Batavia mayor to business group: 2014's been good

Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke made a confession Thursday during his annual state of the city address to the Batavia Chamber of Commerce.

"Between 2009 and now I would kind of spin you a little bit," he said, referring to business accomplishments and opportunities during that rough economic time.

Thursday, though, was a different story.

"We've got a slideshow today that is one of the most positive ones I have ever been able to present to the Batavia community," he said.

Schielke cited the arrival of Gaetano's restaurant on North River Street, the Challenger lighting factory in the northeast business park, and the opening of an AT&T store on Randall Road. The Honey-Jam Cafe is due to reopen in a few days, he said. Acosta's Consignment has taken over the old Hubbard's Ethan Allen furniture store space downtown, and two antique stores have opened.

Schielke said he's seen the plans for a major remodeling of the interior of the Sam's Club store, and that Wendy's plans to remodel its restaurant. He mentioned the opening of Hardee's in the vacant Burger King. And "I will tantalize you," he said, with news of an unnamed restaurant interested in opening on the west side of Batavia that would "fill a niche."

Schielke praised Pace suburban bus service for expanding its Call and Ride program to Batavia, out of the Geneva Metra station. In particular, there are designated runs to Fermilab and the industrial park.

Schielke said there's evidence the Batavia housing market is rebounding, with Toll Bros. resuming construction on the Tanglewood subdivision off Deerpath Road.

Coming up next year is the redevelopment of Houston Street from Batavia to Island avenues. "I just think it is interesting it is right here in front of the place (the Riverwalk) where we stage so many community events," he said, and noting it connects via a pedestrian bridge to North River Street, which was remodeled several years ago. "We have got really a kind of little entertainment area."

As he clicked through his slides, the crowd laughed, knowingly, when he said, "Here's the infamous arch on River Street. This is the latest one that I wear the scars of political battle over." When it was installed, some people complained about its look and its cost. But, Schielke bragged, the River Street project has won several awards, and at least five other mayors have made it a point to tour the street with him. The riverfront could be a "crown jewel" of Batavia with more redevelopment of former factory sites, he said.

The crowd also laughed when he showed a slide of the Mooseheart property the city agreed to annex in 2011, which is slated for stores, offices and housing. It's still farm fields.

"It's kind of like talking about when the Golden Corral is going to open," he said wryly, referring to the times he said it would - in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. It finally opened in November 2012.