NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Pursuant to Article 18-A of NYS General Municipal Law, a public hearing will be conducted electronically, as hereinafter described, by the Erie County Industrial Development Agency (the “Agency”) on December 30, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. regarding the project, as described below, said public hearing, given the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis and related Executive Orders issued by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, to now be conducted electronically as hereinafter described.  PLEASE NOTE the special hearing logistics and instructions included at the end of this notice.

Calspan Corporation, Genesee Holdings III, LLC, 4455 Genesee Street, LLC, Calspan Development and Construction, LLC, and/or Individual(s) or Affiliate(s), Subsidiary(ies), or Entity(ies) formed or to be formed on its behalf (the “Company”), has submitted an application to the Agency (a copy of which is on file at the office of the Agency) requesting the Agency to undertake a certain project (the "Project") consisting of:  (i) the acquisition by the Agency of a leasehold interest in certain property located at located at 40 Sonwil Drive, Town of Cheektowaga, Erie County, New York (the “Land) and any existing improvements located thereon (the "Existing Improvements"), together with the approximately 65,000 +/- square foot building thereon (the “Existing Improvements”), (ii) the renovation of the Existing Improvements to be used by the Company for a sled testing laboratory which would house two highly precise and powerful vehicle test stands (the "Improvements"); and (iii) the acquisition and installation therein, thereon or thereabout of certain machinery, equipment and related personal property (the "Equipment" and, together with the Land, the Existing Improvements, and the Improvements, the "Facility"), all to be used by the Company. The Facility will be initially operated and/or managed by the Company.

The Agency will acquire a leasehold interest in the Facility and lease the Facility back to the Company.  The Company will operate the Facility during the term of the lease.  At the end of the lease term, the leasehold interest will be terminated.  The Agency contemplates that it will provide financial assistance to the Company for qualifying portions of the Project in the form of sales and use tax exemption benefits, mortgage recording tax exemption benefits, and real property tax abatement benefits consistent with the policies of the Agency.

PLEASE NOTE SPECIAL PUBLIC HEARING CONDUCT INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION:

In accordance with Section 859-a of the NYS General Municipal Law, a representative of the Agency will present a copy of the Company's project Application which is also available for viewing on the Agency's website at www.ecidany.com under tab Events/Public Hearings & Meetings.  However, given the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis and related Executive Orders issued by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, the Agency will not be able to accommodate any in-person public attendance or participation at this hearing.  Nonetheless, and in furtherance of the provisions of Section 859-a of the NYS General Municipal Law requiring interested parties be provided a reasonable opportunity, both orally and in writing, to present their views with respect to the Project, and pursuant to Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.15 issued on April 9, 2020 authorizing the conduct of public hearings through use of telephone conference, video conference and/or other similar service, the Agency will livestream the Public Hearing for those wanting to listen only at https://www.ecidany.com/streaming.  The Agency will provide public access to provide oral comments during the Public Hearing at https://www.ecidany.com/public-comment-and-registration. If you would like to make oral comments at the Public Hearing, please register to do so no later than 12:00 p.m. on December 29, 2020.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the call to provide oral comments.  Finally, the Agency also encourages all interested parties to submit written comments to the Agency, which will all be included within the public hearing record.  Any written comments may be sent on the Agency’s website, or mailed to the Agency at 95 Perry Street-Suite 403, Buffalo, NY 14203 until the comment period closes at 4:00 p.m. on January 26, 2021. 

Click here for a copy of the application (PDF)