2nd Quarter 1998

There are many considerations when you decide to build a new home. Some of the advantages are the many selections of builder's styles and locations. When selecting a builder look at their past performance and look for recommendations from past customers.

Floor plan selection and amenities should include a list of features that would be a necessity for your lifestyle. Develop a "dream list" of options and look at the individual cost to add these features. Review the builder's standard feature list, some of the extras that a buyer is seeking may be included as a builder's standard. All builders must meet town code requirements and once construction starts there are ongoing inspections of the foundation, framing, electric, heating and plumbing by town official's to ensure that minimum standards are followed.

Proximity of schools, shopping and expressway access should be considered. When selecting the site, look at the drainage of the site, setback requirements, current zoning and availability of utilities. Some developments may have deed restrictions (ex. no sheds or above ground pools) and zoning requirements may have restrictions of minimum lot size and minimum house size.

Quality of construction and selection of materials will vary by each individual builder. Upgraded construction features will increase the cost to build your new home such as vaulted ceilings, hardwood flooring, bay windows, whirlpools and security systems just to name a few. These features will enhance the value of your property for resale in the marketplace but not always dollar for dollar relative to their cost new.

New home construction costs usually start at $60 per sq. ft. for standard construction. This will vary by location and overall size of the dwelling. A one-story dwelling will be more costly to build than a two-story dwelling. Better quality construction features will increase the price to over $100 per sq. ft. Land value of a standard subdivision site in most locations will start at $30,000 and in some locations will exceed $125,000 for an executive size lot. The "rule of thumb" is that the land value of the lot should be in the range of 20% to 30% of the overall market value of the property.

Many prospective buyers will consider an existing home. There is a good selection of existing homes on the market but many times there will be items that have reached the end of their useful life that will need replacement in the near future. Some of these items may include the roof, furnace or flooring. Other updates buyers may prefer would include remodeling the kitchen and baths or perhaps vinyl siding or thermopane windows.

It is exciting to search for a new home, either existing or new construction. Interest rates have remained stable along with the Rochester unemployment rate. Property values of existing single-family homes in Monroe County and surrounding counties increased between 0.5% to 3.0% per year over the past 7 years. The resale of new construction within the first few years after the home has been completed has generally been below cost new which may include improvements completed after closing such as landscaping, blacktop driveways and finished basements. go to top

Xerox Corporation Employment-- Xerox Corp. will cut 9,000 jobs worldwide, ~10% of its work force, over the next two years. Xerox employs 13,900 people in Monroe County and 91,400 across the globe. Of the 9,000 positions to be cut worldwide, 1,400 will be eliminated locally. Most people in the Rochester area will be offered the chance to retire early or leave voluntarily with up to one year's pay. The job reductions, and plans to cut overhead expenses, are expected to free up cash to reinvest in areas that are growing. (4/7, 4/8)

Xerox Corporation Expansion-- Xerox Corp., announced it will spend $270 million to build a toner plant and establish a European customer service center in Ireland. The facilities, which will open starting later this year, are expected to employ ~ 2,200 people within five years. The customer service center, which will be built just outside of Dublin, essentially consolidates 50 smaller Xerox centers scattered around Europe. The consolidation will help Xerox meet a goal of 3,600 job cuts in Europe, part of a restructuring, announced in April, that will cut ~ 10% of the company's 91,400 employees worldwide. Xerox LTD., the European subsidiary of Xerox, represented ~ 30% of the company's $9.9 billion in revenues last year. (6/3)

Eastman Kodak Company-- Analysts predict Kodak will earn between 65 cents and 76 cents per share for the quarter, compared to 82 cents a share, or about $270 million, in last year's first quarter. They'll be looking at the results closely to see how much progress the company has made since announcing a $1.5 billion reorganization and 6,000 job cuts late last year. The company last year lost $440 million on digital ventures and has vowed to improve in 1998. (4/13)

Eastman Kodak Company Expansion-- Kodak has completed construction of a 15,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility for the manufacture of motion-picture film. The new facility, which houses a film-base manufacturing machine known as the "307 machine", will be used to make polyester film base for motion-picture print films. The machine is part of a $1 billion investment they are making in facilities, technology, and infrastructure at Kodak Park. (4/1)

Bausch & Lomb-- Bausch & Lomb, the $1.9 billion global manufacturer of contact lenses, Ray-Ban sunglasses and other eye-care products has acquired Storz Instrument Co. and Chiron Vision Corp. as part of its two year reconstructing plan. In 1997, the company launched into a $150 million cost-cutting plan, at the same time expanding its core business into the growing surgical market. According to CEO, William Carpenter, 60% of B&L's revenue and 90% of its operating earnings come from the vision care and pharmaceutical businesses. B&L approved a quarterly dividend of 26 cents a share, payable July 1 to shareholders. (4/29, 5/4)

Pyramid Co. -- Pyramid Cos., one of the largest closely held real-estate owners and operators in the U.S., has put itself up for sale, reflecting the increasing consolidation of the real-estate industry. Pyramid, based in Syracuse, N.Y., is a low-profile property developer with a fast-growing portfolio of 31 properties, consisting of one of the largest shopping mall networks in the Northeast. The family of Robert Congel, the managing partner, holds 70% of the stock. The Pyramid portfolio totals more than 45 million square feet. Occupancy rates stand at ~ 94% for the properties. (4/8)

General Motors Corp.-- Strikes in Flint, Michigan by 9,200 United Auto Workers have caused GM to layoff workers in Rochester. The 600 local laid-off workers are employed at GM's Delphi Energy and Engine Management Plant at Lee Road. In addition, ITT Automotive Electrical Systems, a subcontractor for GM, laid off 650 employees in Rochester. GM's Delphi unit employs 3,750 in the Rochester area - 2,700 hourly and 550 salaried. ITT Automotive employs 3,200 hourly and 370 salaried workers. An estimated 2,700 of the hourly workers are employed on GM-related contracts. Nationwide, the number of GM workers idled by the strike has grown to 70,800. Component shortages have forced GM to close 17 of its 30 North American assembly plants. (6/17)

Home Properties-- Home Properties of New York Inc., a Rochester-based real estate investment trust announced record first-quarter earnings along with the purchase of its first Maryland apartments for $53.7 million, boosting acquisitions so far this year to $120 million. First-quarter funds from operations, the primary earnings measured for equity REITs, were a record $9.2 million, up from $4.2 million in the quarter a year ago. Home Properties manages 169 communities with 24,528 apartment units. Of these, 17,103 units in 71 communities are owned outright. (5/1)

Supermarket Acquisition-- Dutch food retailer, Royal Ahold NV has acquired U.S. supermarket chain Giant Food Inc. for ~ $2.6 billion. The acquisition means Ahold's annual worldwide sales will increase to about $35 billion compared with $25 billion in 1997. Giant Food had sales of $4.2 billion in its fiscal year ended February 28 and operates 176 supermarkets, including Buffalo-based Tops Friendly Markets. Tops Markets Inc. operates 15 food stores in the Rochester area and is building a new supermarket on West Avenue in the city. (5/20)

Service Acquisition -- Monro Muffler Brake Inc. will buy the U.S. operations of Speedy Muffler King for $58 million, adding 205 shops to its growing portfolio. Monro will pay $52 million in cash and assume $6 million in debt for the 192 company-operated and 13 franchised stores operating along the East Coast. Monro Muffler had $141 million in sales last year, while revenue at the stores to be acquired was $86.5 million. (4/14)

Utility Acquisition -- Rochester Gas and Electric Corp. announced the acquisition of Griffith Oil Co., the state's second largest wholesaler and retailer of heating oil, propane and other petroleum goods by Energet!x, a newly formed subsidiary of RG&E. The deal with Griffith will give RG&E access to 65,000 new customers from the New York - Vermont state line to Buffalo, and down through northern Pennsylvania. Griffith employs 325 people as truck drivers, technicians, and in sales and customer service jobs. (4/16)

Bankruptcy-- Perk Development Corp. of Rochester, the largest franchisee of Perkins Family Restaurants, is seeking Chapter 11 protection from creditors. The company listed $22.9 million in liabilities, $6.1 million in assets, and 1,800 creditors on its petition. The privately-owned Perk, based at 765 Elmgrove Road, is co-owned by local businessmen John Kendall, Michael Cavalcanti and Louis Bianchi and employs ~ 2,400 people. Travel Ports of America Inc., based in Brighton, stated their purchase offer would now become a part of the bankruptcy reorganization plan. (5/21)

Ferry Services-- A Toronto company is working on a $200 million deal to launch a ferry service between Rochester and Toronto. Two 300-foot-long catamarans, that could transport up to 1,000 people, 176 cars and several buses, would carry thousands of tourists across Lake Ontario. The ferries cost between $60 million and $70 million each. Preliminary plans reveal Rochester would create a ferry terminal with a customs office in the Charlotte area. The estimated traveling time would be two hours at a fare of ~ $100 - in Canadian currency - for a family of four in a car. An announcement on the project is expected in the next two months. (5/8)

Housing Market-- According to the National Association of Realtors, new-home sales are expected to rise 3% in 1998 to 834,000 units, surpassing the 819,000 sales recorded in 1997. NAR's forecast states that the national median existing-home price will rise 4% in 1998 to $128,700, with the median new-home price increasing 7% to $154,200 this year. NAR expects the 30-year, fixed mortgage rate to average 7%, with minor fluctuations within a range of a quarter percentage point. (5/19)

Car Sales-- According to figures released by the Rochester Automobile Dealers' Association Inc., new-car sales ran 2% below last year's levels for the first quarter of 1998. Monroe County dealers sold 3,815 new vehicles and 2,110 used vehicles in March vs. 3,887 new and 2,070 used the previous March. For the first three months of 1998, dealers sold 8,915 new vehicles and 5,885 used vehicles vs. a year-before total of 9,703 new and 6,152 used. (4/14, 4/15)

Employment-- The state Labor Department reported that 4.7% of the work force was unemployed in the six-county Rochester area in March, 1.8% below New York state's average. The figures showed 123,900 people worked for manufacturing companies, down 2,500 from March 1997. Many of the people laid off from Eastman Kodak Co. are being counted as unemployed. (4/17) The state Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate for the six-county Rochester area rose to 4.3% in May vs. 3.9% the previous May. The state's figures reported for May show that the Rochester area lost 1,100 jobs since April in instruments and related manufacturing, the category that includes Kodak and Xerox. (6/19)

Median Home Price-- The Greater Rochester Association of Realtors reported the median price of an existing single-family home hit $90,000 in May, up 5.9% from 85,000 last May. Realtors in the 11-county region reported 3,574 closings for the first five months of 1998, up 6.7% from a year-before 3,350. The five month sales breakdown was: City of Rochester, 483 closings, up 12.3% from 1997's 430 - Monroe County towns, 1,874 closings, up 5.6% - and other regional counties, 1,217 closings, up 3.7% from a year-before 1,147. (6/5)

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Brighton-- Construction has begun on the 100,000 square-foot office building at Meridian Centre located on an 18 acre property on South Winton Road. The Natapow Management Group expects to finalize leases by July with ~ five tenants for 60% of the office space in the building. The building should be completed by November 1st. (6/19)

Chili-- Wegmans Food Markets Inc. is planning to expand its corporate offices on Market Street, adding 98,500 square feet to the existing building. Three hundred people will be moved from leased quarters into the new addition when it is completed. The target completion date is late summer or early fall of next year. (5/21)

Greece-- C.P. Partners has received approval to begin construction on a new 23,000 square-foot multi-tenant commercial office building in Canal Ponds Business Park. Canal Ponds is currently the site for organizations such as IBM, Johnson & Johnson and the Eastman Kodak Company. This new facility, the first multi-tenant office buildings in Canal Ponds, located on 2.5 landscaped acres, offers numerous amenities including ample parking, easy access to expressways and thruway and close proximity to the West side business district. (4/28-5/11)

Macedon-- Mobil Chemical Co.'s films division announced it will move its offices from Perinton to the Mobil-owned Macedon Technical Center facility when its lease for 65,000 sq.ft. of office space at Basin Park expires next year. Approximately 160 employees will move in phases to the Macedon facility by the end of August 1999. Mobil was offered $1 million worth of ecomonic incentives by state and local governments, including tax abatements and cut-rate electricity. Mobil will benefit from a $200,000 grant to install energy-efficient windows. Infrastructure improvements at the Macedon complex will begin immediately. (5/22,5/27)

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Canandaigua-- City Planning officials approved a site plan for a 7,333 square-foot masonry building that will house Auto Zone Inc. The company is based in Knoxville, Tenn. Developers hope to close on the sale of the property by May 1 and begin construction soon after the closing. (3/27)

Gates-- Cinemark USA, owner of Tinseltown movie theater complex, has submitted a proposal to build a $1.5 million Imax Corp. theater next to Tinseltown. The theater would be approximately 8,500 square feet with seating capacity for ~ 260 people. The screen, measuring 52 feet high and 70 feet wide, would show two-dimensional and three-dimensional large-format films. Additional parking will be added to accommodate theater patrons. Pending Town Board approval, construction is scheduled to begin early this summer. (5/3)

Geneseo-- The Big Tree Inn was purchased by Campus Auxiliary Services Inc. of Geneseo. In addition to the purchase price of the Inn - $272,000 for the building and $11,050 for its contents - CAS will pay three years of back taxes, ~ $27,000. CAS is a nonprofit food service corporation operated at the college since 1952. (4/3)

Greece-- Henrietta developer Dale Scutti wants to demolish 123,600 square-feet of the Greece Park Mall - the theater and space that used to house Ames discount department store and a Chuck E. Cheese - and replace it with a 135,000 square-foot Lowe's store. Scutti also proposes building two freestanding restaurants at the mall, located at 3122-3160 West Ridge Road. A total of 152,543 square feet would be built. Two businesses still open in the plaza, Marshalls and Value City Furniture, wouldn't be affected by the plan. The Town Board must approve a permit in order for the project to proceed. (6/12)

Greece-- The DR & F Operating Company wants to open a Don Pablo's Mexican Kitchen on a town-owned 2-acre parcel of land on Paddy Creek Circle, off West Ridge Road. According to the proposal, the town would sign a 10-year lease with Don Pablo's for $75,000 annually. A formula based on sales at the restaurant would generate another $15,000 a year for the life of the lease. The Town Board must approve a special permit. The project would have to be reviewed by the Planning Board as well. (5/19)

Penfield-- Wegmans Food Market's plan to develop the 75-acre parcel at the corner of Routes 441 and 250 and to alleviate the anticipated increase in traffic could receive Planning Board approval by the end of summer. The project includes construction of a 125,000 square-foot Target store, a 160-bed nursing home, a restaurant, bank, day care center, and medical office. Wegmans plans to increase the size of its store by 20,000 square feet. In addition, Wegmans plans to construct a left-hand turn lane in each direct on Route 441. (6/11)

Pittsford-- The Maplewood Inn will remain closed for the next few months while negotiations are underway with the new owner. The fine-dining establishment at 3500 East Avenue closed its door on June 7th. The current owners are selling the restaurant because they are retiring. The name of the new owner was not disclosed. (6/8)

Rochester-- A $1.2 million development plan to divide the vacant Patrick Media Group building on the corner of Somerton Street into two separate sections is being met with mixed reactions. Plans include four storefronts facing Park Avenue in a 7,600 square-foot stucco arcade, with the building's middle section being demolished to make room for 36 parking spaces. The back end would become a 5,600 square-foot office complex. The building, at 745 Park Ave., became vacant two years ago when Patrick Media, a billboard company, was bought out by a company from Parma, Ohio. (5/4)

Rochester-- The new Tops Friendly Markets open on Upper Fall Boulevard on April 1st. Surrounding the Tops is a new $11.3 million shopping plaza that includes a McDonald's Family Restaurant, a First National Bank office and headquarters for the Rochester Police Department's Clinton Section. The next step for Tops is building a new store on West Avenue, scheduled to be completed early next year. (4/2)

Rochester-- Sheridan Hollow Inc., who operate The Big House Brewing Co. in Albany, presented a preliminary plan to the Rochester Preservation Board for a similar restaurant in the old Trolley Barn building. The restaurant includes a micro-brewery and would cost between $5 million and $6 million. The 40,000 square-foot redbrick building would be restored to the way it looked when trolleys were repaired there. The city has spent $25 million to convert the aging industrial area into an entertainment district. (5/7)

Rochester-- The Little Theater, an East Avenue landmark, is up for sale. The asking price for the business and real estate is $2.9 million, or $1.3 million for the business only. A $7 million apartment complex is being built next door at the corner of East Avenue and Mathews Street. The theater includes a full kitchen, a jazz club and a bakery. (4/20)

Victor-- The Town Board approved the application from Benderson Development Co., to rezone the 24-acre triangle of land across Turk Hill Road from Cobblestone Court Plaza south of the Perinton town line from residential to a planned development district. The town will require Benderson to add a westbound double left-turn lane on Route 96/Turk Hill Road intersection, along with a westbound right-turn lane. Also, a traffic signal and more right and left turn lanes must be installed at the intersection of Turk Hill Road and the road connecting the property and Cobblestone Court. Plans call for construction of three stores and a restaurant on the site. The three stores will be 30,000, 25,000, and 20,000 square feet, and the restaurant will be 7,500 square feet. There is also an option to build 35,000 square feet of office space. The land was purchased for $2.5 million and is assessed at $59,700. (4/28)

Victor-- Home Depot has signed a purchase contract with Wilmorite Inc. for space in the EastView Commons shopping plaza. The store will be 120,000 square-feet, and will include a 15,000 square-foot garden center. It will be the first Home Depot outlet in Ontario County. In addition, Target plans to open a 122,500 square-foot discount department store, in the 345,000 square-foot shopping plaza. A tenant for the 100,000 square-foot retail store adjoining Target has not been announced. Along with the three stores, a Rochester Asphalt plant will be constructed on the 46-acre site, which is visible from I-490. (4/28)

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Brighton-- Peoples Pottery, Inc. will move their headquarters into a leased 60,000 square-foot warehouse located on Townline Circle. Peoples Pottery operates mall-based craft stores in the Northeastern U.S. Wilray of Rochester, Inc. is the owner/landlord of this location, which will be the main distribution center supplying crafts to all stores. (4/28-5/11)

Cananadaigua-- The Xerox plant, located in the Centerpointe Business Park, is being restructured and the company is looking to add more manufacturing space, possibly in Farmington. An undetermined number of salaried employees may be moved to its main office in Webster. No jobs will be lost, but union employees will be shifted from the corporation's Advanced Microfabrication Technology at Xerox operation to its ink-jet business. The ink-jet business and AMTX both are housed at Xerox's Canandaigua facility. (6/12)

Chili-- Bausch & Lomb, Inc. has sold its former sunglasses plant to Buckingham Properties, a local property management firm, which will lease half of the space back to B&L and seek new industrial tenants for the rest of the building. The assessed value of the 300,000 square-foot building at 465 Paul Road is $7 million. B&L currently employs ~ 200 workers at the Chili facility. The sale closed on 6/26/98 for an indicated consideration of $4,985,000. (5/28)

Chili-- The Saunders Group, a maker and distributor of photographic and darkroom equipment that employs about 100 people, has been acquired by Tiffen Manufacturing Co. of Long Island. Chili-based Saunders has two facilities on Jet View Drive. CEO Steve Tiffen stated the company plans to expand manufacturing on Long Island and shift other elements of the business to the Rochester area. The entire work force will remain in the Rochester area and will expand soon. (5/1)

Fairport-- The New York Power Authority announced that Moll Industries will move from Gates to Fairport, get low-cost power from the state and triple its employment. The plastic injection-molding company, 769 Trabold Road, is planning to move to a new 72,000 square-foot plant at Perinton Industrial Estates. The $3.5 million expansion will allow Moll to increase employment from 27 to 82. Moll will get a discounted 2,000-kilowatt allocation from the power authority. (5/29)

Farmington-- Northeast Coating Service Corp. plans to open a 50,000 square foot facility on 9.9 acres on the south side of Collett Road between Hook Road and Corporate Drive. The company specializes in custom coating applications for such companies as Xerox, IBM, and Kodak. Northeast expects to employ 30 people and expand to 100 within five years. The town's director of development, said the town expects at least three more industries to move into the area, creating a major industrial corridor stretching from Collett Road to Route 96 along Route 332. (6/11)

Farmington-- Printer Components, a subsidiary of Floturn Inc., has proposed a plant on an 8.5 acre parcel on Canning Parkway, north of Route 251. The company is a leader in the manufacturing of parts for printers and will sell parts to Xerox. As many as 50 manufacturing jobs will be created, with another 50 added as part of a planned expansion. (6/12)

Greece-- Flower City Printing Co. has decided to stay in Greece and will undergo a multimillion-dollar expansion, adding more than 100 new jobs. Flower City is eligible for $500,000 in state capital grants and more than $1 million in financial assistance from the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency. Plans include spending $5 million on a new printing press and up to $4 million on a new warehouse. The printing company generates about $30 million in annual revenue with a work force of 170, with plans to increase to 300 within three years. (4/14)

Honeoye Falls-- General Motors Corp. announced plans to open a new research center in a vacant building at 10 Carriage St. The center will be part of GM's worldwide development of a power system for an electric car and will employ ~ 55 people, with the number increasing to 100 over three years. GM currently employs about 500 at its engineering center located at 5500 West Henrietta Road. The owner of the Carriage St. property is expected to spend $6.5 million on renovations and is seeking a sale-leaseback deal with COMIDA. (6/14)

Ogden-- Gretag Imaging, manufacturer of high speed photo processors, will take occupancy in a 42,340 square-foot building at 50 Vantage Point Drive. Vantage Point Business Centre is a light business park development consisting of ten buildings, totaling ~ 340,000 square-feet of office, manufacturing, and warehouse space. Approximately 40 employees will be moving to the Vantage Point facility. (4/28-5/11)

Palmyra-- Pal Energy Corp. recent merger with AllEnergy Marking Co., of Massachusetts is expected to bring more growth and offer new services to area residents. The new venture will allow PAL Energy to offer residents an alternative power company to New York State Electric and Gas Corp. The company's local operations and its head office will remain unchanged. (4/6)

Penfield-- Planning Board approval has been given for Linden Associates to build a 54,000 square-foot computer assembly plant off of Linden Road near Corbett's Glen. The Ormec Systems plant is one of five two-story buildings planned for the 27-acre sit in Brighton and Penfield. The Allens Creek/Corbett's Glen Preservation Group has filed a lawsuit challenging the town Planning Board decision. (5/6)

Perinton-- Webster Plastics, a custom injection molder for the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets, has moved to a 75,000 square-foot facility located on a 167-acre site in Perinton Industrial Estates. Increased sales and manufacturing output necessitated the need for a larger more advanced manufacturing facility. (4/22)

Perinton-- The Planning Board granted permission to Parlec Inc. to add 33,260 square feet to its existing site at 101 Perinton Parkway. Parlec's facility in Perinton Industrial Estates is the company's only manufacturing plant. Parlec reported gross sales have grown to $26 million and the company employs about 200 people. The expansion will include a face-lift for the building. (5/13)

Rochester-- Wehle Electric Co. may be moving out of its 28,000 square-foot facility at 1850 Mt. Read Blvd. and handing the lease over to Mercury Print Productions Inc. The transfer, approved by the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency, would be part of an expansion for Mercury Print. The commercial printing company - which employs 230 people and had $10.4 million in 1997 sales - also plans to add 35,000 square feet to its plant on Holleder Parkway. (5/20)

Rochester-- Acquest Holding Inc., a Buffalo property development firm, has purchased the Lincoln Plant formerly operated by Eastman Kodak. The 450,000 square foot plant at 121 Lincoln Avenue transferred from the U.S. government to Lincoln Park Associates LLC for $220,000. The Buffalo firm has renamed the facility the Lincoln Avenue Business Park, and plans to lease it to a variety of light-industrial, office and warehouse tenants. The plant sits in a New York State Economic Development Zone. (4.3)

Webster-- Jostens Inc., a photographic processing plant, will close its door by August. The Minneapolis-based company, which specializes in class rings and other school-related momentos, will shift its photography business to a single plant in Winnipeg, Canada. The plant employs 168 workers, 108 of them full-time, and 230 seasonal workers in its peak months. The closing is part of the restructuring plan by publicly held Jostens. The company will a take a $3 million pretax charge for the plant closing. (5/1)

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Canandaigua-- Chrisanntha Inc., developer of a proposed senior apartment complex for middle-income seniors has submitted revised plans to the town. Modified plans for Quail Summit include 108 units in its first phase - 58 apartments for independent living, 28 units designed for assisted living and 22 units providing care for those in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. The 29-acre site off Parrish Street Extension has already received Planning Board approval for up to 234 units. Quail Summit is one of two proposed senior housing projects in Canandaigua. (3/29)

Greece-- Federal funding delays for the Ada-Ridge Court housing project has caused senior citizens' concern over the future of the project. The 49-unit project, to be located at 1311 Long Pong Road, is intended for lower and fixed income seniors. According to Rural Opportunities Inc., typical rents at Ada-Ridge Court would be $400 to $498 for a one-bedroom unit and $478 to $592 for a two-bedroom unit. ((5/7)

Henrietta-- Konar Enterprises has withdrawn a request for the rezoning and special-use permit needed by Providence Housing Development Corp., to build 79 senior-housing units and 20 multi-family townhouse units on a 14-acre lot near the northeast corner of Erie Station and West Henrietta roads. PHDC is affiliated with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester. The plot of land is part of 60 acres owned by Konar Enterprises. (5/6)

Penfield-- Planning Board approval is expected for a housing community for handicapped individuals. Plans for the 8.8-acre property at 3308 Atlantic Avenue will comprise eight single-story duplexes especially designed for the handicapped. The first phase of the project calls for the construction of two of the homes. Each of the one-bedroom units will be ~ 1,250 square feet and cost abut $750 a month. (6/10)

Penfield-- A daycare center and 125 houses have been proposed for an 85.3-acre property on the corner of Hatch and Plank roads. The Planning Board will review the preliminary sketch plan for Grace Land, or Roman Estates II. Grace Land is one of two large housing developments being proposed in Penfield within the Webster School district. Under existing zoning, the Grace Land property is allowed one house for every 20,000 square-foot lot.

Penfield-- Developer Michael D'Amico has proposed a 181-house subdivision on Five Mile Line Road, just north of Plank Road. Plans call for D'Amico to develop the 110-acre site then sell the property to two builders who will construct and market the houses by the end of the summer. The houses will range from $150,000 to $200,000. Neighbors are concerned about the longtime drainage problems, density of the project and the impact on the Webster school district. (6/3)

Perinton-- Holiday Retirement Corp., which owns more than 150 retirement center throughout Canada and the Unites States has proposed building a Perinton Retirement Community. The proposed center is a 122-unit retirement complex slated for 11.5 acres at the corner of Route 31 and Ayrault Road. Although the property is zoned residential, Holiday Retirement Corp. must still file for a special-use permit from the Town Board. If approved, the Planning Board would then review the plans. The center would cater to many of the needs of its tenants, with the exception of medial services. Rents would range from $1,000 to $2,500. (5/13)

Perinton-- Developer Alden David Longwell has submitted plans to rezone ~ 45 acres of land on the southeast corner of Thayer Road at Route 31 in the hamlet of Egypt. He wants to build 200 apartments and 11 duplexes on the property. The apartment complex would include 21 eight-unit apartment buildings and 4 four-unit apartment buildings. He would also build 11 duplexes. Longwell is asking that three parcels be rezoned: 8.3 acres along Thayer Road would remain residential, 4 acres fronting Route 31 would be rezoned from industrial and residential to commercial, and 32.2 acres would be rezoned from residential to apartment zoning. (4/8) After a strong show of resistance by residents, developer Alden David Longwell has withdrawn plans to rezone land in the hamlet of Egypt for apartments. Longwell will be able to resubmit plans for the area. (6/3)

Pittsford-- Developer Ted Spall has received Town Board approval for an incentive-zoning plan for a 268-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. The plan must still receive Planning Board approval, which is likely to occur on a parcel-by-parcel basis. (6/3)

Rochester-- Construction is expected to begin in June on a $7 million apartment complex at East Avenue located on the vacant Hallmann Chevrolet lot. Home Properties of New York, a Rochester real estate company purchased the land from the city for $111,000. The Council also approved a $2.35 million loan to Home Properties to help finance the two-year project. The company will build 77 one and two bedroom Tudor-style apartments around a landscaped courtyard with rents ranging from $745 to $875 a month. (4/13)

Rochester-- West Square Manor, a 149 unit apartment complex, will be demolished and redeveloped into 75 townhouses and single-family homes. Housing Opportunities Inc., a non-profit developer, will buy the federally funded project on West Main Street for $1.75 million. Plans call for 35 to 45 townhouses to be built in an architectural style matching the historic buildings on the north side of West Main. About 30 single family homes will be constructed behind the two-story apartment buildings. The city would provide $2.1 million in loans and grants for the project, which could cost as much as $10 million. The project was sold because the subsidies it receives from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development will be eliminated in a year. (4/3)

Rochester-- Officials from Hillside Children's Center, a residential facility that treats children for mental illness and emotional disorders, received preliminary approval from the County of Monroe and Industrial Development Agency for a $10.1 million expansion project. The plan would include the purchase and renovation of Arbor Hill Living Center. (4/22)

Victor-- The Planning Board gave final subdivision approval for the first phase of Quail Ridge East, a 119-home development on 95 acres formerly known as the Hawkins Subdivision. In order to meet the Planning Board requirements for the subdivision, developer Scott Morrell had to connect Lane Road to Lynaugh Road, to serve as a bypass for the congested village traffic on Route 96. The homes will be similar to Quail Ridge, and will be in the $150,000 to $250,000 range. The proposed subdivision is second only to Cobblestone Creek in size, which has 282 homes. Morrell hopes to break ground by June 1. (4/15)

Victor-- Forest Park at EastView LLC, a Rochester-based corporation and developer has submitted a proposal to have the parcel of land on the east side of Turk Hill Road rezoned from residential to a planned development district, which mixes commercial and office space. The proposed development for the 15.5-acre parcel consists of an 80-unit, three story senior apartment complex totaling 84,000 sq.ft., a 33-unit townhouse complex, a two-story office building and a two-bedroom hospice facility. The land is now assessed at $3.48 million. (5/28)

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Brighton-- The Town Board has approved the submitted designs for the Brighton Memorial Library $2.45 million expansion project. Plans include extensive renovations and an addition that will double the size of the library to 24,000 square feet. The addition should be finished by the end of this year, with the renovations scheduled to be complete sometime in June 1999. (4/15)

Fairport-- The U. S. Postal Service will increase the size of its 9,700 square foot Fairport branch at 770 Ayrault Road. The ~ 6,000 square-foot expansion for the 20-year-old facility was pared down from 10,000 square feet. The Fairport post office serves almost 24,000 people in the 14450 ZIP code area, which includes Fairport and parts of Perinton and Penfield. Since the Postal Service is a federal agency, the plans do not have to be approved. (5/27)

Henrietta-- The Planning Board granted approval to Wilmorite Inc. for construction of a 66-unit Comfort Suites and a 90-unit Homewood Suites. The hotels will be located near an off-ramp from Interstate 390 to Hylan Drive. Construction is expected to start later this summer and be finished by the end of the year. The entire area surrounding the Marketplace Mall was zoned years ago as a Planned Commercial Development District. (5/31)

Henrietta-- Plans call for the town to build a new highway garage, court, recreation offices, and an activity room all within close proximity to the Town Hall at 475 Calkins Road. The proposal is the result by the public works committee. The cost of the new highway garage is estimated between $2 and $2.5 million. Construction could begin on the new garage as soon as next year. The town has $400,000 saved in a capital reserve fund, and would sell two pieces of valuable land to cover the expenses. (5/27)

Parma-- The town has applied to the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for a $228,000 grant to help fund a proposed $640,000 recreational expansion project for its Town Park on Hilton-Parma Corners Road. The plan calls for the acquisition of 58 acres, nearly doubling the size of the 77-acre park, and construction of six multipurpose fields for use by youth athletic leagues. In addition, the town has proposed building a 20,000 square-foot Ultimate Skating Area. The $80,000 facility would have a "street skate park" and a separate skating rink for in-line hockey games. The town's actual cash payout could be as low as $75,000 due to donations of land and use of town employee and volunteer labor. (6/28)

Pittsford-- The village Planning/Zoning Board granted preliminary site-plan approval to E.J. Del Monte Corp. for the renovation project at the Depot Inn on Route 96. 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. The hotel will be known as the Del Monte Lodge and the restaurant will be called Ernie's. Combined, the two facilities would employ 46 workers. The price tag for the project is estimated at more than $7 million. (5/27)

Rochester-- David Flaum, the manager of Rochester's High Falls entertainment district is buying the Harro East building. The 120,000 square-foot property, located at 400 Andrews St., has an assessed value $1.1 million. Flaum's plans include expanding the Passintino Pub restaurant and redecorating office space. Neither Canada Life Assurance Co., the current owner nor Flaum Management Co. would release the sales price. (6/17)

Rochester-- CORH, a group of 10 corporations, and the city of Rochester, that owns the Hyatt Regency Rochester, has a deal to sell the 6-year-old luxury hotel to a Midwestern real estate developer. A source close to the negotiations identified the buyer as Comporex, a company in the Cincinnati area that owns hotels and office buildings and develops sports facilities. The reported sale price of $25 million is considerably less than the $45 million the project cost. Partners include Eastman Kodak Co., Xerox Corp., Bausch & Lomb Inc., Wilmorite Inc., Wegmans Food Markets Inc., Frontier Corp., Rochester Gas and Electric Corp., and the Gleason Memorial Fund Inc. (5/1)

Rochester-- Mayor William A. Johnson has proposed a $20 million public safety building to house the city police and fire departments. The five story structure would be built along Exchange Boulevard, between the Civic Center Plaza and the Troup-Howell Bridge. Rochester's courts would remain in the current Public Safety Building, at 150 S. Plymouth Ave., which Monroe county is negotiating to purchase from the city. Construction could begin next summer if the project receives approval from City Council. (6/5)

Romulus-- The new state budget deal includes $180 million for the design and construction of a 750-bed prison on the site of the former Seneca Army Depot. Gov. George Pataki has set June 2000 as the target date to open the prison. The Seneca County prison would hold 1,500 prisoners in double-sized cells. It is expected to create 450 jobs with a salary range of $31,000 to $43,000, generating nearly a $20 million annual payroll. (4/15)

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Brighton-- The town's application for a $192,500 grant the state's Environmental Protection Fund/Clean Water-Clean Air Bond Act to help defray the costs of acquiring 38.5 acres of parkland adjacent to the Jewish Home of Rochester and Meridian Centre Park has been denied. The state has recommended that Brighton reapply later this spring because more funds could soon be available. (4/22)

Chili-- The Genesee Land Trust will preserve a 275-acre property north of Brook Road. The land is a gift from Rochester, Gas & Electric, as part of an "environmental benefits project" made through an agreement between RG&E and the state. The gift doubles the land protected by the Genesee Land Trust, a local non-profit organization dedicated to preserving open lands in the Rochester area. The trust also owns or holds easements on 272 acres of property in Pittsford, Penfield, Caledonia, Greece, Macedon, and Ontario. (4/15)

Greece-- The Greece Board of Education will hire a local energy service company, TCG/Conoco, to oversee repair of the district's aging energy system. TCG/Conoco will prepare plans, specifications and drawings for the repair of ~ $24 million worth of lighting and ventilation equipment. The state will provide aide for 69% of the $800,000 figure. (4/9)

Perinton-- The town plans to spend $211,200 to buy 21 acres at the southwest corner of Howell and East Whitney roads for the development of sports fields. The property comprises two pieces of land: a seven-acre parcel for $61,200 and a house and four acres for $150,000. The land would be added to the town's 1,300 acres of open space. Officials would buy the land with money in the Open Space Acquisition capital reserve fund. (4/22)

Perinton-- The town is seeking $500,000 in grants through the state's Environmental Protection Fund. The money would be used for a new park behind the Perinton Community Center/Town Hall complex and to repair the banks of Irondequoit Creek near the Lyndon Road Bridge. (6/3)

Pittsford-- The village has acquired a $32,000 New York state grant to spruce up the Schoen Place portion of the Erie Canal. The state grant will allow the village to build an information kiosk and add four new light poles between Schoen Place and the State Street bridge. (4/27)

Victor-- The Victor Historical Society has purchased the Valentown Museum and surrounding properties for $476,000. In the deal, the historical society has acquire the Fishers' 12 acres of land, three houses, and the museum, as well as the artifacts stored inside. The society's $476,000 purchase 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. (4/22)

Wheatland-- The Town Board is rezoning a section of Union Street into a retail and professional district to spur development in the town. The affected area, which was zoned agricultural, is on both the east and west sides of Union Street from North Road to the Wheatland and Chili town line.