1st Quarter 1998

Will 4th quarter layoffs announced by Eastman Kodak Company have a negative impact on real estate in the Rochester Area? This question is being asked by mortgage lenders assessing the risk associated with their loans on Rochester real estate.

Eastman Kodak Company, headquartered in Rochester, New York, had December 1997 worldwide employment of 97,500. Approximately 34% or 33,300 are employed in the Greater Rochester Area. Kodak announced in December, plans to eliminate 19,900 jobs worldwide, including 6,300 jobs locally.

The Rochester Area posted the lowest unemployment in 1997 since 1990. The unemployment rate in Monroe County in December 1997 was 2.9%, 0.4% lower than December 1996. Total employment in the Rochester Area increased every month during 1997 to 535,900 persons in December. Proposed Kodak layoffs represent 1.2% of the total employment. On the surface, it would appear that overall the layoffs are nominal when compared with total employment. But the layoffs represent 18.9% of the total Kodak employment in Rochester.

Local industry is dependent upon a strong Kodak. The layoffs in Kodak manufacturing in Rochester and Greece affords the company the opportunity to release lower quality workers. Approximately one-half of the cuts (3,000 workers) will be made in the Rochester and Greece facilities. The remaining cuts (3,300 workers) will be at the Elmgrove Plant in Gates. Other local tooling and machining companies report that Kodak's plan to sell off portions of the Elmgrove Plant represents an opportunity for these employers. Release of skilled workers so desperately needed at other companies and the discounted sale of older equipment are awaited favorably by local companies. All available information indicates that Kodak does not plan to substantially phase out any of the current operations. Based upon current employment conditions, the local economy should be able to absorb these workers.

Even though the local employment picture appears positive, a further discussion of any impact on real estate is applicable. A full and complete discussion of all property types in the Rochester Area would be a complex and lengthy analysis. There are plenty of historic employment numbers, retail sales volumes, area worker productivity, vacancy rates of area apartments, single-family homes sales figures, etc., to be analyzed and projected. Since all figures represent historic data, a simple, common sense discussion of each property type will reveal any inherent weaknesses.

There are 4 primary categories of real estate; industrial, office, retail and residential (single-family homes and apartments). Each property type is a separate market and within each market are specific sub-markets. For example, both the Mall at Greece Ridge Center and a car dealership along West Ridge Road are part of the Greece retail market, but the car dealership property is a specific sub-market. Also, a large department store building does not compete directly with a smaller structure developed for a different user. These examples are cited to illustrate the complexities of real estate markets and sub-markets, even in an area as small as the Greece sub-market.

Industrial
Eastman Kodak has the largest industrial facility in New York State. There is nearly 15.5 million square feet of manufacturing and related office space in the City of Rochester used by Kodak, another 6.8 million square feet in the Town of Greece and 5 million square feet in the Town of Gates. According to published reports, only portions (land & buildings) of the Elmgrove Plant in Gates may be shifted to outside contractors because of the proposed layoffs. There are no known plans to vacate or sell other buildings in the complex. The physical plant of Kodak should remain fully occupied after all reductions are completed. Also, Kodak is building new facilities at this time to accommodate more efficient machinery. All available information indicates little or no negative impact on the local industrial market.

Office
There are no known plans by Kodak to put owned office buildings on the market. Downtown and suburban office construction continues as Class A space is absorbed. Class B space, both downtown and suburban, struggles to retain feasibility. Upgrades such as new windows and renovation of leased space for renewing tenants are typical improvements for older buildings. Changes at Kodak should not directly impact this market, but will certainly not assist in the glut of Class B space.

Retail
Workers' ability to purchase goods affects demand for retail space. Most mature commercial districts in the county have their fair share of underutilized structures. Overall, these markets are in balance. All information indicates that dismissed workers at Kodak will be re-absorbed into the local market. A negative Impact on retail sales may occur over the near term, but may be indistinguishable despite changes at Kodak since sales are normally lower during the summer months. The retail market should continue to demonstrate inherent strengths and weaknesses with no major changes anticipated.

Residential
Single-Family: The strength of this market can be defined by the number of sales per year and average sale price of existing homes. The average sale price of existing single-family homes in Monroe and surrounding counties increased between 0.5% to 3.0% per year over the past 7 years. The City of Rochester housing market is very weak at this time and over the past 3 years has had an average loss in value of 3.5% per year. In 1996-97, the reduction was 6.1%. Over the past 7 years, the city has a average positive annual change rate, but recent trends reveal distressing conditions. Underperforming schools and perceived crime are the two primary concerns of city residences. Solutions to these issues are not at hand and further outmigration from the city is projected into the near term. Ontario and Orleans Counties are the Rochester Area counties with positive growth trends in number of single-family transfers. Overall, areas outside the City of Rochester will have value increases between 0.5% to 2.0% per year and additional years of declining values in the city. The overall number of homes to sell over the next few years may or may not mirror historic data, however, no major shifts or changes should be anticipated.

In order to focus the discussion, an assumption is made that the typical Kodak worker lives within 5 miles of the plant. If so, the affected municipalities would include: Irondequoit, Rochester, Gates and Greece. Irondequoit and the city have demonstrated weaknesses in their home price values over the past 3 years and are the most at risk for homeowners not able to be re-absorbed in the labor market at Kodak pay levels. Layoffs at the Elmgrove Plant in Gates are anticipated to be absorbed as production is spun-off. Gates is a community of older homes with a stable population base. Housing prices in the town, while declining in recent years despite announced Kodak layoffs, should be able to weather changes at the Elmgrove Plant.

Since the Rochester Area population is stagnant, most single-family activity results in shifts within the particular sub-markets. City homes--the bottom of the real estate food chain because of the situation with the schools and perceived crime--should continue to have an oversupply and declining values. Welfare reform could open a pool of potential buyers as persons move from welfare to work. The low overall unemployment in the area is the foundation for this scenario. All efforts should be made by elected officials to increase the owner occupancy rates in the City. The overall impact of the layoffs on the single-family markets will be nominal at best, and recent historic trends are anticipated to continue.

Apartments: There are three general apartment types in Monroe County. 1). City of Rochester supply is older, renovated, converted and in balance at this time. 2). Suburban garden style built in the 1960's and 1970's, in balance at this time, but most at risk for owners failing to upgrade units to changing market standards. 3). Suburban garden constructed in the past 3-5 years, in balance with more new construction planned. A majority of the county apartments are located in Irondequoit, Greece and Gates. Occupancy of older garden style projects has historically been 92%-98%. Any impact from the layoffs may be a lower overall income change rate, but is not anticipated to affect occupancy to a great extent.

Conclusion

The Rochester Area has low overall unemployment. One-half of the layoffs will be at the Elmgrove Plant in Gates and most workers may acquire employment with a buyer of Kodak production units. The balance of the City/Greece plant layoffs should be able to be absorbed into the local market. The only real estate markets at risk appear to be single-family and apartments surrounding the City/Greece plants. Any negative changes in these markets is anticipated to be relatively short term because of the long term goal of Kodak to remain in Rochester and improve productivity through reinvestments in machinery for profitable operations.

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Eastman Kodak Company-- Kodak reported sales for last year were $14.5 billion, 9% lower than the $15.9 billion in sales for 1996. Net profits were $5 million, or 1 cent per share, compared with $1.2 billion, or $3.82 per share, for 1996. Kodak posted a fourth quarter loss of $774 million, or $2.29 a share. A big reason for the adverse quarterly numbers was a $1.5 billion write-off for restructuring and severance pay. (1/16)

Eastman Kodak Company Employment-- The company reported that worldwide employment rose from 94,800 at the end of 1996 to 97,500 at the end of 1997. Kodak employment fell by 1,100 jobs in Rochester, rose by 2,500 in the rest of the United States and increased by 1,300 in foreign countries. The company said 6,300 jobs would be eliminated in Rochester, and about 3,000 of the affected workers have already received layoff notices. Kodak made acquisitions last year that increased worldwide employment. These included the purchase of the software business of Wang Laboratories Inc. and talking full ownership of the CPI Fox chain of photo retail stores. (2/13)

Eastman Kodak Company Acquisition-- Eastman Kodak Co. will become the first major non-Chinese manufacturer of film and photographic paper in China. Kodak announced a $1 billion deal that will give it an 80% share of Kodak (China) Co. Ltd., a new company making color film and paper. Kodak also acquired a 70% share of Kodak (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., a new company that will make medical and X-ray film. Kodak will spend $380 million to acquire assets for the new companies from its Chinese partners and $700 million over the next few years to upgrade manufacturing. (3/24)

Xerox Corporation-- Xerox Corp. announced that fourth-quarter profits jumped 23% and sales for 1998 are expected to climb steadily. Net income rose to $525 million, or $1.46 a diluted share, from $426 million, or $1.18, a year ago. Sales rose 7%, to $5.41 billion. Xerox's 13,000 employees in Monroe County will receive an annual bonus equaling 10% of their pay. (1/24)

Xerox Corporation Employment-- Xerox Corp. intends to cut 10,000 jobs worldwide, 11% of its work force, over the next two years. Xerox employs 13,900 people in the Rochester area and 91,400 across the globe. As many as 2,000 jobs could be eliminated in Monroe County. The company expects to announce the cuts the week of April 6th. (3/24)

Mobil Chemical Corporation-- Mobil Chemical Corp.'s films division may move its headquarters and research center within a year. The company will either consolidate all area operations at its research center in Macedon, Wayne County, or move to one of five locations out-of-state. Mobil's lease on the 67,000 square-foot headquarters building at 1150 Pittsford-Victor Road expires February 1999. Approximately 200 workers are employed at the film headquarters in Perinton and 100 at the research center. Mobil Chemical is a subsidiary of Mobil Corporation, a Virginia-based energy giant that had $71 billion in 1996 revenue. (2/6)

Tourism-- The total number of visitors to the Rochester area during 1997 was more than 1,525,000, an increase of approximately 75,000. Visitors were classified in three categories: Corporate and transient: 755,000; Meetings and Conventions: 510,000; and Leisure and Consumer: 260,000. Visitor spending in the region was up 7% to $217 million. According to the Greater Rochester Visitors Association, the figure represents spending of $102 million on lodging, $67.5 million on food, beverages and entertainment and $47.5 million on retail purchases. Sales taxes generated by visitor spending were estimated at $16.5 million. (3/25)

Job Loss-- The Rochester area will lose 580 jobs in 1998 when Perinton-based Student Loan Corp. relocates its office operation back to Citibank's service center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Citicorp owns 80% of publicly held Student Loan Corp., a leading provider and servicer of student loans, with a $7.6 billion portfolio. Jobs were being eliminated in the customer service, loan service and student loan origination areas as part of a streamlining by Citicorp. The Perinton center is a "stand-alone" business that handles only student loans. (2/13)

Network Services-- Eastman Kodak Co. has announced plans to buy controlling interest in PictureVision, Inc., its biggest online competitor. Kodak is buying a 51% stake in PictureVision, but other terms of the deal were not disclosed. With the Herndon, Va. based PictureVision, Inc. as a subsidiary, Kodak will increase their online customers base by 80% to 40,000. Kodak's Picture Network customers pay a monthly fee to have prints delivered and stored online. PictureVision allows quicker Internet posting directly from 9,000 photo sources. (2/13)

Car Sales-- The Rochester Auto Dealers Association reported 41,311 new vehicles were sold in Monroe County in 1997 - down from 43,113 in 1996. Used car sales were 24,840 in 1997 vs. 24,4566 in 1996 and 22,725 in 1995. A local automotive group stated that Kodak Co. layoffs hurt car sales in the last few months of 1997 and will continue to hurt sales this year. Lease-to-buy plans were also cited as a reason for the decease. (1/17)

Home Sales-- The National Association of Realtors announced annual sales of 4.21 million in 1997, a 3.1% increase over the 4.09 million homes sold in 1996. Nationally, the median price for an existing home was $124,100 in 1997, up 5% from 1996. Realtors in the 11 county Rochester region reported closings on 10,250 existing single-family homes vs. 10,542 in 1996; median sale price of $86,700 vs. $85,900 in 1996; and $1.05 billion in total home sales vs. $1.06 billion in 1996. (1/27)

Exports-- According to the Greater Rochester Metro Chamber of Commerce report, about 4,000 companies in the nine-county Rochester region sent a record $15 billion worth of goods abroad in 1997 up from $14,000 in 1996. The report showed that for the first time exports from Rochester to Latin American exceeded exports to eastern Asia. The U.S. Commerce Department, using the ZIP codes of shipments going to foreign countries for totaling exports, stated its 1997 figures haven't been complied yet. (1/23)

Employment-- The state Labor Department reported that 4.7% of the work force was unemployed in the six-county Rochester area in January, up from 4.6 % the year before. The average U.S. unemployment rate was 5.2% in January, and New York state's was 6.6%. (3/5)

Bankruptcies-- The Rochester district of U.S. Bankruptcy Court filings jumped 21.3% in 1997 to 4,929. Nationally, Bankruptcies were up by 19.5% to 1.33 million. More than 90% of the local filings were personal bankruptcies. Experts cite downsizing at Eastman Kodak Co., and other local businesses, overwhelming medical expenses, and credit card debt as the main causes. (1/7)

Health Care-- The American Red Cross announced plans to build a $16 million laboratory and administrative facility south of Rochester, near the New York state Thruway. The new facility, scheduled to open early next year, is expected to employ 300 people. The Red Cross currently has processing labs in Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo. No decision has been made on the future of Rochester's current Red Cross blood services located at 50 Prince Street. (1/13)

Cinema Acquisition-- Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Inc. and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., announced a deal to acquire the nation's No. 2 cinema company, Regal Cinemas Cos. of Knoxville. The $1.5 billion transaction will create a company with 5,300 screens at 727 theaters in 35 states. The deal would include Regal Cinemas at Eastview Mall, Henrietta Cinemas 18 and Culver Ridge Cinemas 16. The purchase is expected to be complete by the middle of 1998. (1/21)

Acquisition-- Travel Ports of America Inc. plans to acquire privately-held Perk Development Corp. of Rochester, the largest franchisee of Perkins Family Restaurants. Rochester-based Travel Port owns and operates 16 truck stops in seven states. Perk owns 41 Perkins restaurants in New York State. The acquisition will increase Travel Ports' annual revenue by 88% to more than $300 million. All of Perk's 2,500 employees will remain when the company becomes a subsidiary of Travel Port. (3/17)

Hotel Acquisition-- The Rochester Radisson Inn Airport is to be acquired by a Dallas-based real estate investment trust. American General Hospitality Corp. announced that the Rochester-area Radisson on Jefferson Road would be among a package of 14 hotels it plans to purchase from trusts managed by Financial Security Assurance Inc. of New York City. (12/19)

Hospital Growth-- The new hospital and research center for the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo is nearing completion. The main hospital is a ten story, 500,000 sq.ft., $75 million building housing a diagnostic and treatment center, out-patient clinic building and 135 bed in-patient tower. Construction is currently underway on a five-story medical research complex on the Roswell site. The $34 million, 125,000 sq.ft. development comprises laboratory and animal research facilities. (1/27-2/16)

Retail Chain Expansion-- The Men's Wearhouse Inc., a national chain of discount men's clothing stores, will enter the Rochester market this spring with multiple locations. The Fremont, California based company is negotiating deals for space in three area malls - Eastview in Victor, The Marketplace in Henrietta and Greece Ridge Center. Publicly held Men's Wearhouse operates 394 stores in 38 states and has been expanding at a rate of 45 to 50 stores a year in recent years. The company earned $21.1 million on sales of $438.5 million it its last fiscal year. (2/27)

Retail Expansion-- Target Stores will open a Northeast distribution center in the town of Wilton in Saratoga County. The center, expected to open in 2000, will employ up to 750 people at full capacity. It will be located near Exit 16 of the Adirondack Northway and will service 100 Target stores in the Northeast. (2/26)

Entertainment-- Hyatt Corp. leads a group chosen to build a casino-hotel project in Niagara Falls, Canada, that will cost at least $351 million. The agreement gives Hyatt and its partners the exclusive right to develop a large casino project in the tourist community. The Gateway Casino Project, as it is called, will include a 100,000 square-foot casino, a 350-room hotel, convention and exhibit space and a shopping mall. The partnership also will build a 12,000-seat amphitheater and a monorail. (2/20)

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Brighton-- Ziff-Davis Education Inc., formerly Logical Operations, will relocate a division which publishes "how-to" newsletters for software programs currently located in Louisville, Ky., to the Canal View Office Park . Ziff-Davis, a technology-oriented media company, employs 270 workers and provides computer training courses and materials at the center. The Cobb Group will relocate to a recently built 32,000 square-foot building adjacent to the center. (1/14)

Gates-- Via-Health, a subsidiary of Rochester General Hospital, has opened a new facility at Cornerstone Centre. Gates Center Medical Group, located at 2300 Buffalo Road, will occupy over 6,000 square feet in Building 900. Under construction is the last and final building at Cornerstone Centre, Building 1000 which consists of 10,200 sq.ft. and will complete the 87,000 sq.ft. Office Park. (1/27-2/16)

Henrietta-- The Town Board has granted a special permit to Calkins Corporation Park LLC, developer of Calkins Health Commons to build seven additional buildings at the Calkins Road complex. The permit specifies that the new buildings - each ~ 20,000 sq.ft. - be used only for office space. The buildings are to be constructed on a 33-acre lot adjacent to Calkins Health Commons. (12/27)

Perinton-- The Planning Board has approved preliminary site plans for the construction of Willow Brook 700, a three-story 47,000 square foot office building on Route 96. Developer, Charles Mills must submit plans for increased landscaping along Route 96, make a contribution to the town's sidewalk fund and conform to existing light pole styles before final site approval will be granted. A compromise has been reached on parking requirements, utilizing additional spaces at Willow Brook 200. (1/14)

Rochester-- A group of local investors, led by Flaum Management Co. Inc., has purchased the Triangle Building. The building at East Main Street and East Avenue is located at the southeast corner of the Liberty Pole plaza. The first floor of the 25,000 square foot Triangle Building has been vacant since the Marine Midland Bank branch closed in the early 1990s. Investors plan to lease the first floor and sign upper-floor occupants once substantial renovations to the structure are completed. (1/9)

Rochester-- Local real estate investors Stephen Natapow and Robert Gordon paid $6.1 million to acquire First Federal Plaza, a downtown landmark assessed at $15.6 million. The building is almost half-empty. Approximately 125,000 sq.ft. of Class A office space is vacant at the 21-story, 268,000 square-foot office building located at 38 East Main Street. According to Rochester Downtown Development Corp., Rochester's vacancy rate for Class A space was 14.46% last May. Of 2.5 million square feet of Class A space in 13 buildings, 357,000 square feet was vacant. (2/28)

Rochester-- Via-Health will move its 50 employees into 15,000 square feet of totally renovated space in downtown Rochester. The healthcare system, that includes four area hospitals, is consolidating its headquarters at Buckingham's Chestnut Grove property located at 75 Chestnut Street. The move is expected to be complete by June 1998. Two new spaces are being created each containing 1,700 square feet of office space. (12/97)

Rochester-- Rural Opportunies, a Rochester-based non-profit that runs affordable-housing programs for farmworkers, purchased the Hiram Sibley mansion for $875,000. The organization hopes to transfer its 50-employee headquarters staff to the building by the end of February. Hiram Sibley built the 17,000 square-foot villa, located on 2.3 acres at 400 East Avenue, in 1868. (2/6)

Victor-- The Town Planning Board granted approval for the old Rosa and Sullivan building, located at the corner of Route 96 and main Street in Fishers, to be used for offices. The building is 24,000 square feet and is assessed at $1.47 million. Kodak Polychrome, based in Fairfield County, Conn. plans to renovate the building and utilize ~ 75% of the space for phone surveys. It will lease out the rest. (2/18)

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Brighton-- The new Bagel Bin Café will be opening in the former post office building in Brighton Commons plaza near the Twelve Corners. The café will have seating capacity for 99 people and will have a separate room for business meetings. The eatery expects to open its doors the first week of April. (3/4)

Brighton-- Loehmann's, a women's retail store, located in the Loehmann Plaza on South Clinton Avenue is closing. Loehmann's, which has been in operation since 1985, is closing because it's too limited in scale and productivity. According to corporate headquarters, there are no plans to move the store into a different location in the Rochester area. (3/11)

Brighton-- Montana Mills Bread Co., the two-year-old bread bakery, located on State Street in the village, expressed an interest in expanding to the Twelve Corners Plaza in Brighton. The 1,600 square foot space has been vacant since T.J. Cinnamon's Bakery left last fall. (3/11)

Chili-- A new restaurant, Amelia's, has opened in the former T.F. Brown's Family Restaurant at 3240 Chili Avenue. T. F. Brown's closed last July after only seven months due to a lawsuit field by The Ugly Mug, a sports bar in the plaza. The Chili Paul Plaza eatery is expected to employ ~ 15 people and is targeted to open by March 1998. The restaurant will serve a blend of American and Italian cuisine. (2/21)

Gates-- Hollywood Video has opened a 7,488 square foot store in the Westgate Plaza. The video store is located in a new building on the site where the Ponderosa Steak House was formerly located. The 6,000 square foot restaurant was demolished last October. (1/26)

Gates-- FWS, a 30-year-old Buffalo furniture store company, will open its first Rochester location on Spencerport Road in the 102,000 square foot site formerly occupied by an Ames department store. FWS offers deep discounts off suggested retail prices on middle to high-end furniture. The store will employ approximately 35 workers. (2/18)

Greece-- Construction on an 84,000 square-foot shopping plaza at the corner of Long Pond and Latta roads will resume in late March. The project, comprised of retail space and a restaurant, will be anchored by a Vix Discount Drugstore. Benderson Development cited permit approval and weather as the reasons for the delay. (1/27)

Greece-- Aldi Foods, a Batavia, Ill. Based grocer, will open a 15,000 square-foot store at 3600 Mt. Read Blvd., near Maiden Lane. Aldi, a subsidiary of a German company, operates 500 stores in 20 states. (2/10)

Greece-- Valley Cadillac Corp., announced plans to expand its dealership at 3950 W. Ridge Road, adding new display and service areas. The firm will purchase a 1.5-acre parcel adjacent to the Greece site for an outdoor-display space for new cars. Valley Cadillac, which also operates a South Winton Road store, added the Greece satellite location in 1991. (2/6)

Palmyra-- A Family Dollar Store will be moving into the former Big M grocery store off William Street in the village. Approximately $50,000 will be spent to renovate the facility for the new tenants. No moving-in date has been set yet for the chain. (2/16)

Palmyra-- The former Hermans Appliance Store on Route 21 north at North Creek Road, which has been vacant for several years, will become the training facility for the Payroll Store, located on Main Street, and the new home of B&S Auto, an automotive repair business currently located on Main Street. (2/16)

Penfield-- Wegmans Food Market's plan to develop the 75-acre parcel at the corner of Routes 441 and 250 is continuing to meet opposition from town officials. In an attempt to alleviate the anticipated increase in traffic, Wegmans has proposed to widen Route 441 from its western entrance through Route 250, install left-hand turn lanes, and install a three-way light at a new entrance to the plaza on Route 250. Wegmans wants to complete the expansion within the next two years while town officials want the Rochester-based grocery chain to postpone construction until after the state completes more substantial improvements in 2000. (1/14)

Perinton-- Paul & Gene Habeck have opened North Eastern Pools and Spas, a business that specializes in the sale of above and in ground pools and spas, at 303 Macedon Center Road. The Fairport brothers renovated an old ranch house into a 17,000 square foot retail space. North Eastern Pools and Spas has been in operation for 21 years. (3/18)

Pittsford-- Cohoes, an upscale clothing retailer for men and women, has relocated its operations from Jefferson Road to the building below Chase-Pitkin in Pittsford Plaza. The clothing retailer expects to complete the move into the old Raymour & Flanigan Furniture building by the end of March 1998. (2/11)

Pittsford-- The Planning Board had granted approval for the construction of the Dakota Square Steak House on Monroe Avenue. The proposed restaurant will be built on a parcel between Leary's Cleaners and Eber Brothers Liquors. (2/11)

Pittsford-- E.J. Del Monte Corp. has submitted final site plans to the Planning Board for the Depot Inn on Route 96. The proposed $7 million renovation project requires a state environmental quality review before any approval can be granted. The plans call for a "business hotel'' with 101 rooms, a restaurant with 124 seats, and a bar area of 324 feet. The footprint of the building will be expanded due to the addition of meeting rooms. A fourth floor would also be added, but the height of the building would only increase by a foot. If approved, the hotel will be know as the Del Monte Lodge and the restaurant will be called Ernie's. Combined, the two facilities would employ 46 workers. (3/11)

Rochester-- Bert Orr has been named general manager of Midtown Plaza by LaSalle Partners. LaSalle Partners, a real estate service firm based in Chicago, manages the property for Arnold Industries. Arnold Industries purchased Midtown Plaza from McCurdy & Co. in November of 1997, for $18.5 million. A redevelopment plan for the 400,000 square-foot mall is expected within three months. (1/22)

Rochester-- World Wide News has purchased the former Village Green bookstore at 766 Monroe Avenue. James Lombard, owner of World Wide News bought the 10,000 square-foot building from owner Paul Adams for $400,000. (2/4)

Victor-- Benderson Development, a Buffalo-based developer, purchased the 24-acre triangle of land across Turk Hill Road from Cobblestone Court Plaza south of the Perinton town line for $2.5 million. The land is assessed at $59,700 and is called the Dowling property. Benderson, who hopes to develop the land into a shopping center, has submitted an application to rezone the land from residential to commercial. The town has stipulated that Benderson keep commercial development under 100,000 square feet before any plans will be approved. (3/24)

Victor-- The Target Discount department store chain plans to open a 125,000 square-foot store at Eastview Mall. Target will be part of a three-store, 345,000 square-foot strip mall plaza adjacent to the 1.3 million-square-foot mall in Ontario County. Target, the discount division of Dayton Hudson Corp., plans to built a store at the Wegmans Plaza site at Routes 441 and 250 in Penfield and next to the Marketplace mall in Henrietta. The chain operates 797 stores in 39 states. (1/13)

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Gates-- Eastman Kodak has decided to vacate two of the 13 buildings at its Elmgrove Road Plant and to consolidate operations into fewer locations as part of its restructuring plan. Plans call for a large fraction of the 3,300 local job cuts to come from the 10,000 workers at the Elmgrove facility. Most of the Elmgrove reorganization will be complete by the end of the year and all of it by April 1999. (1/21)

Henrietta-- Hammer Lithograph Corp. plans to build a new $4 million, 90,000 square-foot plant in Henrietta. The plant site is on land purchased from Rochester Institute of Technology, in an industrial park adjacent to the school. Hammer will receive a $500,000 capital grant from the state, a 15%-20% discount on electricity from the New York Power Authority, and is eligible for property tax abatements over 10 years through the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency. . The 85-year-old Brighton printing company had $30.5 million in sales last year. (3/25)

Henrietta-- SASIB Railway, the Italian conglomerate that owns General Railway Signal Corp. has sold all their railway equipment businesses to a French company for a reported sale price of $190 million. GRS employs about 540 people, most of them at its headquarters and plant in Henrietta. The buyer, GEC Alsthom N.V. of Paris, is one of Europe's largest makers of transportation equipment. General Railway Signal is one of Rochester's oldest companies. (1/9)

Henrietta-- Getinge/Castle, a worldwide leading manufacturer and provider of disinfection and sterilization equipment announced plans to relocated its corporate headquarters to Henrietta. The company employs 850 people across the country, with almost 400 employees at the Henrietta plant. With projected sales of more than $130 million, Getinge/Castle is on track to end the year with a 10% increase in sales. (1/7)

Manchester-- The Ontario County Industrial Development Agency has agreed to help finance a $2.8 million, 65,000 square foot expansion project at the Great Lakes Kraut plant on Clark Street. The plant is on the Shortsville village border in the town of Manchester. Great Lakes Kraut's facilities in Gorham, Seneca Castle and in Waterport in Orleans County would be shut down. Workers at those sites will be offered jobs in Manchester. Great Lakes Kraut employs 114 people, with 45 full-time and seasonal jobs projected to be added over the next three years. (1/27)

Newark-- Wayne County Industrial Development Agency has extended its offer to purchase the 217-acre Stuart Park site on Route 88 from Eastman Kodak Co. The property is assessed at $3.25 million. Under the arrangement, the agency will lease the property for 10 years to Ultralife Batteries and Silver Hill Associates. After that, the companies will own it. Ultralife, which leases 120,000 square feet in one of three buildings on the property, is expected to move into two other buildings. Silver Hill Associates will occupy the former Sarah Coventry building. Ultralife employs 400 people and expects to add 600 more jobs in the next decade - 225 of them in three years, increasing the payroll by $7.3 million to $15.4 million. (1/5)

Ogden-- Developer, Richard Gilmore has applied to have 17 acres off Manitou Road rezoned from residential to light industrial so he can build an industrial park. Maingate Development Inc. proposes to build the park behind five houses with an access road between two of them. The plan includes eight buildings ranging in size from 5,500 square feet to 10,800 square feet. (2/14)

Penfield-- The Linden Tech Industrial Park, a light industrial complex, has received final approval from the Planning Review Board. The 20.3-acre site, situated in the towns of Penfield and Brighton, has been the subject of a legal dispute over environmental issues for nearly four years. Linden Associates is planning to build a 54,000 square-foot computer assembly plant off of Linden Road near Corbett's Glen. (1/15)

Perinton-- Construction is currently underway on the new office and manufacturing facility for Rochester based Webster Plastics. Webster Plastics, who will lease the facility on a long-term basis, is a custom injection molder owned by U.K. based Bunzl PLC. The facility will be located on a 167-acre site in Perinton Industrial Estates. (1/27-2/16)

Perinton-- Webster Plastics, which employs 150 people, has been sold for an undisclosed amount by Bunzl PLC of London, England, to Acadia Elastromers Corp. of Roanoke, Va. The sale comes just before the company moves from a 70,000 square-foot plant at 841 Holt Road to a new 70,000 square-foot facility at Perinton Industrial Estates off Route 31F. The company was founded in Rochester in 1946 and acquired by Bunzl in 1989. Annual sales are ~ $25 million. (2/27)

Perry-- Champion Products announced it will move most of its sewing operation from its Perry facility to Chihuahua, Mexico. The move will slash the number of jobs at the Wyoming County facility by 345, leaving 125 workers. Officials stated the move was necessary for the company to remain competitive. Employees losing their jobs will be offered outplacement support and will receive a severance package. (2/20)

Rochester-- Rochester Gas and Electric Corp. plans to shut down and put up for sale the Beebee Station power plant. The station is scheduled to close in mid-1999. The site occupies space above the river gorge and below the falls, where the city wants to create a park. A New York City consultant has been hired to determine the most appropriate way to develop the site. (1/23)

Rochester-- The 52,000 square foot manufacturing facility at 185 Norman Street sold for $300,000. Moore & Associates, Inc. and The Silver Group negotiated the transaction. (1/12)

Rochester-- GM's Delphi Energy & Engine Management Systems unit is closing its 410,000 square-foot plant at 500 Lee Road. The company will consolidate all operations at its 1.9 million-square-foot facility at 1000 Lexington Avenue without any loss of jobs or production. The move will begin in late June and is scheduled to be completed in December. Delphi employs about 3,750 people in Monroe County, including 600 at Lee Road, 2,650 at Lexington Avenue and 500 at its engineering center, 5500 West Henrietta Road in Henrietta. (3/13)

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Brighton-- NewMark Development, per town board request, will do an environmental-impact study on all adverse effects the proposed $25 million housing project could have on the surrounding environment. NewMark is proposing to build 11 single-family homes, 42 townhomes, 95 apartments, and a 150-bed assisted-living facility on 32 acres behind Our Lady of Mercy High School, off Blossom Road and Clover Street. (3/4)

Canadice-- The Town Board has rejected Essex Partners Inc. of Rochester's modified proposal to expand the Honeoye Valley Mobile Home Park on West Lake road. The company's latest proposal called for a 16-unit expansion on the property that borders West Lake Road. Eachlot would be 75 by 95 feet. The park currently houses 85 units. (3/12)

Canandaigua-- F.F. Thomson Health Systems received approval from the Town Board to rezone a 44-acre parcel on Middle Cheshire Road from single-family to multi-unit residential for a planned senior community. The first phase of the project will have 126 units, including 86 "independent living" apartments and 40 "enriched living" apartments for seniors who need more assistance with meals and personal care. Project Coordinator, James Doran, stated financing must be secured for the $15 million project. Construction will begin sometime this year and be completed late in 1999. (3/11)

Canandaigua-- Canandaigua Village Estates, a 29-lot housing development off of North Bloomfield Road, received Planning Commission approval. Developer, Richard Calabrese, must construct a storm drainage pond that will serve both Canandaigua Village Estates and the Greater Canandaigua Civic Center. (2/26)

Churchville-- Developer Al Spaziano has submitted his redesign proposal for a 226 housing unit - 200 apartments and 26 town houses - two office buildings of 6,000 square feet each and about an acre for a bank site. The area is zoned for single-family homes. The project is expected to generate ~ $200,000 annually in property tax revenue. The 35-acre site is on the west side of South Main Street, north of Interstate 490. (1/7)

Fairport-- Construction is complete on Rose Hollow, a 12-unit 10,200 square-foot apartment complex for seniors. The cost for the one-story L-shaped facility was $710,000, which has been paid partly through federal and state grants, totaling $282,000. A mortgage with Fairport Savings and Loan at an 8.5% interest rate has been used to pay for the rest of the project. Rents on the one-bedroom units will range from $390 to $525, based on income. (3/4)

Farmington-- Builder, Norman Lopez, received preliminary subdivision approval on the Pheasant Crossing subdivision on Mertensia Road south of Route 99. The subdivision includes 19 "upscale" homes across the street from Doe Haven on Mertensia Road. The homes will be in the $175,000 range, about 1,500 to 2,000 square feet, and will be constructed on three-fourth-acre lots. Construction is expected to begin in late March 1998. (2/22)

Greece-- Unity Health System, which owns Park Ridge Hospital, has proposed an apartment complex for the elderly. Tentatively named the Village at Park Ridge II, the 120 apartments would be exactly as those at Unity's Village at Park Ridge, a 180-unit apartment complex that opened in 1990 on the Park Ridge campus. The land for the proposed development, is south of Straub Road and east of Round Creek Drive, and is adjacent to the hospital's campus. The complex would employ the equivalent of 32 full-time employees. Unity hopes to begin construction late this summer. (3/23)

Henrietta-- DePaul Community Facilities will build an adult home for 120 residents on West Henrietta Road. The 45,000 square-foot facility, called Woodcrest Commons, will include 24 beds for Alzheimer's patients. Woodcrest will cater to middle-income families. Construction is slated to start in the spring of 1998. (2/21)

Henrietta-- The Town Board has postponed a decision on two-special permit requests by Providence Housing Development Corp. to build 99 housing units on a 14-acre lot near the northeast corner of Erie Station and West Henrietta roads, including 59 senior-housing units and 40 multifamily townhouse units. PHDC is affiliated with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester. Konar Enterprises owns the land where PHDC wants to build. (2/4)

Ogden-- Peter Landers, developer of Countryshire Estates subdivision, submitted an application for Planning Board approval for the construction of 16 single-family "patio homes" on the remaining 6.3 acres of the subdivision near the Ogden-Chili town line south of Route 33. He originally planned to add 32 town houses to the subdivision, which currently consists of 136 single-family homes and 22 town houses. Residents were opposed to the additional town houses after the initial ones were turned into rental units instead of being sold. (1/1)

Penfield-- Heartwood Development Ltd. Is seeking planning board approval for a 100-unit senior housing project proposed for 1994C Empire Blvd. Previous developer DiMarco Construction received conceptual plan approval in the early 1990s. DiMarco built two of the three phases: the 192-unit Daniels Creek project and 67 single-family homes. Heartwood's proposal includes one-bedroom apartments, a community room, laundry and tenant storage, and a community dining room. Heartwood is applying for $1.8 million through the state Department of Housing and Community Renewal and for $3.5 million to $4 million in tax credits. The Albany County developer estimates the total costs for phase III to be ~ $7.5 million. The property is surrounded by land owned by DiMarco Construction Corp. and by commercial property. (1/7)

Penfield-- Revised plans for the Willow Pond subdivision have been submitted to the Planning Board. Mark IV, developer of the proposed Willow Pond subdivision must obtain a set-back variance from the town Zoning Board of Appeals before the Planning Board and Town Board will grant final approval. Residents have opposed the development of a 89-unit independent-living facility and a 17,500 square-foot office building on 13.9 acres on Penfield Road. A 150-bed assisted-living facility would be build later. The updated proposal, which is designed as a "continuum of car" complex for seniors, targets people 75 or older for the independent-living building. Rent would range from $1,400 to $1,800. (3/4)

Penfield-- D.J. Parrone & Associates submitted a proposal to build 100 patio homes at the southwest corner of Atlantic Avenue and Five Mile Line Road. The plans call for houses on the42.5-acre lot to start at $120,000. Under the property's existing zoning, the developers are entitled to build about 90 homes, but they are pursuing an additional 10 units under the town's incentive-zoning ordinance. The developers must obtain permission from the Town Board to use incentive zoning. (3/4)

Penfield-- The Planning Board's approval of a proposal by Chrissantha Inc. to build two seven-story senior apartment buildings has prompted a lawsuit. The neighbors, under the name Penfield Road/Panorama Area Community (PenPAC) filed a petition claiming the Planning Board's approval of the Ellison Heights Senior Apartments was illegal. The board approved the two high-rises, which would put 212 apartments and 24 town-homes on 19.3 acres between Penfield Road and Old Penfield Road. The petition claims high-rise units do not fall under the definition of cluster developments. (2/2)

Perinton-- DeFelice Inc., a Victor based developer has applied for approval of a 123-lot subdivision planned for the southwest corner of Whitney and Wakeman roads. Developers of the project are proposing to dedicate 30 acres of land to Perinton and "cluster" the homes on the remaining 74 acres to reduce lot sizes. This creates a development that will have more and smaller homes than the surrounding subdivisions on Wakeman, Howell, and Whitney roads. The average proposed lot size for Devonshire subdivision would be roughly half an acre, with a minimum of at least 18,000 square feet. The average cost of a home in Devonshire would be ~ $175,000. (2/4)

Pittsford-- Developer Ted Spall has received Planning Board approval an incentive-zoning plan for a 280-home development, to be built on seven parcels of land on Calkins Road. Spall would give Pittsford 72.7 acres of the developable 147 acres of land near Isaac Gordon Park. The remaining 74.3 acres would be preserved as green space through conservation easements. Spall is also asking the town to waive the $1,000-per-home Parks and Recreation fee - or about $280,000. If approved by the Town Board, the plan would allow Spall to build double the number of homes on two Calkins Road parcels than current zoning allows. (12/20)

Pittsford-- National Health Care Affiliates of Buffalo filed a revised application to build a $6 million, 59,000 square-foot adult home on 14 acres on West Jefferson Road. The 120-bed residential-style home, to be called Heather Heights, would be include the town's first unit for people with Alzheimer's. As part of the application, the town would receive 35 acres across from the site. (2/18)

Pittsford-- The first phase of the Cloverwood retirement community, a $39 million construction project, shall begin this spring. The project will be located on 41 acres at Clover Street and Jefferson Road. The first phase will include 78 apartments, 24 patio homes, and 38 enriched-living apartments. The Cloverwood project has been directed by Rochester Friendly Senior Services, a non-profit organization founded almost 150 years ago. (2/25)

Rochester-- River Park Commons on Mt. Hope Avenue may be converted into a mix of upscale and low-income housing. The owners of the complex are considering demolishing 200 town house units and replacing them with a combination of owner-occupied housing and subsidized apartments. An adjacent 12-story high-rise in the complex, containing 202 apartments, would remain standing. The privately owned apartment complex, stretching along the Genesee River's east bank near downtown, is one of the key sites to revive Rochester's riverfront. (1/17)

Rochester-- Pinnacle Hill Properties of Rochester, is proposing to build 11 single-family homes on 2.9 acres of the hill at the corner of South Clinton Avenue and Field Street, near the Brighton town border. The homes would sell for between $250,000 and $400,000. The proposed subdivision on Pinnacle Hill would require a full environmental-impact study. Neighbors are urging county lawmakers to preserve the hill as a public park. (3/11)

Scottsville-- City Council unanimously approved to contribute $350,000 toward a 32-unit rental housing project in Scottsville. The city will lend $350,000 to Housing Opportunities, the project developer. The money is from the city's federal Community Development Block Grant. Monroe County is also contributing $470,000 from a federal housing program. The $3.2 million Briarwood Place complex, expected to be complete this fall, will reserve some of its three-bedroom units for graduates of Wilson commencement Park, a transitional housing facility on Joseph Avenue for women trying to get their families off welfare. Average monthly rents in Briarwood Place will be approximately $480. The apartments will be rented to families earning between $15,000 and $30,000 annually. (1/21)

Victor-- Sermar Management has received approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals to a build a 24-unit apartment building on School Street, next to the post office. The low-income apartment building will be open to seniors who earn less than $20,000 a year. The Town Board agreed to negotiate a property tax break for the project. Sermar is seeking state funding to pay for part of the project. (1/20)

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Brighton-- Town Supervisor, Sandra Frankel signed a contract to buy 64 acres of farmland from the Gonsenhauser family. The land, along Westfall road and adjacent to Meridian Centre Park, will be developed as park land. The majority of the developing costs, estimated to be about $1 million, will come from a reserve account. The state Department of Environmental Conservation will give the town a $116,250 grant under the Clean Air/Clean Water Bond Act to help pay for the environmental investigation of the property. The investigation is expected to total $155,000. The Gonsenhauser family has agreed to pay for cleanup costs of the two-acre contaminated area, estimated at $400,000. (1/29)

Brockport-- Ype and Nolli Schippers of the Netherlands have purchased the Brockport Country Club for $2.8 million. Extensive renovations plans are proposed for the 18-hole, semiprivate golf course located on Monroe-Orleans County Line Road. With the addition of a driving range, the club will be open year-round. (1/16)

Canandaigua-- The City Council's Planning Committee has agreed to allow Webster Lodging Corp., developer of a 24,000 square-foot Suoer 8 Hotel, to tap into city water and sewer lines, even though the structure will be built on town property. The hotel's site, on Routes 5 and 20, sits in both the city and the town. (1/30)

Fairport-- The U. S. Postal Service will double the size of its 9,700 square foot Fairport branch at 770 Ayrault Road. The 10,000 square-foot expansion proposal for the 20-year-old facility does not require approval by the town. The Fairport post office serves almost 24,000 people in the 14450 ZIP code area, which includes Fairport and parts of Perinton and Penfield. Construction is expected to begin next summer. (12/24)

Greece-- Construction has begun on the new 21,000 square-foot Bryant & Stratton campus at Canal Ponds Professional Park. The new campus will feature state-of-the-art computer laboratories. The campus is slated to open in June for students currently enrolled at the downtown campus. Bryant & Stratton, headquartered in Buffalo, operates 15 colleges in four states servicng more than 5,000 students. (3/12)

Greece-- The Town Board signed a Waterfront Revitalization Program agreement with the state to improve Channel Park. The town received a $50,000 grant and plans to allocate $50,000 from the town's recreation trust fund, and will also contribute $30,000 worth of in-kind services for the project. The project should be completed by October 31. The town will also receive a second grant of $25,000 to establish a local waterfront revitalization project of its own. (2/11)

Henrietta-- Wilmorite Inc. has revealed a plan to build two hotels and a Cracker Barrel Restaurant in the area of Hylan Drive and Interstate 390. The Wilmorite owns the property where the restaurant and hotels - a 66-unit Comfort Suites and a 90-unit Homewood Suites- would be built. Cracker Barrel plans to construct a 9,800 square-foot building. The restaurant would utilize 6,800 square feet, leaving the rest for retail. The entire area surrounding the Marketplace Mall was zoned years ago as a Planned Commercial Development District. (1/13)

Henrietta-- Conceptual plans have been submitted to construct a 95 unit Marriott Town Place Suites on the corner of Lehigh Station and West Henrietta roads. Developers have suggested a three-story, 54,000 square-foot hotel that would include two buildings on the 3.38 acre parcel. The hotel would be upscale and cater to longer-staying executives. (2/6)

Henrietta-- The Town Board has approved moving the Town Court to a leased space in the Calkins Business Park, 135 Calkins Road, near West Henrietta Road. The 7,000 square-foot building is ~ 2,000 square feet larger than the current building on Lehigh Station Road. The town has negotiated a five-year lease agreement, at $70,000 a year with a five-year option. The town would have a two-year escape clause if it decided to build a new courthouse. (2/11)

Phelps-- The Town Board has voted to study the Phelps-Clifton Springs School Board offer to sell its former middle school to the town and village for $1,000 for use as a new municipal hall. The building, on the corner of Main and Banta streets, has been vacant since the new middle school was completed on Route 488. (1/23)

Penfield-- The Penfield Fire Department has proposed an addition on their headquarters at 1838 Penfield Road. The expansion plan for the firehouse would add 12,188 square feet to the existing 11,999 square-foot building. The fire district has purchased four properties for the project. Homes on three of the lots are to be demolished. Officials said the cost of the project is estimated at $4 million. (1/1)

Perinton-- The Perinton Historical Architecture Commission has approved concept plans for a 1,200 square-foot addition to South Perinton United Methodist Church on Wilkinson Road. The cost of the addition is estimated at $200,000. The project would be paid for using donations gathered during a capital campaign, various state grants, and a mortgage. (1/28)

Perinton-- The first phase of the $22 million renovation project at Fairport Baptist Homes is complete. The new north wing was renovated to create a home environment to accommodate between nine and 12 people. The households contain a kitchen and dining room, with bedrooms within sight of a large community area. Most of the funding for the $22 million project came from the New York State Dormitory Authority. The mortgage is guaranteed by the federal department of Housing and Urban Development. (1/5)

Perinton-- The Perinton Recreation and Park Commission is proceeding with plans to transform 120 acres behind the Town Hall into a park. The land, located near the northeast corner of Turk Hill and Ayrualt roads, is sitting undeveloped. Trowbridge and Wolf, a landscape-consulting firm based in Ithaca, is receiving $22,546 from the town recreation fund to develop a master plan for the project. The town would like the park to be completed in phases over the next several years. (3/13)

Pittsford-- Aladdins Natural Eatery at Schoen Place has proposed to build an ice-skating rink on a section of the Erie Canal that runs through the village. The rink would cover a 200-foot by 100-foot area of the canal in front of the village's Erie Canal Park dock. Aladdins, which would mange the operation, has not decided whether to charge admission. Construction costs are estimated at $10,000 to $15,000. (1/22)

Rochester-- Monroe County has approved tax breaks and $6 million in low-interest financing for a six-story parking garage project in downtown Rochester. The bonds and tax breaks will come through the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency. Wilmorite Inc. will build and manage the 1,000-space garage on a parcel adjacent to the Sibley Building. Construction for the garage is expected to begin in May and finish by the summer of 1999. (3/11)

Wilmorite Inc.-- Rochester mall developer, Wilmorite Inc. has formed a joint venture with Casino America Inc. of Biloxi, Miss. to build a 1.2 million-square-foot strip mall in Pompano Beach, Florida. The development, named Pompano Commons, will include movie theaters, restaurants, and traditional retail. The complex will employ about 2,500 workers when completed. Total development costs are estimated at ~ $100 million. Construction is scheduled to begin late 1998. Wilmorite is the owner of Rochester's four major suburban malls. (2/5)

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Brighton-- The Monroe County Department of Transportation will work through the summer on the 2nd phase of the $7.3 million project to widen Westfall Road and improve drainage. Crews will work on the area from South Winton Road to Lac de Ville Boulevard. The third phase of the Westfall project, from Lac de Ville to East Henrietta Road, will not begin until 2004. (2/25)

Fairprt-- The village's Urban Renewal/Industrial Development Agency is expected to finalize the purchase of a $50,000 nine-acre stretch of land that runs along the north set of railroad tracks on North Main Street. The purchase is being funded through a Housing and Urban Development grant and with UR/IDA funds. There are no immediate plans for the area except to provide access to the American Park Place building at 111 Parce Avenue. 2/11

Greece-- Statistics show the population of the town of Greece is growing at one of the fastest rates in Monroe County. Greece's population, which currently is slightly above 90,000 will surpass 100,000 by the year 2006. A survey by Bergmann Associates estimates the annual growth of Monroe County, which has a population of more than 710,000 will be 0.06%. By comparison, the population of Greece is projected to increase 0.65% annually. (1/1)

Irondequoit-- Construction on the Stutson Street Bridge is expected to begin in October 1999 and to take 2½ years to complete. The two-lane lift bridge over the Genesee River will be replaced by a 950-foot, four-lane lift span. The clearance, currently 24 feet, would nearly double, to 42 feet. (12/31)

Macedon-- The Town Board refused the donation of a parcel of land off Route 350, citing concerns over power and gas lines running across the former farmland and reclamation costs to prepare it for use as a community park. The 59-acre mortgaged property was offered to the town by Beneficial Homeowner Service Corp. of New York, which is now seeking to give the land away to relieve itself of its tax obligations. (3/15)

Perinton-- The state Department of Environmental Conservation and the state Department of Health are recommending no further action be take at the site previously occupied by Autohaus of Rochester. The car dealership was located at 99 Marsh Road from the early 1970's until the late 1980's. The contamination because oils and degreasers containing harmful chemicals seeped into the ground. (2/25)

Rochester-- The Landmark Society of Western New York has agreed to lease the 106-year old former Madison Hotel from the city for $1. The building, located at 56 Madison Street has been vacant since 1992. For the past five years, the city has attempted to sell the building for $500, knowing the structure needs at least $300,000 in renovations. The Landmark Society will take full responsibility for the building, spending up to $10,000 to secure and stabilize it. (2/5)

Victor-- The Victor Historical Society has purchased the Valentown Museum and surrounding properties for $476,000. In the deal, the historical society will acquire the Fishers' 12 acres of land, three houses, and the museum, as well as the artifacts stored inside. The elder Fishers will be able to live in their home, rent-free, for the rest of their lives. The society's $476,000 offer was made with the help of $50,000 in donations, a loan from Victor businessman B. Thomas Golisano, and a $250,000 state grant secured by Assemblyman David Koon, D-Perinton. (3/18)