different direction other than market-rate," Mazur told The Batavian ."So I'm not sure what happened in the past with other developers or what their performers were, what their plans were, but this is 100 percent designed to be market rate."

The Grand Island-based developer said in his other projects, 60 percent of his tenants are seniors, sometimes retires, with the balance being working professionals.  The seniors, especially, he said, are looking for and demand quality units.

"(Countertops are) either gonna be quartz or granite," Mazur said. "All the finishes are higher end. That's where go back to, like I said, retirees because it's 60 percent of my base at other locations. They want it. They want just new, fresh, crisp places. Some have never lived anything brand new. They look at it, like, I want it, this is what I'm going to live in."

There will be 60 garages for the 80 units, with outdoor parking available for the rest.  

Amenities will include a dog park, and the complex is pet friendly, with some restrictions on dog sizes.  Tenants in apartments with shared hallways are limited to smaller dogs, less than 30 pounds.  The townhouse apartments will have a bit more flexibility, he said.

When Mazur found out the Medtech land was available for development, he said he saw an opportunity to do what he's done successfully in places like Grand Island and Tonawanda -- to build a complex for people that want to be close to a city center -- such as Batavia -- while taking in the country air.

"That's our portfolio," Mazur said. "It's full of what I call country or township apartments. When I found the parcel was available, to me, it made sense. You're a stone's throw from the action downtown. And, you know where the property's sitting -- we can't promise what's going to happen in the future, what else is going to be built there, but right now, it's farmland. So it's gonna be a nice setting for people to have the dog park, walking areas, things like that." 

He said he hasn't investigated bus routes in the area but said that most people moving into market-rate apartments own a vehicle. 

The plan calls for six 12-unit buildings and one eight-unit building with 24 three-bedroom apartments, 42 two-bedroom, and 14 one-bedroom, with 36 single-car detached garages.

The total project cost is expected to exceed $12 million.

Jim Krencik, senior director for marketing and communication for the Genesee Economic Development Center, said the Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation, an adjunct to GCCEDC, approved a sale agreement for Mazur to acquire the 14 acres for the proposed development in December for $200,000.

"With the support of the Town of Batavia, City of Batavia, and GCEDC, we're pleased to see Countryside Apartments moving forward," Krencik said. "This project enhances our market-rate housing stock and can accelerate our Batavia Home Fund to support future residential improvements in the city."

The Batavia Home Fund collects revenue from developments and makes the funds available for rehabilitation and similar projects for residential homes in Batavia. 

Krencik said the Countryside development is eligible to contribute to that fund but not draw from it.  

Mazur said he doesn't know yet if he will apply to GCEDC for any potential project assistance.  It's early in the planning process, he said, "and that's putting the cart before the horse."

Based on his previous experience, Mazur said he believes he won't have an issue filling all 80 units once the project is complete.

"Like I said, we've been in the business  now for about 18 years, and I've had people with me that have been there the whole 18 years. So, again, the style of buildings that we're building, we build the same buildings in different townships, we already know our cost structure, we know our problems, and we tweak the issues from the first project to the second project. We may change color, and it will be different for different townships, but really, it's a process that works for us. And it takes a lot of the risk out of the game."

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

A Grand Island-based developer has submitted an application to the Town of Batavia to build an 80-unit apartment complex on 9.47 acres of land next to the MedTech Center, part of the MedTech Park, along Assemblyman R. Stephen Hawley Drive.

The location is across the roadway from Genesee Community College.

The land is currently owned by an entity of GCEDC, the Genesee Gateway Local Development Corp.

The name of the complex on the application is Countryside Apartments, and the application was submitted by David Mazur.

The plan calls for six 12-unit buildings and one eight-unit building with 24 three-bedroom apartments, 42 two-bedroom, and 14 one-bedroom, with 36 single-car detached garages.

The total project cost is expected to exceed $12 million.

The application does not include -- which is normal for building applications -- any information about possible construction incentives GCEDC might offer.

The project will require water, sanitary sewer, storm drainage, natural gas, cable, and electric utilities.

The developers are proposing a connection to the existing 12-inch water main with a 2-inch domestic water service and a 2-inch fire service for each apartment building.

The town board approved the land for Planned Unit Development (PUD) in November 2022.

When all the units are rented, the complex is expected to have minimal traffic impact.  On weekday mornings, 9.6 vehicles entering, and 36.1 vehicles exiting.  In the afternoons, 19.4 vehicles entering, and 36.1 vehicles exiting.

The Genesee County Planning Board will review the project at its meeting on Thursday.  The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in County Building #2 on West Main Street Road in Batavia.

Officials unveiled the Innovation Zone at MedTech Park in Batavia yesterday. The Innovation Zone is designed to attract high-tech entrepreneurs and start-ups. To help start-ups it will provide working space and free Wi-Fi as well as programing and business services for a $200 a month fee.

A total of $50,000 for the Innovation Zone was provide by the National Grid’s CleanTech Incubation Program. The project was run by the GGLDC (Genesee Gateway Local Development Corp.), which is the real-estate arm of the GCEDC (Genesee County Economic Development Center).

There will be an open house for the new School of Nursing facilities at MedTech Park from 3 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 20.

Genesee Community College and Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) will jointly celebrate the opening of the Dr. Bruce A. Holm Upstate MedTech Centre.

It includes the college's new School of Nursing, the headquarters of GCEDC and the Physical Therapy Department of United Memorial Medical Center.

Community members are invited for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours and hands-on demonstrations of the brand-new classrooms and laboratories.

Genesee's School of Nursing occupies the entire second floor of the new MedTech Centre building. The new 20,000-square-foot-facility includes a lecture hall, conference rooms, and three state-of-the-art nursing labs for hands-on, experiential learning.

There's also a student and employee gathering room with tables, a vending area and lockers, which allow students and staff to study, relax or socialize between classes. Faculty and administrative offices also occupy the second floor.

"The college's nursing program recently increased its enrollment, helping address a nationwide demand for more registered nurses," said Kathy Palumbo, director of Genesee's Nursing program. "This new facility exemplifies both the college and business community's commitment to a stronger healthcare workforce.

"We are grateful to all the public officials, private citizens, supporters of the college as well as our dedicated students and faculty who helped make these state-of-the-art facilities a reality."

The open house will welcome Genesee's wide-reaching Nursing Program alumni as well as the nursing faculty and advisory council, Genesee's president, Stuart Steiner, Ed.D, board of trustee members, elected officials and representatives from the GDEDC (which occupies part of the first floor of the building).

"This is an exciting time for GCEDC and Genesee Community College," said Steven Hyde, president and CEO of the GCEDC. "We are not only welcoming the nurses of tomorrow to this brand-new facility, ... we look forward to working collaboratively with the college and other organizations to develop new jobs for our region in the burgeoning new field of medical technology."

The ribbon cutting and School of Nursing open house program includes:

3 p.m. -- Doors open for the Open House

4 p.m. -- Ribbon cutting and brief welcome and acknowledgments by MedTech and college officials

4:30-6:30 p.m. -- Facility tours, School of Nursing demonstrations

An assortment of refreshments will be provided at the reception, including the college's new bottled "Cougar Water."

For further information or to RSVP to the GCC School of Nursing open house and reception please call Patty Hume at 585-343-0055, ext. 6234.