City working with campus owner to address code violations,
develop a viable plan to transform the business incubator
By Mike Pettinella
For Video News Service
City Manager Rachael Tabelski’s vision to turn the Harvester Center into Batavia’s version of Larkinville will remain a bit blurry until the owner of the 29-acre industrial complex addresses several building code violations.
Tabelski (right) and Batavia Development Corp. Director Tammy Hathaway (left) have forged relationships with officials of Amerinac Holding Corp., the company that purchased the campus — with its 25 buildings and 1 million square feet of facility space — in 2021.
Both said they are optimistic that Harvester Center can be “repurposed” to create an “Uptown Batavia” in the same fashion that the City of Buffalo transformed an area along Seneca Street, southeast of downtown Buffalo into Larkinville – an assemblage of new apartment buildings, public spaces and businesses that have replaced empty warehouses and vacant lots. Larkin Square | Buffalo’s Urban Park & Event Venue in Larkinville
Tabelski said she has been promoting this idea for the past 15 years.
“I was extremely lucky when I was the Batavia Development Corporation director that I got to spend so much time with Tom Mancuso (former owner of the Harvester Center) learning about the buildings and the history and understanding what types of development may be able to move forward at the campus,” she said.
“I envision a mixed-use area that would form a vibrant connection to downtown Batavia that’s only a few blocks away but now feels like worlds away.”
She said the campus “would have way more success with residential, office, some light industrial, arts and culture, and event space.”
“And even look to create some ‘clean room’ space with the investment on nanotechnology by New York State across the entire upstate area. That would be in high demand.”
However, before any redevelopment takes place, the building code violations have to be resolved. Toward that end, Hathaway and Tabelski are helping to facilitate a Restore NY grant to assist in the demolition of up to six buildings.
Tabelski said the Restore NY grant application has to go through Batavia City Council, adding that a public hearing on the grant is scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 25 at the City Centre.
“We’re very lucky to be working with the owners … to pursue what I’d call phase one of the redevelopment of the campus,” she said. “That would include demolition of many of the backside exterior buildings to open up more space for courtyard and parking. I hope that would help them move to redevelop other buildings there for commercial and residential space.”
Amerinac Holding Corp. Chief Executive Officer John F. Wachter III and Chief Operating Officer Brian Corcoran did not respond to emails seeking comment about their plans for the campus.
Tom Mancuso (file photo May 2019)
The Harvester Center is celebrated as the world’s first business incubator. The business was started by the Joseph Mancuso family in 1959. Mancuso’s son, Tom, ran the business for more than 30 years, before selling it to Amerinac Holding in 2021.
Tabelski remains committed to starting a new chapter there. However, many of the buildings are in disrepair and have been cited for violations by the city’s Bureau of Inspection.
A City Court order issued in October gives the Harvester Center principals until Feb. 17, 2025, to submit a final action plan that deals with the violations.
According to City Code Enforcement Officer Doug Randall, in July 2023, Harvester Center officials submitted a corrective action plan that addresses violations, as follows:
— Unsafe structures, unsafe conditions: Buildings 3, 4, 5, 8, 20 and 21, located behind the main building on Harvester Avenue. Action plan indicates removing or a complete demolition … with first building to be demolished early Fall 2024 … continuing through Spring 2026.
— Exterior structures, Unsafe conditions: Building 1, the main building along Harvester Avenue. Action plan indicates knocking off loose concrete for preventative maintenance of loose façade by end of July 2023.
— Exterior structures, unsafe conditions: Southeast lift tower. Action plan indicates hiring structural engineers for inspection and recommendation by September 2023.
Randall said the only steps taken thus far to satisfy these violations were the removal of some loose material from Building 1 to prevent it from falling.
“We understand that this is not a typical situation. It could cost millions,” Randall said. “That’s why we’re trying to work with them.”
