Batavia plans for downtown 'river district'

What will happen to the old First Baptist Church in Batavia?

A real estate adviser hired by the city suggested Monday that the decision be left open to potential developers when the city is ready to request proposals for redeveloping properties it owns along Washington Street between Wilson and State streets.

But for the rest of the land the city owns there - three-quarters of a city block - the firm envisions a mix of townhouses, condominiums, stores, offices and plazas that would be part of a distinct "river district" on the east side of downtown.

And part of that could be eliminating the city parking deck at River and State streets in favor of building a multilevel underground garage, planner David Stamm of S.B. Friedman and Co. told the city council.

The city bought the 120-year-old Baptist church in 2005 as part of a plan to straighten out the jog of Route 25, which runs along Washington, turns onto Wilson, then continues south on South River Street. The plan proved too costly.

The congregation moved in 2008 to a new facility west of town, in the Mill Creek subdivision.

The adviser does recommend tearing down an office-and-classroom building added on to the church in the 1950s.

Freidman envisions three-story townhouse buildings, four-story condominium buildings, and a two-story retail-and-loft building.

A major complicating factor is the site's slope. It rises 20 feet from the corner of River and State to Washington and Wilson. "We've got topography in spades on this site," Stamm said. But terraced plazas and walkways that would lead pedestrians down to the river district could use that.

Of course, all of this depends on the economy turning around and developers being able to borrow money. Friedman hopes to have a plan ready for developers by the end of the year.

"Hopefully we will catch the economy on an upward swing," Stamm said.

Mayor Jeff Schielke, citing the length of the council's meeting agenda, suggested aldermen send their comments or questions to city staff or Stamm

But close to the end of the meeting, city administrator Bill McGrath asked the council for comment. Only Alderman Dave Brown, chairman of the community development committee, spoke, saying he thought the committee was the more appropriate place to talk about it, as he had "at least 30 minutes' worth of questions" of his own about it.

"I think there is way too much conversation to have about it tonight," he said.