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Report: Avon still in the running for 'Project Wave'

By Howard B. Owens

We've heard for some time that while PepsiCo is paying for grading for a possible construction of a food processing plant in Batavia, the same work is "being done in three other locations."

One of those locations is in Avon, and as WHAM13's Sean Carroll discovered yesterday, no site work is taking place in Avon at all.

At the same time, however, the economic development directer in Livingston County says the site is much closer to being "shovel ready" than the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park. His park, he said, doesn't need a USDA grant for sewer and water because it already has all the infrastructure in place.

"If they chose this site, and we made it very clear, literally they could plug in and all the utilities are in the ground and there's no infrastructure needed here or at the sewage treatment plant," Rountree explained

While Genesee County clearly has the lead in the race to land the project, Livingstone County isn't giving up.

The support of a U.S. Senator and the fact that dirt is actually being moved at the Batavia site appears to indicate Project Wave’s final destination may only be a formality at this point in the process. Yet Rountree and his team are staying optimistic after an aggressive pitch that included top representatives from Barilla.

Either way, regional dairy farmers will be pleased with either outcome.

"I think for the dairy industry in this area specifically it spells a good feeling about long-term stability," Coyne explained. "To have end-product manufacturing this close, it just adds to the confidence that we can invest in our own farms long-term and be able to be in business."

The other two supposedly competitive sites are in Pennsylvania. A contractor familiar with the project told me some time ago that those sites are graded and have infrastructure in place, but we currently have no way to confirm that assertion.

tim raines

Why would any company pay for grading of a site when other sites are still being considered?

Makes you wonder who is really paying for the grading..........

Someone will be waving goodbye to project wave.

Jan 26, 2012, 10:23am Permalink
Bea McManis

Cuomo Express? Wow, I didn't know that Cuomo was busy building the Thruway back in the late 50s and early 60s. The things ya learn when you read thebatavian.

Jan 26, 2012, 11:29am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

I don't get the "wave goodbye" comments.

If Pepsi was really all that interested in Avon, they would be grading there now instead of Batavia. The message here is, they considered Avon and chose to begin work in Batavia. Even though the deal isn't signed, Batavia is clearly the front runner.

Talk about being negative ...

Jan 26, 2012, 1:10pm Permalink
Phil Ricci

No Joke Howard.

Seriously, 20 and 390? We have the dang 90 right out our back door! Howard, I would like you to write a piece on orphans, so I can comment about how crappy their lives are going to be...forever.

We need to put some prozac in our water or something.

Jan 26, 2012, 3:32pm Permalink
John Roach

We have Rt. 5, 33, 98, 63, all going through Batavia. We have the 90 like Phil said, right on top of us. We are in a good spot to go in all directions.

Jan 26, 2012, 3:44pm Permalink
Bryant Tyson

I don't belive it will go anywhere but Batavia we have a much better labor pool of skilled and educated people willing to take jobs closer to home.

Jan 26, 2012, 7:01pm Permalink

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