{"id":73824,"date":"2026-04-01T12:06:39","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T16:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=73824"},"modified":"2026-04-01T12:20:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T16:20:32","slug":"city-of-batavia-a-sign-of-things-to-come-not-so-fast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2026\/04\/01\/city-of-batavia-a-sign-of-things-to-come-not-so-fast\/","title":{"rendered":"City of Batavia\/A \u2018sign\u2019 of things to come? Not so fast!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Mike Pettinella
For Video News Service<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

APRIL 1, 2026 \u2013 And the sign on the side of the former JCPenney store next to the City Centre says \u2026 Olive Garden Italian Kitchen \u2013 COMING SOON!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Could it be possible that the popular restaurant — a subject of area residents\u2019 wishful thinking for many years \u2013 is really going to find a home in Batavia?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, that\u2019s news to Matt Gray, the local businessman who just happens to own the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, I got a text this morning from Tom Phelps (director of public works) from the City of Batavia congratulating me on Olive Garden coming to town. And he sent me a picture of that sign,\u201d Gray said by telephone on Wednesday morning. \u201cIt was my first time hearing about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gray said he asked Phelps if the photo was real because he wasn\u2019t sure if it was AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTom said, \u2018No, I just took that five minutes ago,\u201d Gray said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, April Fools!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019m very excited about them coming,\u201d Gray said, tongue firmly planted in cheek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Returning to reality, Gray said he and partner, Matt Boyd, have been working with realtor Tony Mancuso for nearly a year in an effort to attract tenants to the 38,000-square-foot building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe’ve had a couple larger tenants that have looked at the space but, in the end, we couldn’t get them across the finish line,\u201d Gray offered. \u201cWe are currently working through a plan to split off some of the square footage that is closest to the concourse for smaller retail locations — for smaller businesses ranging from 400 to 1,600 square feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, we’re hoping that we can fill in some of the void that some of those retail locations that were at the Harvester Center. I think there’s a need for it in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Previously, Gray talked about the possibility of putting apartments on top of the structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt’s a goal to have more apartments downtown. I think an important piece of the continued development for downtown is to have more residents (there). But I don’t have any current plans for anything in that property to go up with apartments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

File photo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gray and five others own the former Continental School of Beauty building at 215 East Main St.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that project \u201calready went through a demolition permit, and (we) pulled out most of the Continental stuff, and it’s down to just the shell of the building.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWithin the next 90 to 120 days, we will be starting the construction project at that building,\u201d he said, adding that the plan calls for nine apartments on the second and partial third floor of what is now being called the Metropolitan Building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previously: BATAVIA\/City Council backs $500,000 grant to repurpose Continental building; Group of six \u2018ready to roll\u2019 \u2013 Video News Service<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gray said they are looking for two commercial tenants at roughly 3,000 to 4,000 square feet each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are working with a couple of respective tenants currently, and we’re hopeful that we’ll get them signed in the next few months here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

File photo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ABOUT THE \u2018METROPOLITAN BUILDING\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gray provided historical context to the name of the East Main Street building, which had served as a Sears store prior to the beauty school taking it over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMetropolitan is the original name,\u201d he said. \u201cA young developer named Benderson bought the land and existing building from Charles Mancuso & Sons in the early 1950\u2019s and built the new building to house the Metropolitan Insurance Company on the second floor \u2013 so it became known as the Metropolitan Building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are bringing it back. The first tenant on the first floor was the grocery store Hi\/Lo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Going back even further, Gray said the Metropolitan Building replaced another structure — the former Knights of Columbus home that was used as the organization\u2019s meeting place for most of the early 20th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Mike PettinellaFor Video News Service APRIL 1, 2026 \u2013 And the sign on the side of the former JCPenney store next to the City Centre says \u2026 Olive Garden Italian Kitchen \u2013 COMING SOON! Could it be possible that the popular restaurant — a subject of area residents\u2019 wishful thinking \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":73825,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4705],"tags":[1981,1331,5715,5714],"class_list":["post-73824","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-city-of-batavia","tag-jcpenney","tag-matt-gray","tag-metropolitan-building","tag-olive-garden"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-jcI","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":60842,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/01\/16\/going-going-and-gone-former-jcpenney-property-sold-at-auction\/","url_meta":{"origin":73824,"position":0},"title":"Going, going and gone…. former JCPenney property sold at auction","author":"aka","date":"January 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"(Mike Pettinella\/contributed to this story with interviews and photos) The former JCPenney property was sold at auction on Thursday morning at the Genesee County Courts Facility. Reporter Mike Pettinella says Matt Gray, and his partner Matt Boyd, who are partners at Eli Fish Brewery, bid $175K to win the auction.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "City of Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"City of Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/city-of-batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250103_115804-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250103_115804-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250103_115804-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250103_115804-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250103_115804-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":62138,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/02\/25\/batavia-partners-close-on-jc-penney-building-next-step-is-to-fix-leaky-roof\/","url_meta":{"origin":73824,"position":1},"title":"BATAVIA\/Partners close on JC Penney building; next step is to fix leaky roof","author":"aka","date":"February 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Mike PettinellaFor Video News Service Entrepreneurs Matt Gray and Matt Boyd on Monday morning closed on the purchase of the former JC Penney property that is connected to the City Centre -- 40 days after purchasing the building for $175,000 at an auction at the Genesee County Courts Facility.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "City of Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"City of Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/city-of-batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1000154187-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1000154187-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1000154187-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1000154187-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1000154187-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7158,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2018\/12\/10\/batavia-police-report-two-charged-after-two-separate-larcenies-at-jcpenney\/","url_meta":{"origin":73824,"position":2},"title":"BATAVIA POLICE REPORT\/Two charged after two separate larcenies at JCPenney","author":"aka","date":"December 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Two subjects have been charged with petit larceny after allegedly shoplifting at JCPenney at 40 City Centre on December 4, 2018. At 11:36a.m. Elizabeth M. Grattan was arrested after she was observed shoplifting at the store.\u00a0 At 1:26p.m., Darrell J. Holloway, 50, of Farnesworth Ave., Oakfield, was arrested after a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Batavia-Police-badge.jpg?fit=400%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":65590,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/06\/24\/batavia-city-council-backs-500000-grant-to-repurpose-continental-building-group-of-six-ready-to-roll\/","url_meta":{"origin":73824,"position":3},"title":"BATAVIA\/City Council backs $500,000 grant to repurpose Continental building; Group of six \u2018ready to roll\u2019","author":"aka","date":"June 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"BY MIKE PETTINELLAFor Video News Service The Batavia City Council on Monday night agreed to support the Batavia Development Corporation\u2019s application for a $500,000 grant to redevelop the vacant Continental School of Beauty building at 215 East Main St., right next door to the new Healthy Living Campus facility. Building\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "City of Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"City of Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/city-of-batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250624_112616-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250624_112616-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250624_112616-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250624_112616-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250624_112616-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6711,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2018\/11\/08\/batavia-jj-newberry-project-wins-rochester-cdc-reshaping-rochester-award\/","url_meta":{"origin":73824,"position":4},"title":"BATAVIA\/JJ Newberry Project Wins Rochester CDC RESHAPING ROCHESTER AWARD","author":"aka","date":"November 8, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Newberry Place-freshLAB and Matthew Gray, owner, investor, mentor took home honorable mention today at the awards ceremony in Rochester Press release\/submitted photos Today, Matt Gray accepted the Robert Macon Award from the Community Design Center of Rochester on behalf of the Newberry Project. The award was established to honor the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Gray-MAtt.jpg?fit=780%2C585&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Gray-MAtt.jpg?fit=780%2C585&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Gray-MAtt.jpg?fit=780%2C585&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Gray-MAtt.jpg?fit=780%2C585&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15749,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2020\/04\/17\/batavia-city-of-batavia-still-issuing-building-permits\/","url_meta":{"origin":73824,"position":5},"title":"BATAVIA\/City of Batavia still issuing building permits","author":"aka","date":"April 17, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release BATAVIA, NY- Though the Bureau of Inspection office is currently closed to the public, building permits are still being issued and necessary inspections are being conducted. Building permit applications can be printed from the City of Batavia website, or obtained by contacting the Bureau of Inspection. \u201cMany residents\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20260401_100526-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1756&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73824","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73824"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73824\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":73836,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73824\/revisions\/73836"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73824"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}