Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks announced that the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency (COMIDA) approved assistance for nine local economic development projects.

 

“COMIDA is an important economic development tool in our community, helping to facilitate business growth and job creation and strengthen our local economy,” said Brooks.

 

The following projects were approved by COMIDA:

Rochester Presbyterian Home, Inc. (Tax-Exempt Civic Facility Bond)

 

Project:        The Memory Care Residences at Cottage Grove  

 

Rochester Presbyterian Home (RPH), a not-for-profit corporation, has served Monroe County since 1925, providing comprehensive adult living and dementia care residential services. RPH is proposing an adult care residential project in the Town of Chili. RPH will be constructing four 10,215 square foot assisted living residences that will each house 12 people. The intent is to create a true home where older adults can thrive. In addition, RPH will be making renovations to its existing adult home on Thurston Road. This $7.8 million project will impact four existing full-time jobs and is projected to create 34 new full-time jobs. The applicant is seeking up to $7.5 million in tax-exempt civic facility bonds.                                                                                

 

Calkins Corporate Park, LLC (Lease/leaseback with JobsPlus)

 

Project/Tenant:     Sorenson Communications, Inc.

 

Calkins Corporate Park (Calkins) proposes to construct a new 16,000 square foot building at Calkins Corporate Office Park located off Calkins Road in the Town of Henrietta. Approximately 7,000 square feet of the new building will be occupied by Sorenson Communications. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Sorenson is a pioneer of industry-leading communication services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Sorenson currently provides video relay services at their present location on Red Creek Drive. The new location will house a video phone technical support group, which is expected to create 100 new full-time jobs over the next three years. The $2 million project will impact 10 existing jobs. The applicant seeks approval of JobsPlus based on the use of 100% local labor and suppliers to construct the project. The JobsPlus job creation requirement is one.

National Ambulance & Oxygen Services, Inc. (Sales Tax Exemption Only)

Rural Metro Medical Services (Rural Metro) has provided 9-1-1 ambulance services to the City of Rochester for the past 19 years. Rural Metro also provides emergency medical and transportation services for individual facilities and has mutual aid agreements with Monroe County volunteer organizations. Rural Metro will be purchasing three new ambulances at a combined cost of $181,000. Rural Metro employs 189 in Monroe County and expects to create 13 new full-time positions. The company is seeking sales tax exemption only. 

Gallina Development Corp. (Lease/leaseback with JobsPlus)

 

Project Address:    300 Mile Crossing Blvd.

 

Gallina Development Corp. proposes to construct a new 20,488 square foot facility in the Town of Gates to be used as the main distribution center for RL Kistler, Inc. Kistler, founded in 1968, is a distributor of mechanical and electrical equipment with expertise in precision and specialized environmental air conditioning systems, power generating equipment and power conditioning equipment. The facility will cost approximately $1.1 million and will result in the retention of 20 jobs and the creation of two new full-time jobs over the next three years. The applicant seeks approval of JobsPlus based on the use of 100% local labor and suppliers to construct the project. The JobsPlus job creation requirement is two.

 

Midtown Athletic Club, LLC (Lease/leaseback with JobsPlus)

 

Midtown Athletic Club is a multi-purpose health club located on 10 acres in the City of Rochester. Midtown is planning to improve their 125,000 square foot facility by expanding the indoor and outdoor areas and making internal renovations. A 13,000 square foot building addition will include an indoor pool, equipment rooms and laundry. The outdoor expansion will include clay tennis courts and a new pool. The total project cost is $6.6 million. Midtown employs 80 and projects to create 25 new jobs over the next three years. The company seeks approval of JobsPlus based on the use of 100% local labor and suppliers to construct the project. The JobsPlus job creation requirement is eight.   

 

CooperVision, Inc. (Lease/leaseback – sales tax only)

 

CooperVision is a manufacturer and distributor of contact lenses doing business in Monroe County since 1959. CooperVision will be relocating a call center operation from Albuquerque, New Mexico and investing $500,000 to renovate and equip 36,000 square feet of additional office space at 370 Woodcliff Drive. CooperVision currently employs 1,243 full-time at three facilities in Monroe County and will be creating 38 new full-time jobs. CooperVision is seeking sales tax exemption only. (CooperVision was previously approved for assistance through COMIDA in 2005 for the construction of a new 241,000 square foot distribution facility in Henrietta. Employment at the time of application was 948 with a requirement to create 21 new jobs.)

 

Bottling Group, LLC (Sales Tax Exemption Only)

 

Project Address:    400 Creative Drive

 

Bottling Group, LLC (Pepsi) currently operates a 70,000 square foot facility for its warehouse, product storage, fleet garage and regional marketing, finance, human resources and safety offices. Due to its continued growth, Pepsi has outgrown the facility. After considering relocation options, including closing the facility and consolidating operations to other Northeast facilities, Pepsi is proposing to relocate to an existing warehouse facility at the Rochester Technology Park in the Town of Gates. Renovations to the facility will be done by the landlord. Pepsi will be investing $663,261 in security equipment, racking and other equipment. The project will impact 119 existing employees. The applicant is seeking sales tax exemption only.

 

Rochester Medical Transportation (EquiPlus)

 

Rochester Medical Transportation (RMT) provides non-emergency medical transportation. RMT specializes in ambulatory, wheelchair and non-emergency stretcher transports. RMT will be purchasing six new wheelchair vans and two ambulatory vehicles. The combined cost of the equipment is $191,000. RMT employs 19 in Monroe County and expects to create two new full-time positions. The company has been approved for a GreatRate on the purchase through the Monroe County Industrial Development Corporation and is seeking approval of EquiPlus.

Direct 2 Market Sales Solutions, LLC (EquiPlus)

 

Direct 2 Market Sales Solutions (D2MSS) is a sales and marketing consulting firm that provides a variety of services including database development, project management and lead generation. D2MSS will be purchasing a phone system, computers, software and new workstations. The combined cost of the equipment is $66,231. D2MSS employs 10 in Monroe County and expects to create one new full-time position. The company has been approved for a GreatRate on the purchase through the Monroe County Industrial Development Corporation and is seeking approval of EquiPlus.

 

The EquiPlus program combines the investment incentives of the GreatRate and GreatRebate programs with the sales tax exemptions offered through COMIDA. Companies that receive GreatRate or GreatRebate benefits through MCIDC for the purchase of equipment can receive an additional sales tax exemption on the purchase of that equipment through COMIDA.

 

JobsPlus is a tax abatement program that, in addition to sales tax exemption and/or mortgage tax exemption, provides 90% abatement on increased assessment associated with the project in the first year, decreasing 10% per year for a ten-year period.

 

COMIDA is a not-for-profit, public benefit corporation and governmental agency. Its purpose is to actively promote, encourage, attract and develop job opportunities in the community, by encouraging established businesses to expand locally and attracting new industries to the Monroe County area. COMIDA incentives apply toward the purchase of land and construction of new facilities, the expansion of existing buildings, the purchase of new machinery and equipment, as well as the renovation of existing facilities.

COMIDA does not lend any money to these projects, and projects receiving assistance are required to use 100% local labor. Assistance is provided through tax exemptions and abatements, and access to lower interest rates through tax-exempt bond issues. COMIDA provides this assistance without any taxpayer dollars. Income is generated by the fees charged to applicants. These monies have been reinvested in the community to advance economic growth and job creation.