Batavia Streetscape Week of May 20: Saw Cutting at River and Wilson

Joi Cuartero of Batavia MainStreet outlines what's up for the work week, starting Friday, May 20.

Batavia's Streetscape project is in full swing, with construction work shifting into overdrive for the work week that begins Monday, May 20. Here's what's happening, courtesy of Joi Cuartero of Batavia MainStreet.   Here's the look ahead to the anticipated construction activities for the next week at the intersection of Wilson Street and River Street. All work is weather permitting.    Anticipated construction activities for the next week includes a battery of night and daytime work.  Night Work (9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Monday, May 20, through Thursday, May 23) Daytime Work (Friday, May 17, through Thursday, May 23) Project Communications

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Flood Pushes Batavia's May 18 'Cocktails in the Park' to New Location

Did someone say ‘Spring, Cocktails, Tasty Small Plates and Live Music?

Batavia MainStreet is gearing up for the 2nd Annual Cocktails in the Park from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday May 18, 2013, at a new location this year. "Due to the recent flooding MainStreet had to relocate the event from Clark Island to the East Bend of the Riverwalk just east of City Hall in downtown Batavia," according to a Batavia Main Street press release. Now named Cocktails in the Park, the event is a fundraiser dedicated to showcasing Batavia restaurants and is an opportunity to discover a unique location in Downtown Batavia; all while raising funds and awareness for Batavia MainStreet and their revitalization efforts for the downtown. "Last year, Cocktails on Clark received rave reviews and we are thrilled to be bringing it back …

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Here's the Lineup for Sunday's 2013 Loyalty Day Parade

Want to see where your favorite group lines up? The list is below, courtesy of Mike Breyne, Batavia 1197 Loyalty Day chairman 2013.

The annual Loyalty Day Parade will be held starting at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 5, 2013, from Raddant Road in the Batavia Industrial Park, courtesy of Batavia VFW Post 1197. The theme this year is The VFW Tree of Life, dedicated to various branches of the military. The VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary and Men’s Auxiliary support all military members and their families. Here's the lineup for the 2013 Loyalty Day Parade.   DIVISION 1   DIVISION 2   DIVISION 3   DIVISION 4  

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Wilson Streetscape Work Begins May 6 in Downtown Batavia

Pedestrian-friendly Wilson Street work will make driving a bit more difficult for the short term, especially at night.

The city of Batavia reminds residence and area drivers that construction of the Wilson Street Streetscape project is expected to begin on May 6, 2013. Vehicle traffic will remain during the day on Wilson Street. The underground utility work will take place at night and detours may be possible for this night work between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. During construction, members of the community can expect to experience temporary construction inconveniences such as movement of heavy equipment, safety signage and sounds, a city of Batavia press release says. The Wilson Street Streetscape Project is anticipated to be substantially complete by the end of 2013, with landscaping work to be completed in spring 2014. All downtown businesses and …

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Is It Worth $3 Million or More to Save Batavia's Historic First Baptist Church?

The church dates back to 1889 and has been a fixture in Batavia, but the cost to renovate it could be as high as $3.5 million.

It is one of the toughest decisions any city has to make—the value of historic preservation versus the cost of maintaing that history. And at no other place are the stakes higher than the corner of Washington and Wilson streets in Batavia, where the First Baptist Church has stood as an icon for 124 years. A WJE Engineers report, submitted to the Batavia Development Department, now says it will cost anywhere from $3.1 millioin to $3.5 million for an adaptive reuse of the property. And that's just for starters. "An additional budget would be required for new interior finishes and partitions related to a new use. For preliminary planning purposes, a budget of $50 per square foot can be assumed for typical interior office construction," the …

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Batavia's $117,000 Arch Discussion Done—for Now

The Batavia City Council declines to suspend Roberts Rules in order to reconsider buidling a $117,000 decorative arch at Wilson and North River Street.

Batavia Alderman Dan Chanzit asked for a recall vote on the $117,000 decorative arch the City Council had approved two weeks earlier, but aldermen said emphatically Monday night that the April 1 decision was no April Fools' Day joke. The council voted 10-3 to a motion that would have rescinded Robert's Rules of Order so that the issue could be re-examined or sent back to committee. Batavia's city attorney advised that a recall motion would violate Robert's Rules, which says basically that a governing body can't take back a vote once it has agreed to a contract and work on the project already has begun. The council had voted 12-2 on April 1 to accept the bid of $93,960 made by WW Timber to construct the arch. Aldermen Susan Stark and Victor…

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Arch Enemies? Chanzit Will Ask for Recall After Residents Protest Batavia Downtown Decoration

Protesters convince alderman to change his vote on $117,000 downtown archway.

Batavia Alderman Dan Chanzit says he'll ask for a recall vote on the decision to build a $117,000 arch on North River Street. "After meeting with residents this afternoon, I can say that my position has evolved on this issue, and I will be calling for a recall vote," Chanzit said by email following a downtown protest of the plan. Batavians sounded off loud and clear in a Patch "Tri-Cities Talk" on April 3 and some took to the streets with signs on April 6. Some of the signs read, "$117,000 Arch—Cut Waste," "Reconsider" and "April 9 Vote Big Spenders Out." Some of those votes might have had an affect on the election, which saw three incumbents lose their seats. Jamie Saam defeated incumbent James Volk for the 4th Ward seat. Steven Vasilion …

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PHOTO UPDATE: Batavia Aldermen OK $117,000 River Street Arch

The cost is almost double the original estimate of $55,000.

St. Louis has its Gateway Arch, McDonald's has its golden arches, and Batavia will have its own $117,000 arch to mark the entranceway to North River Street. Batavia aldermen approved the proposal at Monday night's City Council meeting. Aldermen Susan Stark and Victor Dietz voted against it. The city will pay $93,960 to WW Timber to build the arch. Additional costs include design work, foundation installation and lighting. The total expenditure is more than double the original estimate of $55,000, the Daily Herald reports. Funds for the project will come from the tax increment financing district. The arch design is different than the concept originally proposed for the gateway at North River Street and Wilson Street. An artist's rendering …

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What to Expect When Wilson Street Streetscape Work Begins

Updates on Wilson Street Streetscape will be posted on the City's website www.BataviaProjectStreetscape.com, www.facebook.com/BataviaProjectStreetscape, and BATV’s weekly Streetscape Updates.

It's not jumpstarting until June, but Wilson Street is the Big Kahuna of the Batavia Streetscape project, and it's up next, as the work on North River Street wraps up. The Streetscape project will be coordinated with the Wilson Street Traffic Modernization & Interconnect Project that has already begun on Wilson Street at Washington Ave and River Street, the city of Batavia reports. Updates on Wilson Street Streetscape will be posted on the city's website www.BataviaProjectStreetscape.com, www.facebook.com/BataviaProjectStreetscape, and BATV’s weekly Streetscape Updates. Any questions can be directed tostreetscape@cityofbatavia.net or by calling 630.454.2777. Overall, the streetscape project will provide Batavians with a shared community …

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Visions for Vacancies

What Should Go Into the Old Hubbard's Ethan Allen?

Visions for Vacancies: One of Batavia's landmark buildings is still looking for a new tenant. What would be the highest and best possible use for the former 12,500-square-foot showroom in downtown Batavia?

More than a few folks from Batavia and the area used to love shopping at the old Hubbard's Ethan Allen. Winding your way through the myriad rooms, finding just the right piece of furniture or accessory for your home, getting the service you'd expect from a first-rate furniture store. It's gone now, sadly. After 101 years, Batavia's oldest business closed back in October 2011, and its 12,500-square-foot showroom at 16 N. Batavia Ave. still is on the market today, according to LoopNet. Some of the features?  

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