Skip to main content

East Main Street

Fire hydrant flushing on the city’s northeast side on Thursday

By Press Release

Press Release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing fire hydrants on Thursday, June 20 from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the general area of North of East Main Street and East of Bank Street. 

Homes and businesses nearby will be affected. These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area.  

As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored.  If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about 5 minutes or until clear.

This annual testing is essential to maintain the communities class III Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification and to assure that fire hydrants are operating efficiently for fire protection purposes. 

Along with maintaining the fire rating, the test monitors the health of the city's water system, identifies weak areas in the system, and removes material that settle in the water lines. Checking each hydrant improves fire department personnel knowledge of the hydrant locations.

If you have any questions, or should notice a hydrant in need of repair, please contact the fire department at 585-345-6375.

Fire hydrant flushing set for Monday and Tuesday on city's east side

By Press Release

Press Release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing fire hydrants on Monday, May 20, and Tuesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 22 from approximately 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the general area of North of East Main Street and East of Bank Street.

Homes and businesses nearby will be affected. These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored. If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about 5 minutes or until clear.

This annual testing is essential to maintain the communities class III Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification and to assure that fire hydrants are operating efficiently for fire protection purposes.

Along with maintaining the fire rating, the test monitors the health of the city's water system, identifies weak areas in the system, and removes material that settles in the water lines.

Checking each hydrant improves fire department personnel knowledge of the hydrant locations. If you have any questions or should notice a hydrant in need of repair, please contact the fire department at 585-345-6375.

Fire hydrant flushing on the city's east side will begin on Monday

By Press Release

Press Release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing fire hydrants from Monday, April 29 through Thursday, May 2 from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the general area south of East Main Street and East of Jackson Street. Homes and businesses nearby will be affected.

These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored. If you do experience a discoloration of your water, run cold water for about five minutes or until clear. 

This annual testing is essential to maintain the communities' Class III Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification and to assure that fire hydrants are operating efficiently for fire protection purposes. 

Along with maintaining the fire rating, the test monitors the health of the city's water system, identifies weak areas in the system, and removes material that settles in the water lines. Checking each hydrant improves fire department personnel's knowledge of the hydrant locations.

If you have any questions or should notice a hydrant in need of repair, please contact the Fire Department at 585-345-6375.

City repairing water main break on East Main Street

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The City of Batavia Water Department is repairing a water main break on East Main Street.  Water has been shut off in the area.  City crews will make every effort to restore water as soon as possible.  Please avoid East Main Street east of Clinton Street until repairs are complete. 

This could result in low water pressure conditions for some residents.  Other residents in the area may experience discolored water, which should return to normal once repairs are complete.  Residents should check to make sure water clarity has returned before resuming activities such as laundry, which may be impacted.  

Two car accident on East Main street

By Alecia Kaus

A two car motor vehicle accident has been reported at 668 East Main street.

Minor injuries are being reported. A child is complaining of a shoulder injury.

An altercation has also develped at the scene.

Police and an ambulance have been dispatched.

City Fire is on location.

UPDATE: 5:20p.m.  A 45 year old female and a 4 year old child are being transported to UMMC.

 

 

 

City Plow hits car on East Main Street

By Howard B. Owens

A city plow struck a passenger car in the area of 400 E. Main St. in Batavia shortly after 10 a.m.

The driver appeared conscious and alert as she was helped from the car and placed on a stretcher.

The only visible damage to the car was a shredded rear tire and busted rear window.

Office Ed Mileham said until the report is done, all he could say was that the driver was making a left-hand turn into the parking lot of H.E. Turner when the city plow struck it.

Cause of Monday's fire still undetermined

By Howard B. Owens

Investigators have yet to determine what sparked a fire that destroyed a rooming house Monday at 433 E. Main St., Batavia.

With no cause uncovered at this point, it's hard to say when investigators will be able to determine how the fire started, according to Lt. Jay Steinbrenner of the Batavia Fire Department.

The investigation remains ongoing.

There's no further information available on the investigation at this time.

Rooming house on Main Street, Batavia, destroyed by late afternoon fire

By Howard B. Owens

A smoke detector helped alert residents that a fire was smoldering inside a rooming house at 433 E. Main St., Batavia.

"My wife heard a beeping noise and she smelled smoke," said resident Joe Allegue. "We opened the door, we’re in apartment 11, and the black smoke just billowed right into the room and covered us."

Allegue said he started yelling, "Fire," and got his wife out then called 9-1-1.

The basement fire was reported to Genesee County Dispatch at 4:16 p.m., and the first city crews were on scene within minutes. Smoke was already billowing from the basement and working its way up to the second and third floors.

Firefighters faced some significant structural obstacles in fighting the fire, according to Chief James Maxwell, which eventually forced firefighters to withdraw from the interior of the complex.

"We made several attempts at the basement, but by that time, it was already on the first and second floors," Maxwell said. "The way the interior structure was portioned with the different apartments, we were just chasing it around from room to room. Eventually it got in the attic, so at that point, the safest option was to go to a defensive operation."

The city already had Ladder Truck 15 on scene, pouring water on the roof from the southwest corner of the building. Town of Batavia's Ladder Truck 25 was brought to the scene to attack the fire from the rear roof area.

According to tax records, the structure was built in 1950. That was near the end of the use of balloon-framing construction in the United States, according to Wikipedia.

In balloon framing, the walls of a building are continuously open from the basement to the attic, making it easier for a fire to climb quickly up the interior of the walls.

The building is a total loss. Fire crews were still on scene at midnight, with active firefighting lasting at least five hours.

At 11 p.m., investigators were calling for water to be pumped from the basement so they could begin the work of trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Eleven people living in eight boarding rooms and two apartments were displaced by the fire.

That's the hardest part said property owner Terry Platt. While the nature of insurance on this type of rental property means he may never fully recover the financial loss, it's sad, he said, seeing his tenants go through something like this.

"They’re the type of residents who really can’t afford the insurance to be able to cover all of their contents and of course they’re going to lose everything now," said Platt, who acquired the property in 1990. "That’s the worst part. It’s just sad. The rest of it is just a big headache, but it’s worse for all the tenants. They’re walking out with no shoes on their feet. It’s just sad to see that happen."

Platt said the loan on the property was nearly paid off and once it was, he was going to be able to invest in upgrades to the apartments.

Within hours of the fire being reported, Red Cross officials were beginning to assist residents in finding temporary housing, but Platt said there's a shortage of rooming houses available at the rate his tenants could afford to pay -- he was charging from $75 to $85 per week -- so finding long-term housing for many of the residents could prove difficult.

All 11 residents were safely accounted for within two hours of the fire being reported. At one point, one resident was thought to possibly still be in an apartment. The inset picture is of Platt trying to recall, so he could tell a firefighter, the best way to get to the apartment.

Doug Yeomans also submitted a series of photos from the fire.

Disclosure: Terry Platt is my landlord.

More pictures after the jump:

Batavia PD looking for subject involved in incident at Wilson Farms

By Howard B. Owens

Batavia PD is looking for help in identifying the individual in these photos. The subject was reportedly involved in an unspecified incident at Wilson Farms, 505 E. Main St., Batavia.

Officer Marc Lawrence asks that if anybody has information about the individual or the incident to contact him at mlawrence (at) batavianewyork dot com  (put that back together in a proper e-mail address) or call 585-345-6350.

Woman gets bit by dog after allegedly starting fight in neighbor's yard

By Howard B. Owens

"Scruffy" just did what his breed is wont to do when a person in his care is assaulted -- he attacked the aggressor.

An East Main Street woman was sent to UMMC around 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, after she allegedly went onto a neighbor's property and started fighting with a woman who was staying there.

Her leg was reportedly bitten pretty badly.

The woman whom "Scruffy" was reportedly protecting also suffered a dog bite, probably accidentally, when she tried pulling "Scruffy" off the other woman. She was also transported to UMMC.

When the incident started, "Scruffy" was quietly sitting on his own porch at 516 E. Main St., doing what he normally does -- just watching -- when the fight started. He jumped off the porch and attacked the woman who had allegedly come onto his property.

"Scruffy," if that's his real name, Sgt. John Peck wasn't 100 percent sure, is part pit bull.

Neither "Scruffy" nor his owner face any chargers since "Scruffy" did not leave his owner's property and didn't break any laws.

Peck said neighbors were familiar with the dog and described him as normally very friendly. The dog has no prior history of attacks or aggression. Peck said "Scruffy" was friendly with him when he approached.

Whether either of the women will be charged with any crime is unknown, Sgt. Peck said. The case is still open.

Peck said the women had been taunting each other recently, which seemed to precipate the alleged altercation last night.

The police are not releasing any names until and unless actual charges are filed.

(This is a follow up to this initial report.)

New facility on East Main will give mentally ill a chance to live independently

By Billie Owens

Thirty one adults with mental illness, all currently residents of group homes in Darien and Pembroke, will soon have a chance to begin new lives of independence and a degree of self care.

They will be moving into the attractive new housing facility being built at 559 E. Main St., Batavia.

The new living arrangements are a result of new thinking in the treatment of mental illness: People can be cured, and their best chance at recovery is through independent living.

Living Opportunities of DePaul, in Erie County, is in charge of the $6.6 million project. It's one of several branches of DePaul in Rochester, a 51-year-old community service nonprofit for Western New York.

The project is expected to be finished early next year and will accommodate people whose primary diagnosis is mental illness and they are working to recover from it. They are not MICA -- mentally ill with a chemical addiction(s), said Marcia Dlutek, DePaul's vice president of communications and development.

In addition to the 31 "licensed beds," 11 more units are designated as affordable housing for low-income individuals.

Two aspects of this project are particularly notable: it will provide individually tailored assistance to mentally ill people living in their own apartments, versus communally in a group home; and it operates under the relatively new premise that mental illness is sometimes curable.

The approach is worlds apart from 20 years ago, when groups homes began to flourish in response to the downsizing or closure of many large mental health institutions nationwide. Advances in psychopharmacology and findings in behavioral science research have modified approaches to treatment as well.

"Other modes of community housing are deemed more appropriate for recovery for  people living in the mental health system," Dlutek said. "Clients want to live alone rather than in communal living areas.

"This is a new approach. It is person-centered, recovery-oriented -- a housing option that will truly benefit them."

They will have access to 24-hour staffing, medication, life-skills assistance with such tasks as meal planning and budgeting. Plus, the location was chosen because of its easy and convenient access to transportation, stores, businesses and social services.

"It's really going to provide integrated housing for mental health consumers," she said. "We're very excited about this project. It took a lot of collaborative effort to accomplish, between our organization, the (NY) Department of Mental Health, the city, the county and the Economic Development Center.

Located next to East Town Plaza, the 43,000-square-foot, two-story complex covers 5.7 acres of prime city property. As it nears completion, it's shaping up to be an inviting design with curb appeal and solid structure -- certainly a far cry from the drab, institutional-looking warrens historically built for the mentally ill.

(However, it also seems a somewhat "boutique" alternative given the cost for housing just 31 mentally ill people, out of the many eligible.)

Since nonprofits are not required to pay property taxes, the GCEDC worked out an agreement wherein DePaul will pay $12,000 a year in lieu what the city could get from commercial or residential development..

Funding for the housing center came primarily from the state Office of Mental Health and the Department of Housing, Community Renewal Division. The design work was done by Parrone Engineering of Rochester and Lecesse Construction Corp. in West Henrietta is the builder.


View Larger Map

Authentically Local