Typeset from the PDF of the official document (read by OCR) — headings, motions and recorded votes are detected automatically, so spacing may differ from the original. The official copy governs.
Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency Regular Meeting Minutes November 10, 2020 A regular meeting of the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency was held on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 via Zoom Teleconference.
Patrick Hogan called the meeting to order at 8:10 am with the following:
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE:
Patrick Hogan Janice Herzog Steve Morgan Sue Stanczyk Kevin Ryan Victor Janno Fanny Villarreal
ALSO PRESENT:
Robert Petrovich, Executive Director Nancy Lowery, Secretary Nate Stevens, Treasurer Karen Doster, Recording Secretary Carolyn Evans-Dean, Office of Economic Development Jeff Davis, Barclay Damon Law Firm ’ Amanda Mirabito, Barclay Damon Law Firm John Switzer, SSC Lysander, LLC Dave Muraco, 629 LeMoyne Manor, LLC Louis Muraco, 629 LeMoyne Manor, LLC Mark Arbon, Sarofeen & Arbon LLC Catherine Johnson, COR Development Company Theresa Morgan, Armoured One, LLC Joe Morgan, Armoured One, LLC Tino Amodei, Armoured One, LLC (Patrick Hogan shared information as to how the meeting will be conducted in light of COVID- 19 at the start of the Finance Committee Meeting.) APPROVAL OF REGULAR MEETING MINUTES — OCTOBER 13, 2020 Upon a motion by Victor Janno, seconded by Janice Herzog, the OCIDA Board approved the regular meeting minutes of October 13, 2020. Motion was carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT Nate Stevens gave a brief review of the Treasurer’s Report for the month of October 2020. Upon a motion by Janice Herzog, seconded by Kevin Ryan, the OCIDA Board approved the Treasurer’s Report for the month of October 2020. Motion was carried.
Nate Stevens gave a brief review of the Payment of Bills Schedule #448.
Upon a motion by Fanny Villarreal, seconded by Janice Herzog, the OCIDA Board approved the Payment of Bilis Schedule #449 for $54,241.02; PILOT payments to Town of Dewitt for $16.18, Town of Onondaga for $3.29, Jamesville Dewitt Central School District for $105.87, City of Syracuse for $1,641.30 and Onondaga County for $1,055.31; and COVID-19 Grant Payments for $8,707.50. Motion was carried.
The Conflict of Interest was emailed to Board Members present to sign off.
SSC LYSANDER, LLC — INITIAL MEETING John Switzer stated the SSC Lysander, LLC project is a fully permitted project. He stated they have their SEQR approved and site plan approval. He stated it is a 3.5 megawatt facility located in the Town of Lysander. He stated they have also received their NYSERDA approval. He stated pursuant to the PILOT application they reached out to the Town of Lysander and the Baldwinsville School District and they received a positive recommendation. He stated they appreciate the Board’s consideration for a PILOT related to this project.
Nate Stevens asked where the project is located. John Switzer state it is located at 807 River Road, Lysander New York. He shared a map of the project and detailed where it is located. He stated they have direct access off River Road and have an agreement with National Grid to patch overhead lines. He stated they will have a lock and gate. He stated there is only one wetland identified and they are 100 feet back from the wetland. He stated a rare species report showed no rare species have been found. He stated due to the fact that this is a long eared bat habitat area they may only cut or trim trees between the months of November and March. He stated there are no issues related to seeing the facility, noise, odors and no environmental impacts to water management or to rare species.
Robert Petrovich asked John Switzer the total site acreage, what will be consumed by the project and whether or not it will go through a subdivision or slash parcel creation process. John Switzer stated they will be using approximately 22 acres and he does not believe Mr. Clark, the landowner, is going through a subdivision. He stated they are going to create a new tax parcel strictly related to the area that encompasses the facility.
Robert Petrovich asked if that is the portion of the project that will be receiving the benefits. John Switzer stated yes.
Patrick Hogan asked if they are doing about 11 projects in New York State. John Switzer stated yes. He stated they have 2 projects in Oneida, 1 project in Onondaga, 3 projects in Oswego and a few in the southern area. He stated in addition they have stand-alone energy storage they are developing in Stanton Island. He stated New York is a state where they enjoy doing business. Patrick Hogan asked how long the company has been in business. John Switzer stated Summit Solar has been in existence for 5-6 years and in New York for about 18 months.
Janice Herzog asked what the life span is of the equipment and does it need to be changed out frequently. She asked in terms of the other projects are they all active and functioning. John Switzer stated they pride themselves on using the new technology in terms of tracking systems and they will probably use 525 watt modules. He stated they had to redesign this site because new technology came out in the middle of their design and permitting process. He stated the modules are really the ones that you have to replace if ever. He stated the only time they should have to be replaced is if damaged by weather. He stated under the NY Sun Program these systems last for 25 years. He stated they modeled for 35 years because they want to do 10 years of merchant sale after the NY Sun Program. He stated when they designed the panels, they designed them for 20-25 years in the 70’s and when the military put these in place back then some of them are still functioning today. He stated what is intriguing to him is they really don’t know how long these components can last. He stated they send someone out once a quarter to mow the grass, make sure the fence looks good. He stated they have a data base that provides consistent feedback on what is happening at the facility. He stated they don’t have to spend money or time unless there is a weather event that causes some damage to the system. Janice Herzog asked if something happened where they needed to close down the project after the PILOT program is completed, do they remove all of the equipment. John Switzer stated yes and the Town and the lease requires a decommissioning plan in place.
Robert Petrovich asked if that includes financial assurance. John Switzer stated yes. He stated they will most likely do a decommissioning bond at about 2% of the project cost per year. Susan Stanczyk asked as far as aesthetics what will people see from the road. John Switzer stated they are engaging in visual screening in two areas with extensive visual screening on a portion of River Road going south. He showed on a map where there will be visual screening Susan Stanczyk stated how long the PILOT is. John Switzer stated their request is 25 years. Susan Stanczyk asked how the life expectancy of the panels. John Switzer stated 25 years is their warranty period.
Upon a motion by Victor lanno, seconded by Janice Herzog, the OCIDA Board approved a resolution authorizing a public hearing for the SSC Lysander, LLC project. Motion was carried.
David Muraco stated the site plan approval started in 2018 with the Town of Salina for a 66 unit apartment project along with 8,400 square feet of commercial which includes a community room. He stated he is asking the Board for consideration for approval for the 629 LeMoyne Manor project located on 629 Old Liverpool Road. He stated the project was approved by the Town of Salina and went through many variances to get the project completed. He stated they accomplished all of that with the cooperation and help of the Town. He stated the project site is vacant now. He stated the Jesuit Well is to the rear of the property on County property and have had discussions with the Onondaga Historical Association to restore it. He stated the Jesuit Well was constructed in 1944 in the direction of Father LeMoyne which is why he believes the property was named LeMoyne Manor. He stated there is county land to the rear of the property 4 that they hope to get approval to maintain along with the walking trail that would hopefully connect to the Loop the Lake Bike Trail. He stated it would be fantastic for connection to the lake, village and amphitheater. He stated when the property was purchased it was a blighted area. He stated they took the building down after multiple problems with vandalism and fire and police involvement. He stated the neighbors to the right and left have no opposition to the project. He stated the project is a new higher end product with elevators. He stated the main building will have retail and a community area that can seat 80-90 people. He stated they hope to have a restaurant, café, hair salon and something along that order in the main structure that will service all 66 residents. He stated they just finished a project in Cazenovia that is a prototype on Route 20. He stated there is a demand for higher end housing especially in that area. He stated they feel they will do very well with this although it will take one to two years to get it fully leased. He stated they have local officials that have supported them through this process. He stated they added sidewalks along Old Liverpool Road at their cost. He stated they showed the trail down to the parkway which they really want to see connect.
Sue Stanczyk asked what the construction schedule is. David Muraco stated all the plans are finished and in the codes office for building permit.
Sue Stanczyk asked how far the sidewalk will go. David Muraco stated it will be on the adjacent properties both left and right and hopefully will continue with further development. Victor Ianno asked about the sidewalks. David Muraco stated he believes there has been discussions with the State to put a sidewalk in all along Old Liverpool Road. He stated in the future it could connect with other projects. He stated there is no shoulder and there is a lot of people walking along that road which is very dangerous.
Victor Ianno asked how big the piece of Jesuit land behind the project is. David Muraco stated it is about 1 acre and owned by Onondaga County. He stated it is run by the OHA and they have had meetings with them who are totally on board. He stated they have offered to restore it. Patrick Hogan asked how long they have owned the property. David Muraco stated they purchased the property in 2016 with the existing LeMoyne Manor structure there. Patrick Hogan stated he commends Mr. Muraco for taking a chance on this property. He stated it is good to see something useful going in there. He stated maybe the sidewalks will spur some others to install sidewalks. He stated walkability is attractive for any town, village or city. Patrick Hogan asked if they will be market rate apartments and asked if he expects a mixture of tenants. David Muraco stated yes.
Janice Herzog stated she would like to echo Chairman Hogan’s comments about the sidewalks. David Muraco stated that 36 of 66 units are handicap accessible. He stated all of the apartments are built with wider openings and special amenities required. He stated they are looking for a small local restaurant. He stated he was involved with getting the Toast in Cazenovia open and plans the same type of thing here. He stated he hopes it spurs a lot of activity along Old Liverpool! Road.
Susan Stanczyk asked if there is one new employee creation and asked if that is adequate for an apartment building of that size. David Muraco stated the new job creation would probably be 2 people living at the property. He stated assuming there is 2 retail, he can’t guesstimate but he is thinking maybe 24 jobs from tenants alone. He stated 2 will be employed full time by him. He stated they have 10 people that work for him but it is not job creation.
Upon a motion by Susan Stanczyk, seconded by Victor Ianno, the OCIDA Board approved a resolution authorizing a public hearing for the 629 LeMoyne Manor, LLC project. Motion was
carried.
Katherine Johnson stated COR is seeking a one year extension of their sales tax exemption for the Iron Pier mixed use building at the Inner Harbor. She stated this building has 112 one and two bedroom apartments and just over 90% leased right now. She stated during COVID they did well on the residential portion of the building but the first floor is about 37,000 square feet of commercial space which is designated for retail/restaurant and of that 37,000 they have 5,500 square feet leased and operating. She stated they have been delayed this past year. She stated the Bullfinch Brew Pub who has been working with the Onondaga Historical Society has been delayed but they are still in the game. She stated they have reduced their square footage by about 1,000 sq. ft. and focusing more on brewing as opposed to food. She stated they are still seeking tenants and they have a slight uptick in interest recently. She stated they feel they need another year on the sales tax exemption for the construction that COR would do before the tenants can do their work. She stated they are not approaching the cap on sales tax abatement. She stated they have quite a bit of room left there so that is not an issue.
Robert Petrovich stated there was a conversation with Kate Johnson confirming the building is not for sale. He stated the signage in front of the building may be a little confusing but they intend to keep it and complete the project. Katherine Johnson agreed. She stated she received some intelligence on the signage after the conversation and the signs say for development. She stated there are no parcels for sale at the Inner Harbor. She stated there is one on Spencer Street that is not part of the PILOT with OCIDA. She stated they have land at the Harbor for people that want to develop but COR would own the property and develop it.
Susan Stanczyk asked what the extension equals out to. Katherine Johnson stated they believe the commercial work they need to do is $2,500,000 to $3,000,000 depending on how many tenants. She stated assuming all of that work was sales tax exempt they are looking at a max of $240,000 in sales tax exemption, although not all of it would be subject to sales tax. She stated their original cap was $2,430,000. She stated they have used just shy of $1,000,000 so they have plenty of room and wouldn’t come near the cap at this point.
Patrick Hogan asked if any kind of construction would trigger the sales tax exemption which would mean progress which would mean it would be good for the project but for the area as well. He stated this is a very difficult time to do any kind of business or project. He stated he commends COR for being persistent and going ahead with this. Katherine Johnson stated they are being persistent and do feel hopeful with the prospect of Equitable coming to the area that it will be a game changer for the Inner Harbor and construction would start taking place again. She stated they are very grateful for the support from OCIDA and the PILOT because it really does attract tenants.
Jeff Davis stated this project is a Type II action under SEQR and no formal SEQR determination is needed other than recognizing it is a Type IL.
Sue Stancezyk asked if the sales tax exemption will be extended to December 31, 2021. Katherine Johnson stated yes.
Upon a motion by Kevin Ryan, seconded by Victor Ianno, the OCIDA Board approved a resolution to extend sales and use tax exemption for one year for the COR Van Rensselaer Street Company II, LLC and COR Van Rensselaer Street Company III, Inc. Motion was carried. ARMOURED ONE — SALES TAX EXTENSION Theresa Morgan stated that the request is for a sales tax extension for Armoured One located at 386 North Midler Avenue. She stated they have been granted a little over $400,000 for sales tax exemption on the reconstruction and renovation of the building. She stated due to the COVID interruption and schools being closed they have not been able to get in and do training for the protection of the kids’ lives so consequently they had to go back to the drawing board on their budget for the building renovations. She stated they are requesting their sales tax exemption be extended another year. She stated sales are beginning to pick up but there is the uncertain climate from COVID and they are still hoping to have a better fourth quarter and going into next year. She stated they also sell glass and sell their film to other subcontractors throughout the country. She stated they are hoping 2021 is going to be a better year so they can continue with renovations of the building and continue their processes, services and sales they offer. Tino Amodei stated the property is the old Lenox Furniture Factory building. He stated they bought the buildings in 2017 and started working with the Agency in 2018. He stated they have invested about $1,500,000 to increase manufacturing and make it more conducive to what they need. He stated on the glass side of the company they have increased drastically and need to better their buildings for manufacturing. He stated the extension request is to better fit the building with loading docks. He stated this year they decided to pivot a little bit in expanding outside of New York so now they are in 20 different states and it diversifies their abilities to not just NY. He stated they are ready to sell Armoured One glass. He stated being able to expand outside the New York footprint will allow them to grow and invest more in the community. Patrick Hogan asked if most of the clients are schools. Tino Amodei stated their passion is schools and they have been diversifying their market so prior to 2018 they were solely schools but now working closely with government and military. He stated one of their projects is an FBI building in Virginia. He stated it is amazing how much they can save the State and Federal projects by using their technology versus the technology that is out there. He stated they have developed a brand new technology in glass that helps them make product thinner, lighter, stronger and more what glass looks like in everyday life. He stated most security glass doesn’t look like everyday glass. He stated they are the only ones doing this type of glass. Patrick Hogan stated it is great that there is a home grown company that has a reach outside the New York and has done a terrific job.
Jeff Davis stated this is a Type II action for SEQR purposes.
Sue Stanezyk asked what the financials for the extension of sales tax. Tino Amodei stated they are looking at roughly another $500,000 to finish off the original plan of the building to extend the loading docks. He stated they have a little over $400,000 left and they have only used $70,000 so they will not come close to the original dollar amount.
Upon a motion by Susan Stanezyk, seconded by Victor Ianno, the OCIDA Board approved a resolution to extend sales and use tax exemption for one year for the Armoured One project. Motion was carried.
OCIDA COVID-19 SMALL BUSINESS GRANT — GRANT APPROVAL Robert Petrovich stated the first round of grants were in September, the second round was in October and the third round is before the Board today. He stated at this juncture there is roughly 14 applications. He stated 60% are City businesses. He stated the plan is to try to wrap this up at the December meeting. He stated with guidance from IDA counsel, staff has reviewed the list and are confident that what is before the Board comports with the statute. He stated today with these businesses we are at a total of almost $73,000 earmarked for the distribution of funds. Patrick Hogan asked how much has been spent and how much is left. Robert Petrovich stated roughly $145,000 has been approved and with this addition of $73,000 it totals about $218,000. He stated we can do up to $500,000 but the interest level has dissipated dramatically since first announced. He stated by December we will be able to catch anybody up who wants to apply. Susan Stanezyk asked if the grant is advertised. Robert Petrovich stated there was the County Executive’s announcement, it is on our website, we have communicated this to our partners at CenterState and the City is aware of this as well. He stated we have not been making advertisements per say but through conduits and communications venues we have been pushing this out. He stated we are around 85 applications and some folks didn’t qualify or weren’t eligible while others were not willing to provide financial information so they decided not to apply.
Patrick Hogan asked Susan Stanezyk if the County Executive would make mention of this at one of his press conferences. He stated it might be a positive note on what OCIDA has done and how much is left. Susan Stanczyk stated she will mention it to him.
Upon a motion by Fanny Villarreal, seconded by Victor Ianno, the OCIDA Board approved a resolution authorizing grants to qualified applicants pursuant to the COVID-19 Grant Legislation for authorized use up to the amount of $10,000. Motion was carried.
Upon a motion by Janice Herzog, seconded by Victor Ianno, the OCIDA Board adjourned the meeting at 9:04 am. Motion was carried.
Meri Qarey Nancy Lawery, Secretary2/ 10