FOR Immediate Release: September 5, 2018

MAYOR ROBERT PALMIERI ANNOUNCES SALE OF FORMER GENERAL ELECTRIC PLANT BUILDING

Mayor Robert Palmieri today announced the completed sale of the former General Electric (GE) Plant Building, located at 1900 Bleecker Street, to Bowers Development based in East Syracuse.

The transaction of the sale involved the Board of Estimate & Apportionment (E&A) and the Utica Industrial Development Agency (UIDA).  The Board of E&A authorized the transfer of the property to the UIDA which then approved the sale of the building, as well as, the adjacent vacant lot for $400,000.

The existing building is over 200,000 square feet with the total land area purchased being roughly 7.5 acres.  Current plans call for the demolition of the building and construction of a new facility ranging from 54,000 to 100,000 square feet in size.

Bowers Development is a reputable company who has purchased several properties in Utica including the New Century building (253 Genesee Street), the Security building (120-126 Bleecker Street), the Kempf building (248-250) and the adjoining building at 252 Genesee Street, all of which are in successful stages of rehabilitation.

Earlier this year the City secured a $2 million grant through Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) for the redevelopment of this property.  These funds will leverage private investment to remediate the asbestos and assist in the construction of the new building.  

The sale of the property, which was vacant for a decade, will eliminate major blight at a key gateway into east Utica.   Additionally, the project will result in the development of employment opportunities at this site and return a very large property to the city’s tax rolls.

Mayor Palmieri stated, “I thank Bowers Development for their vision, investment and belief in Utica.  Attracting national, regional and local developers to our community is resulting in tremendous progress and I am excited for Utica’s future.    

Bowers Development stated, “We are very excited about this project, after just completing a similar project in Canastota.  The addition of a new building in East Utica will attract industrial, manufacturing, and distribution tenants, which generally results in job creation.  We look forward to bringing this site back to productive reuse.”