GCEDC

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) will consider approving incentives for a project in the City of Batavia and accepting an application for incentives for a project in Le Roy at the board’s Thursday, June 6^th, meeting.

Cedar Street Sales & Rentals (Mucher & Clark LLC) is seeking sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions to support a $165,000 project that would include the construction of a 6,000-square-foot warehouse at 52 Cedar St. Mucher & Clark LLC is seeking incentives totaling approximately $37,000.

The project supports 10 jobs and is located adjacent to a highly distressed census tract in the City of Batavia and is estimated to generate revenues of approximately $28,000 into the Batavia Pathway to Prosperity (B2P) fund over 10 years.

W&M Humphrey Associates LP is submitting an application for incentives for sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions to support a $3.1 million project in Le Roy that would expand the Munson Street facilities leased to the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP). The expansion supports 525 full-time jobs.

W&M Humphrey Associates is seeking a $285,517 property tax exemption, a $149,610 sales tax exemption, and a $30,000 mortgage tax exemption. Since incentives total over $100,000, the GCEDC will schedule a public hearing if the board accepts the application.

The GCEDC Board meeting will take place at its offices on 99 MedTech Drive in Batavia at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 6th. The meeting is open to the public.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) voted Thursday to approve reassigning the terms of previously approved PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) agreements for Upstate Niagara Cooperative.

The company recently announced the purchase of the former Alpina Foods manufacturing facility in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.

Under the PILOT agreements, local taxing jurisdictions will receive $378,010 in revenues over the life of the PILOT. Upstate Niagara Cooperative plans to invest $22 million in the facility to meet the company’s operational needs.

“Genesee County has benefited greatly from the repeated investments by food and beverage companies into dairy production facilities,” said GCEDC Board Chairman Paul Battaglia. “The Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park provides excellent opportunities for the Upstate Niagara Cooperative and businesses in the dairy and food industries to succeed.”

The GCEDC Board also approved a loan from the Growing the Agricultural Industry Now! (GAIN) fund for New York Craft Malt. The $82,000 GAIN loan is part of a $206,968 investment for the purchase of new equipment and building improvements at the company’s facility at 8164 Bank Street Road in the Town of Batavia. The project will create two new jobs.

“NY Craft Malt’s project builds on our successful GAIN Loan Fund program, which supports the growth of agricultural products and businesses in Genesee County,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde. “Low-interest GAIN loans have enabled producers to invest over $1 million into dairy, maple and malting operations.”

The NY Craft Malt is the fifth project in Genesee County to receive a GAIN loan. Previous recipients include Cottonwood Farms in Pavilion, Sandvoss Farms in East Bethany, and Junior’s Maple in Batavia.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) will consider reassigning the terms of previously approved PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) agreements for Upstate Niagara Cooperative, which recently finalized the purchase of the former Alpina Foods manufacturing facility in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.  

The PILOT agreements would provide local taxing jurisdictions with $378,010 in revenues over the life of the PILOT. Upstate Niagara Cooperative plans to invest $22 million in the facility to meet the company’s operational needs.

The GCEDC Board also will consider a request by New York Craft Malt for a $82,000 loan from the Growing the Agricultural Industry Now! (GAIN) fund.  The GAIN loan would be part of a $206,968 investment for the purchase of new equipment and building improvements at the company’s facility at 8164 Bank Street Road in the Town of Batavia. The project would create two new jobs.

The GCEDC Board meeting will take place at its offices at 99 MedTech Drive in Batavia at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 2. The meeting is open to the public.

Press release:

The Genesee County Funding Corporation (GCFC) has approved tax-exempt bond financing for a $5.2 million project to upgrade and renovate residential facilities at College Village in the Town of Batavia.

Tax-exempt bond financing will assist projects by the Genesee Community College Foundation (GCC Foundation) Housing Services Inc. at five on-campus residential facilities owned and managed by the GCC Foundation.

The renovations will include updated technology, renovating several suites into modern communal living and learning spaces, updated facilities and amenities, safety improvements and upgrades for disability access. The work will be performed at Birch Hall, Pine Hall, Beech Hall, Oak Hall, and Cedar Hall.

About the Genesee County Funding Corporation (GCFC): GCFC’s mission is to assist local economic development efforts by serving in a conduit financing capacity enabling the issuance of taxable and non-taxable debt to benefit the growth, expansion, ongoing operations and continued viability of nonprofit business enterprises in Genesee County, thereby helping to maintain a sustainable long-term economy.

Press release:

Upstate Niagara Cooperative announced today that they have completed their acquisition of a yogurt plant located at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park in Batavia.

The Western New York-based dairy cooperative had signed a purchase agreement on Feb. 28^th to buy the facility from Climb Your Mountain Inc. in a transaction facilitated by Harry Davis & Company.

“We’re very excited to have finalized our purchase of this manufacturing plant in Batavia,” said Larry Webster, CEO of Upstate Niagara Cooperative. “As a dairy cooperative owned by farm families throughout the region, this acquisition is located central to our member milk supply. 

"This production-ready facility is only a few years old and represents an investment by our member-owners towards continued and long-term growth for our cooperative. We look forward to adding manufacturing jobs within the Genesee County community while offering additional products and manufacturing capabilities to our customers.”

Exact plans regarding when the plant will reopen and what products will be manufactured at the facility have yet to be announced.

The Upstate Niagara Cooperative is continuing to work with the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) on this project. In the last decade, dairy products manufacturing companies have invested more than $500 million into facilities in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park and Genesee County has more than 1,500 acres of shovel-ready sites to accommodate additional growth in the dairy, food and beverage industry.

“The Genesee County Economic Development Center is pleased that the Upstate Niagara Cooperative is strengthening their investment into producing excellent products and great careers at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the GCEDC.

“With our tradition of agriculture and strong farm families, as well as our infrastructure assets, shovel-ready sites, and workforce talent, Genesee County is truly a dairy, food and beverage powerhouse.”

The Upstate Niagara Cooperative and its members were recognized earlier this year by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce as their 2019 Agricultural Organization of the Year.

Press release:

More than 150 workers at local dairy plants in Genesee County have completed advanced training programs through a dairy workforce solutions initiative.

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) recently was the recipient of a $50,000 grant from National Fuel’s Area Development Program that paved the way for programs led by Cornell University’s Dairy Foods Extension & Harvest New York teams.

Employees from HP Hood, O-AT-KA, and Yancey’s Fancy recently participated in the training, which focused on food safety, dairy science, milk processing technologies, among other topics.

The training sessions are part of a certificate program, which offers continuing education units. Participants received a certificate of achievement from the Dairy Foods Extension program after passing a post-test and completing course evaluations.

“Training over 150 workers is a major achievement, and we were fortunate to have two great partners in National Fuel and Cornell’s Harvest New York program to provide a direct impact to our local workforce,” said Chris Suozzi, vice president of business and workforce development for GCEDC.

“Last year, National Fuel’s Area Development Program awarded $2.5 million in grants to businesses that are locating to or expanding in the Western New York area, so we take pride in partnering with organizations like GCEDC and Harvest New York to further promote local economic growth,” said Cathryn Hilliard, energy consultant for National Fuel.

“Dairy is New York’s top agricultural industry, so with there being a great need for dairy processing in Genesee County, we were thrilled to teach local employees very valuable skills that will ultimately aid in the growth of the industry,” said Anika Zuber, dairy processing specialist for Harvest New York.

Genesee County’s dairy, food and beverage industries increased employment by 29 percent from 2014 to 2018, supporting operations that have since 2010 invested more than $500 million into over 1 million square feet of dairy production facilities at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park and Buffalo East Tech Park.

Submitted Video

Press release:

Mostert, Manzanero & Scott LLP presented a summary of the audit procedures, undertaken in accordance with the scope of their engagement, and the final audit results to the Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation (GGLDC) Board at its March 28 meeting.   

The GGLDC Board engaged Mostert, Manzanero & Scott LLP, a certified public accounting firm, to perform an independent audit of the 2018 financial statements. The independent audit was performed to issue: an opinion on the financial statements of the GGLDC for the year ending Dec. 31, 2018; a management letter to the Board of Directors and management; and, a report about internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Government Auditing Standards. 

Included in the management letter is a statement from Mostert, Manzanero & Scott LLP affirming that no material deficiencies in internal controls were identified during the audit. The firm also affirmed that, in their opinion, the audited financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the GGLDC as of Dec. 31, 2018, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

“I am pleased with the continued positive audit results, and it speaks to the professionalism and transparency of the organization,” said Tom Felton, chairman of the GGLDC. “The GGLDC is actively marketing our industry-specific shovel-ready real estate and continues to see significant interest in our parks.”

Currently, there is $6.7 million of land held for sale and development under the agency's control, including 25 acres at the Buffalo East Technology Park; 130 acres at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park; 14 acres at Med Tech Park; and the Upstate MedTech Centre Building, including an Innovation Zone for entrepreneurial business development.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) will consider approving incentives for Custom Vehicle Operators (CVO), which is transferring operations from its existing facility on Ganson Avenue in the City of Batavia to the former PW Minor manufacturing facility at 3 Treadeasy Ave.

CVO is investing $2 million to purchase and make capital improvements at the 80,000-square-foot building. The project will retain 36 jobs.

CVO is the authorized distributor/installer of accessories for General Motors automobile dealer locations in Central and Western New York and Western and Northeast Pennsylvania.

CVO is seeking sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions of approximately $60,000.

The keynote speaker today at the Genesee County Economic Development Center's annual meeting at Batavia Downs was Jeremy Bout, founder and CEO of Edge Factor.

It's an education resource company that makes video and training materials to help attract students to STEM -- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math -- fields and then guide them through a career path.

Bout said his life was changed as a teen when he was given access to advanced manufacturing tools that were really beyond what most 18-year-olds get access to while in training. That eventually led him to seek ways to make STEM careers more attractive for students and help bridge the gap between what today's employers need to hire and what careers young people are choosing.

"I realize I was one of the lucky ones," Bout said. "I was the one that came out of high school that didn't get lost in the shuffle. I found meaningful work and meaningful employment.

"I went on to study many different things but it was that opportunity with the real-world intersecting my education that gave me that gateway into my passion." 

Bout and his team make videos that tell the stories of how technology impacts lives. They also make highly engaging training videos that help young people prepare to enter the workforce.

"We want to use media and technology because there are new methods for a new generation," Bout said.

The Genesee Valley Education Partnership received GCEDC's Economic Development Partner of the Year Award.

GCEDC works with GVEP on workforce development in 22 school districts in the region, serving 24,000 students.

"For those of you who are here today, whether you're an educator, a legislator, or a business owner, business developer, or a board member, or whomever or whatever you represent, I think we all have one collective goal," said Kevin McDonald, district superintendent.

"And that is to make Genesee County and our region a great place to live, work and play. We hope our contributions will only provide opportunity and encouragement for our younger generations to make the choice to live, work and play in our community."

Assemblyman Steve Hawley spoke of the regulatory and tax challenges businesses and taxpayers face in New York but said in Western New York, we continue to have a positive outlook.

He also said not all of his colleagues in Albany obstruct business development. He noted that when Amazon decided to pull out of a planned second headquarters in Queens, he immediately put out a press release, and sent a letter to Jeff Bezos inviting Amazon to STAMP -- Science, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park -- in Alabama.

That action, he said, received some notable support in Albany, particularly from Crystal Peoples Stokes, the current majority leader.

"She went out of her way and walked up to me and said, 'I don't know if you saw it or not, but I put out a statement supporting you and supporting STAMP for Amazon to locate here in Western New York,' Hawley said. "That's a huge thing.

"So we're not giving up. We're going to tell people around this country and around the world that we're open for business."

State Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer said there is a new wind blowing through Albany, one that is much more focused on social issues and much less focused on taking care of business in New York.

One big example, he said, is the shuttled Amazon deal in Queens. Another is the push to extend prevailing wage provisions to private-sector economic development.

There's also more focus on things like voting rights and abortion. Albany is dealing with these issues at this point in the legislative session rather than what in past years has been the top focus -- the state budget.

"These are the things that are out there," Ranzenhofer said. "They were never really a concern. They were never going to happen. But they are happening each and every week in Albany and they are directly impacting this community. My message to you is that you have to, and we all collectively have to, be vigilant more so than in the past."

Steve Hyde touched on several activities of GCEDC during his remarks but especially STAMP -- noting the continued progress to make the site shovel ready for large, high-tech manufacturers and the state's continued support of the project.

"I never knew when I started this journey, actually in the fall of 2005 were the first steps, when I kind of started on this vision of trying to create a big, huge high-tech mega site to create better opportunities for kids," Hyde said. "I never knew that that was going to be a career-defining project."

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) approved incentives for two projects at the organization’s March 7 board meeting. 

Gateway GS LLC plans to invest $450,000 to build out the interior of an existing 27,000-square-foot spec building that the company constructed in 2018 at the Gateway II Corporate Park in the Town of Batavia. The project will create five new jobs.

Gateway GS LLC will receive sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions totaling approximately $206,000. For every dollar of public benefit, the company will invest approximately $12.60 into the local economy.

Gateway GS LLC intends to lease the space for various uses, including warehouse, distribution, light manufacturing, technology and commercial operations. The company has already lined up tenants for the improved facility, and plans to construct four additional buildings in the near future.

Tenney Coin Laundry, which is located on Ellicott Street in the City of Batavia, is purchasing $197,896 in new equipment and was approved for a sales tax abatement of approximately $15,832. For every dollar of public benefit, Tenney Coin Laundry is investing $56.70 into the local economy.

Tenney Coin Laundry also has submitted a grant request to the Downtown Revitalization Initiative's (DRI) building improvement fund for repairs to the facility's facade as well as structural improvements. Funding through the DRI is administered by the Batavia Development Corporation.

Since 2004, the Genesee Economic Development Center has assisted companies in adding 12.6 million square feet in commercial space in Genesee County, GCEDC CEO Steve Hyde told the Ways and Means Committee during an annual department review Wednesday.

That's a 37-percent increase in commercial space in the county, Hyde said.

There are 30 companies operating in the seven industrial parks developed by GCEDC.

The big park with the biggest vacant area, of course, is the 1,200-acre Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park or STAMP project in Alabama.

The project lost a chance to land direct-wafer solar pioneer 1366 Technologies a year ago and has yet to land a new company for the park but Hyde said there is one big project pending that may yet sign and another in early-stage discussions.

The state has already invested about $10.9 in STAMP for initial infrastructure development. Those funds were approved in the 2014 state budget but released until 1366 signed on as the site's first tenant. The infrastructure work was started before 1366 withdrew from the project because of its inability to reach terms with the Department of Energy on a loan guarantee. Last week, 1366 announced the anticipated opening of its production facility in Malaysia.

At Wednesday's meeting, Hyde announced that the Empire State Development has just authorized another $8 million for major infrastructure -- sewer and water -- for STAMP. The upgrades in infrastructure plans are necessary, Hyde said, because the companies exploring the site now are going to need more infrastructure capacity. 

The state is also providing another $2 million grant for the Corfu/Pembroke sewer project.

During Wednesday's meeting, Hyde expressed some concern about the future of the economy, with some economists warning that tariffs and the trade war with China is taking its toll on growth both here and aboard.

GCEDC is forecasting IDA-backed projects in 2019 will create only 90 new jobs. That's a conservative number because companies have become more conservative in their job creation estimates for incentive-backed expansions because of clawback provisions initiated in state law a couple of years ago.

A clawback is a requirement for a company to return some incentive money if they fail to meet job creation guarantees.

"Companies are unwilling to be as aggressive in forecasted jobs so they tend to under-promise and over deliver," Hyde said.

A clawback is at the local IDA's discretion and Hyde said the GCEDC's board is hesitant to initiate a clawback if there is a reason outside of a company's control for not reaching job projection numbers, such as a slowing economy.

"We don't like to kick a company when it's down," Hyde said. 

He said the board has canceled incentives when companies have failed to perform but only when there is a sound reason to believe the company has failed at its obligations absent of external business cycle factors.

"That's not anything we're afraid to do," Hyde said.

Much of what Hyde presented will be part of GCEDC's annual meeting at 11:30 a.m., tomorrow, at Batavia Downs.

Downstate labor unions are pushing legislation that would require private-sector construction projects that receive even $1 of government assistance to pay "prevailing wage."

If this law goes into effect, it will kill economic development in Upstate, GCEDC CEO Steve Hyde told the Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday.

"This is just over the top," Hyde said. "You can go back in history across the U.S. and see that when government tries to mandate wages and tries to tinker with the mechanisms of free market systems, you get bad results."

Prevailing wage is the amount of compensation, including benefits, the Department of Labor sets for workers employed by companies doing projects for government agencies.

Supporters of the proposed change in the law equate prevailing wage with market-rate wages but that's just factually incorrect, Hyde said. A prevailing wage requirement would drive up the cost of projects backed by an IDA (Industrial Development Agency) by 25 to 30 percent.

That will drive business out of the state, Hyde said.

For small companies looking to expand, it will make projects financially unfeasible and for companies looking to locate new plants to New York, it will make the state even less competitive.

The IDAs in Ulster County and Yonkers have previously tried imposing similar requirements on projects they helped finance and in both cases, the IDAs had to back off the prevailing wage requirement because economic development came to a grinding halt in those jurisdictions.

"This is really a 'turn the lights out' for economic development if this were to happen in New York State," Hyde said.

With less development, Hyde said, there will be fewer jobs and the fallout would hurt huge sectors of New York's economy, from construction to architects and engineers.

While the major push for the bill is coming from Downstate labor unions, Hyde said he hasn't heard what position, if any, labor unions in Western New York are taking. One of the bill's cosponsors is from Rochester, Assemblyman Harry Bronson.

A similar bill has previously passed the State Assembly but died in the then-Republican-controlled State Senate. Now that Democrats control the Senate, the bill's defeat is far less certain.

Hyde asked members of the Legislature to write to state representatives expressing their opposition to the bill in the hope that it could be defeated.

Photo: Jim Krencik, marketing and communications director for GCEDC, and Steve Hyde, CEO.

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.

The advanced manufacturing plant that could have been in Genesee County with a little more political support will open soon in Cyberjaya, Malaysia.

Bedford, Mass.-based 1366 Technologies has been building a plant with the support of one of the companies that have invested in the startup, Hanwha Q CELLS, and announced this week the plant will open soon.

Until this week, 1366 had been unwilling to release the location of its new factory.

It will be the world's first direct wafer factory. The direct wafer process was invented at MIT and patented by 1366. It makes solar wafers much like glass is made, with silicon being poured on a flat surface. The company has claimed the process is more energy efficient and produces less waste.

In 2015, Gov. Andrew Cuomo came to Batavia to announce 1366 as the first tech company to agree to open a plant in STAMP, the advanced manufacturing project in Alabama, that would bring 1,000 mostly high-paying jobs to Genesee County.

The plan was for 1366 to invest $700 million in the plant. GCEDC and Empire State Development and other state agencies would provide $53 million in tax abatements and grants, based on certain incentives being met over 10 years.

The Department of Energy, in 2009, also promised 1366 a $150 million loan guarantee based on 1366 meeting two criteria: selecting a site for their factory and raising $100 million in private investment.

That deal fell apart on claims by Department of Energy officials that 1366 failed to select a site for its factory and had failed to raise the $100 million.  

The company had raised $80 million in private equity but the DOE would not renegotiate the terms of the loan.

Rep. Chris Collins, based on a conversation with a member of his staff, was not hugely supportive of his staff and it's not clear he did much to help the process along. After 1366 announced plans to pull out of the STAMP deal, Collins questioned the company's credibility. He said at the time that 1366's announcement was evidence that the company was never serious about building a plant in Genesee County.

Based on the expectation that 1366 was coming to STAMP, with the help of Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer, the state released $33 million for development of shovel-ready infrastructure at the Alabama location. 

Since 1366 pulled out of the deal nearly a year ago, GCEDC Steve Hyde has said on multiple occasions that GCEDC is talking with several prospective tenants for STAMP but so far no new deals have been announced. 

As of May 1366 and the DOE were locked in a dispute over ownership of patents because of the assistance the DOE had given to 1366 early in the process of developing its technology. The Batavian is not aware of any change in the status of that dispute.

UPDATE 4:16 p.m.: In this story, and previously, we reported that 1366 withdrew from plans to build in STAMP in March. Shortly after this story published we received documents, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, from the Department of Energy, that revealed that STAMP informed DOE of its request to withdraw its loan application on Jan. 31, 2018.  There was no other new information in the set of documents.

For all of The Batavian's previous coverage of 1366, click here.

Top photo: Frank van Mierlo, CEO, 1366 Technologies, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo at the October 2015 announcement at GCC of 1366's plans to build a plant at STAMP.

Photo released by 1366 of its nearly completed plant in Cyberjaya, Malaysia.

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.

Press release: 

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) voted to accept applications for incentives from Graham Manufacturing and Gateway GS, LLC at the agency’s Feb. 7 board meeting. 

Graham Manufacturing is investing $1.075 million for capital improvements to expand various properties at its campus in the City of Batavia. The company will renovate an existing 8,000 square feet of buildings, including an expansion and renovation of its 4,000-square-foot welding school to meet market demand for welders. 

An existing 4,000-square-foot manufacturing building also will be repurposed and the company will build a new 5,000-square-foot warehouse for storage needs. The capital investments will help Graham retain 291 jobs in the City of Batavia.

The company is seeking sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions totaling approximately $130,000. For every $1 of public benefit offered, Graham Manufacturing is investing and helping generate an economic contribution/ impact of approximately $5.90 into the economy. 

Gateway GS, LLC is investing $450,000 to build out the interior of an existing 27,000-square-foot speculative building the company constructed in 2018 at the Gateway II Corporate Park in Batavia. The project would create five new jobs.

Gateway GS, LLC intends to lease the space where tenants would provide input to the final buildout. Among the various uses that the building offers includes space for warehouse, distribution, light manufacturing, technology and commercial operations.

The company is seeking sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions totaling approximately $206,000. For every $1 of public benefit offered, Gateway GS, LLC is investing and helping generate an economic contribution/ impact of approximately $12.60 into the economy. 

“We are very excited to support two great projects that will have significant economic impacts for Genesee County and Batavia,” said GCEDC Board Chairman Paul Battaglia.

“These projects demonstrate the importance of assisting companies such as Graham Manufacturing that are retaining jobs and in the instance of Gateway GS creating new jobs and hopefully even more new jobs as they bring in tenants to their spec building.”

From the Genesee County Economic Development Center:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center will hold its annual Meeting & Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 8, at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel in the Paddock Room.

Cost is $25 per person. Batavia Downs is located at 8315 Park Road in Batavia.

To register click, here.

The GCEDC enjoyed another successful year in 2018 and its partners in business, government and education are spending 2019 "Investing in Our Strongest Assets" in growing the local economy.

The center and its staff looks forward to having you join them in celebrating Genesee County's economic progress and showcasing the next steps in their mission at the upcoming Meeting & Luncheon.

The event will start with an informal networking opportunity and the program follows promptly at noon.

Come and learn more about the accomplishments and opportunities the GCEDC is working hard to bring to local communities.

For questions or more information, contact Jim Krencik, director of Marketing & Communications at:  jkrencik@gcedc.com or phone 585-343-4866.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) will consider accepting applications for incentives from Graham Manufacturing and Gateway GS, LLC at the agency’s Feb. 7 board meeting. 

Graham Manufacturing is seeking incentives for a $1.075 million capital investment for various properties at its campus in the City of Batavia. The investment would renovate 8,000 square feet of existing space for expanded workforce training and add 5,000 square feet of new space for the construction of a warehouse. The project would help retain 291 jobs.

Gateway GS, LLC is proposing to invest $450,000 to build out the interior of a spec building the company constructed in 2018 at the Gateway II Corporate Park in Batavia. The project would create five new jobs.

Since each project would receive benefits of more than $100,000 public hearings would be scheduled if the applications for incentives are accepted by the GCEDC Board.

All GCEDC Board meetings are open to the public. Meetings are at 4 p.m. unless noted otherwise and take place at 99 MedTech Drive in Batavia across from Genesee Community College.

Press release:

“The Genesee County Economic Development Center in collaboration with our many public and private sector partners celebrated in bringing Alpina Foods to Genesee County in 2011. Unfortunately, due to the loss of a co-packaging contract, Alpina Foods has made a decision to close its operations at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.

“While this is extremely disappointing news, the GCEDC will be diligent in marketing and promoting the facility to other agricultural businesses. This was similar to our approach in marketing and promoting a former yogurt manufacturing site, which resulted in bringing HP Hood to our community and with it, further economic investment and eventually the hiring of hundreds of employees.

“We are confident that we will have similar success with the Alpina Foods facility in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.

“In the meantime, the GCEDC will work with our public and private sector partners to assist displaced workers in any capacity we can.”

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) approved incentives for Churchville Fire Equipment Corp. at the agency’s Jan. 10^th board meeting.

Churchville Fire Equipment Corp. will purchase the land and build a truck setup facility at 10246 Perry Road in the Town of Pavilion. The $900,000 investment by the company, which includes $700,000 to purchase the land, will create three new jobs.

Churchville Fire Equipment Corp. was approved for just over $50,000 in incentives, including sales and mortgage and property tax exemptions. For every one dollar in incentives, the company will be investing $78 into the local economy.

Churchville Fire Equipment Corp. has decades of experience in the fire and emergency services industry, and supplies area fire companies with life-saving equipment.