Batavia Businesses Win Big at City Council

Some emerging businesses were the subject of Batavia City Council votes recently, and most of them are in the downtown area.

“I think the fever of businesses wanting to open downtown has taken off,” said Alderman Dave Brown during the Council's Feb. 6 meeting. “I think it’s getting to be an exciting year.”

Here's a roundup of what was approved at the meeting:

Get Ready for a Rhino in Batavia (Room, That Is)

The Council on Feb. 6 approved a Downtown Improvement Grant for a business that will set up shop at the old site.

The $9,100 grant is for various repairs to the interior of 15 E. Wilson St. A new coffeeshop/wine bar called the Rhino Room will open there in a few weeks, according to online messages from the company.

The renovations include:

• Repairing and repainting the walls.
• Stripping and refinishing the original hardwood floors.
• Adding a three-compartment sink and grease trap in the kitchen.
• Resurfacing the existing countertop.

The Limestone Coffee owners said they would Limestone is still active in the community—products from the business were available Feb. 11 during the event.

New Downtown Tavern Gets Liquor License Approval

The Wilson Street Tavern, a soon-to-open, main street watering hole, was approved for a Class A liquor license by the City Council.

The new facility, which will have a very limited food menu, will replace the , 105 E. Wilson St., according to new owner Mark Hogan.

“People are so passionate about downtown,” Hogan said at the Feb. 6 meeting. “It’s really exciting.”

The tavern should open in six to eight weeks, Hogan said.

“There’s no major construction,” he said. “It’s really just a matter of cleaning it up.”

New Bike Shop Gets Building Improvements

The Council approved its second improvement grant of the evening to a new business underneath .

The business is called All Spoked Up and it recently opened at 3 Webster St., said City Administrator Bill McGrath. All Spoked Up is a bicycle shop offering retail bike sales and repairs.

The grant is for $2,250. The business will make interior improvements such as adding a bicycle storage and service area.

This is the second new setting for bicycle shops in downtown Batavia. recently moved to 160 W. Wilson St., right next to the . A grand re-opening ceremony is forthcoming.

The proposed plan is for the downtown to move slightly east, from its existing location at 138 W. Wilson St. to a new building near where Prairie Path Cycles used to be at 122 W. Wilson St. Conversation is still ongoing about for the new Walgreens location.

Batavia Enterprises owns Batavia Plaza, where all these stores are located. Beginning today (Wed., Feb. 15), Batavia Enterprises will hold community information sessions on the Walgreens proposal. For the times and dates of these sessions, .

City Updates Agreement With Rubicon

The Batavia City Council approved an amendment to an agreement with a company looking to expand in the city.

Rubicon Technology, Inc. plans to build a new facility on Batavia's east side in the Fox Valley Business Park. This would be Rubicon's second facility in the city—the first is located in the Industrial Park on the northeast side.

The city's Master Services Agreement was amended to include both of Rubicon's Batavia facilities, Bill McGrath said.

The agreement includes Rubicon’s complete cost responsibility, construction timeframes and monthly administration fees.

The company manufactures artificial sapphire for LED lighting, which is found in streetlights, LCD televisions, laptops and smartphones.

Residents late last year expressed concerns about the , including height issues, how the building might affect their property values and extra vehicle traffic. Rubicon has since tried to alter its building plan to address some of the issues, including lowering the building height from 40 ft. to 35 ft.