Bank Street

Press Release:

Please be advised that Bank Street, from Main Street to Washington Avenue, will be closed until midday on Friday as the Bank Street Water project nears completion.

We apologize for any inconvenience and thank the public for its patience and cooperation as we work to improve our community.

The water construction project that began in mid-November along a portion of downtown Bank Street is expected to be completed by the end of December, except for pavement restoration, “which would need to take place in the spring of 2024,” Public Works Director Brett Frank says.

The project included the installation of 932 linear feet of new 8-inch water main to replace existing 4- and 6-inch water mains on Bank Street from East Main Street to Washington Avenue. 

This updated infrastructure will service the future police station to be built at the corner of Bank Street and Alva Place, Frank said, but is also “a needed infrastructure upgrade of roughly 950 linear feet of water main.”

Press Release:

Please be advised that Rochester Pipeline, Inc. will be mobilizing equipment in preparation for construction on the Bank Street Water project within the City of Batavia. 

Construction on this project is scheduled to begin the week of Nov. 13 and will include the installation of 932 linear feet of new 8-inch water main and appurtenances to replace the existing 4-inch and 6-inch water mains along Bank Street (East Main Street to Washington Street).

Traffic delays are to be expected; however, no street closures are anticipated at this time.

We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank the public for their patience and cooperation as we work to improve our community.

After years of talking about and studying that Bank Street crosswalk — the one that's arguably a danger zone between Main and Washington — the city has plans to address it during what’s going to be a mighty busy infrastructure time beginning in mid-fall of this year, City Manager Rachael Tabelski says.

The City of Batavia has committed more than $1 million for a project to help reduce the street’s girth and slow down traffic, Tabelski said. A good portion of that amount — $944,943 — will come from a state TAP grant. (See council's discussion about the grant HERE.)

“The Bank Street Corridor Streetscape project was approved as a Capital Project by City Council.  The City received an NYSDOT TAP grant for a $1,113,900 project to re-align curb cuts, narrow the street for traffic calming and examine pedestrian elements such as the crosswalk," Tabelski said to The Batavian Thursday. "TYLynn has been selected by the city as the project engineer."  

Police Chief Shawn Heubusch, per The Batavian’s questions, checked on crash data for the last three years, and “found zero accidents at that crosswalk and only two nearby,” he said.

“There is no way to tell if they are attributed to the crosswalk itself, though. I am thinking they are not due to their locations (one is near the intersection of Main Street, and another one is farther north),” he said Wednesday. “I do not have the ability to pull data for tickets issued specifically for that area, so I cannot get you that data specifically.

“I do not see this crosswalk in particular to be any more or less dangerous than other crosswalks in the City,” Heubusch said. “The issue with this crosswalk is that it is a mid-block crosswalk rather than at an intersection, but it is highly visible, and most everyone that travels that street knows it is there.”

His department does not have any data that supports the crosswalk being “anymore or less dangerous than others,” the chief said. “And I don’t see any others to be a large concern either.”

“I will say that we find, when responding to car/pedestrian accidents in general, that it is a mixed bag of who is at fault. Sometimes it is the pedestrian and sometimes the operator of the motor vehicle,” he said. “I do strongly support removing this particular crosswalk as it is a mid-block crosswalk, but in reality, there is no uptick in accidents caused by it, and if removed, people will cross the street there anyways.”

It's a popular location for crossing the street from the city parking lot, given the locations of the YMCA, the Jerome apartment complex, GO ART! and the Senior Center. 

The city is not the only entity interested in taking action to tighten up the safety along that section of Bank Street. A county Walkability Task Force has been discussing various areas to focus on, and it seems as though the crosswalk — which is directly in front of the Senior Center — is cause for that group’s concern as well.

The task force is planning to have one or more pop-up demonstrations for being safe at this or other crosswalks later this summer. The county’s Public Health Department received a $10,000 grant as part of a Walkability Virtual Academy program to improve, as the name implies, an area’s walkability via safety for pedestrians to do so.

In addition to the TAP grant and related work done for the streetscape, the city also received a water grant of $334,000 from the Northern Border Regional Commission. This funding is for a $418,000 project to replace the 6-inch waterline between Washington Avenue and Main Street with an 8-inch line. 

The water project is expected to start at the same time as construction for the police station, Tabelski said. These projects have been discussed and approved during prior council meetings. 

“Currently, the police station has achieved 100 percent design, and we are reviewing the final bid packages,” Tabelski said. "We have a goal to be out to bid in June, with construction starting mid-fall 2023 or early spring 2024. There will be a tremendous amount of construction activity on Bank Street with the infrastructure improvements and new (police) facility in 2024 and 2025.  

 “All of the projects will be coordinated, and the engineering teams will be communicating,” she said. “We hope to keep both lanes of traffic on Bank flowing as much as possible throughout the duration of construction.”

Press release:

The City of Batavia has been awarded a Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) 2021 State Economic & Infrastructure Development (SEID) grant.  

The City’s Bank Street water project was awarded $334,000. The NBRC received 156 applications this year for the SEID grant cycle, requesting more than $81M in funding.  This was a 16% increase in requests over 2020. Across the four states, 44 applications from this very competitive field were selected including the City of Batavia.

“The much-needed upgrades to infrastructure will support both public and private development along Bank Street including the progress being made at the City Centre Campus redevelopment and Healthy Living Campus. The new 8” water main will also allow for an additional number of residential and commercial units to be developed in the corridor as planned in the downtown revitalization strategy,” said Eugene Jankowski, Jr. City Council President.

The current Bank street waterline will be updated to an 8” line.  Over 950 linear feet of 8-inch diameter water main will be installed and replace the current 4” and 6” lines that are undersized and aging, 90+-year-old water lines.  The estimated cost of the project is $410,000 and the City will provide a local match to the grant of 20% ($82,000).  

The waterline project is needed to improve water pressure and fire suppression capabilities on Bank Street, as well as enable future development on the City Centre Campus, and the Alva Place parking lot for the Police Station,” said Rachael J. Tabelski, City Manager.  

This project aligns with the strategies laid out by the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) Investment Plan and New York State Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) as well as being in a federally designated Opportunity Zone. It is also part of a larger corridor plan in which the City is seeking Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) grant funds, as well for roadwork and streetscape on Bank Street.  

Currently, there is over $50M in public/private development in downtown Batavia, at various stages of planning, permitting, and construction.  This will be a welcomed investment that helps City as a whole, as well as the local business community, community institutions, and quality of life. 

Rebecca LeFevre, a Bank Street resident, spotted this fawn in her backyard last night and shared the pictures with us.

City and County officials held a crosswalk awareness event today at the Bank Street crosswalk in Batavia.

Hardwood floors in the living/dining area. New tile in kitchen and sunroom and all new carpet on second floor. New hot water heater, furnace and electric panel. Roof-complete tear off about 5 years ago. There is a one-and-a-half car detached garage.

Call Michelle Dills, Howard Hanna at 585-343-6750 or click here for more information on this listing.​

The original front door has been beautifully preserved as well as original hardwood floors in dining room and living room. Gourmet kitchen (2012), butler pantry, huge first-floor laundry, full bathroom on first floor, an exercise room that could be a bedroom and a mudroom added in 2012. Second floor has five bedrooms and a full bathroom. 200 AMP service 2012, new roof (2011), tankless hot water heater (2012).

There is a deck (2014) overlooking the spacious back yard. The front porch has a new floor, soffit, ceiling, new lights, new steps and new screen door. Must see!

Call Michelle Dills, Howard Hanna at 585-343-6750 or click here for more information on this listing.

Bank Street is closed today for water line repairs.

The work will result in service disruption for some water customers in the area.

UPDATE 1:46 p.m.: Bank Street is reopened.

Press release:

On Saturday, Oct. 7, the City of Batavia Water Department along with UMMC will be replacing valves on the main water line on Bank Street.

The water will be turned off on Bank Street from East Main Street to Washington Avenue.

Work will start at 5 p.m. Water service interruption will be kept to a minimum. This work may result in a period of discolored water in this general area after service is restored. Residents should check to make sure water clarity has returned before resuming activities such as laundry which may be impacted.

Bank Street will be closed to traffic from East Main Street to Washington Avenue.

Dana Bowen and his dog Jake were out for exercise on Bank Street this morning on another beautiful day in Batavia. The seven-day forecast indicates we should expect more of the same, though slightly warmer.

Ray Williams, of Batavia, skates down Bank Street on freeline skates.

A caller on Tracy Avenue reported smoke behind a house on Bank Street and City Fire has responded to investigation.

It was possibly an unintended fire, such as a controlled burn.

The address originally reported was 154 Bank St.. A first responder reports the fire is behind 148 Bank St.

UPDATE 4:03 p.m.: Fire's out. City Fire back in service.

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Workers from a Rochester-based contractor on Bank Street this morning installing traffic sensors for the traffic lights.

A power pole is reportedly sparking in the area of 266 Bank St., Batavia.

City fire responding.

UPDATE 8:21 p.m.: National Grid being notified. Pole #40 is arcing intermittently.

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The intersection of Bank and North was pretty tied up this morning as construction workers were busy ripping out asphalt. Meanwhile, there was freshly laid concrete for new sidewalks along Bank Street.