Lakeview outlines plan for 74-unit mixed-use, supportive housing at former Finger Lakes Times site in Geneva

Lakeview Health Services and development partner CSD presented plans Wednesday for a 74-unit mixed-use supportive housing project at 218 Genesee Street, the former Finger Lakes Times printing site in downtown Geneva.

The developers described a building with roughly 70 one‑bedroom units and four two‑bedroom units, 26 on‑site parking spaces, a dedicated on‑site staff wing with 24/7 staffing, community space and an outdoor patio. They said about 37 units would be designated as supportive housing and the total development cost is estimated at about $35 million. Lakeview said it has a conditional award from the state Office of Mental Health for roughly $11 million toward the project.

The presentation, given to Geneva city officials and members of the public, laid out why the partners say the project is needed and how it would be financed and built. The developers emphasized on‑site services and ongoing property maintenance as safeguards against the deterioration and public‑safety problems some residents worried might occur.

Lakeview CEO Tiffany Lovejoy, who led the presentation, said the meeting was intended as an introduction and to make the organization available to neighbors. “We really value transparency and just being accessible and communicative,” Lovejoy said. She said the organization has operated supportive and affordable housing for several years in the region and described past projects in Rochester, Ithaca and Seneca Falls that Lakeview maintains and operates.

Nut graf: The project would repurpose a long‑vacant printing plant parcel into mixed supportive and workforce housing. The developers described a financing path that relies on state Office of Mental Health funding, a competitive application for 9% Low‑Income Housing Tax Credits, and investor equity; they said local support from the city would strengthen the application.

Inverted pyramid / key facts

- Site and design: The parcel at 218 Genesee Street would host a five‑story building along most elevations, with the Castle Street façade set back so it reads as four stories to respect the adjacent historic district. The exterior is planned as brick and storefront elements on Castle Street. The design shown places staff spaces on the first floor facing Castle and residential units on upper floors.

- Unit mix and affordability: The developers presented a 74‑unit plan with four two‑bedroom apartments and the remainder one‑bedroom units. They said 27 units would be priced at 60% Area Median Income (AMI), 10 units at 80% AMI and the remaining 37 units would be supportive housing under state funding streams. Rents and income bands shown on project slides were presented as examples from a market study; the developers said the exact AMI levels and rents will be set by funding awards and regulatory agreements.

- Services and management: Lakeview plans 24/7 on‑site staff, routine property maintenance and case‑management supports for tenants in supportive units. Lovejoy said staff are not licensed therapists but are trained to work with tenants to set goals and access services. She also said common areas and entrances would be monitored by cameras and the organization has worked with law enforcement on camera access at other properties.

- Parking, green space and amenities: The project includes 26 on‑site parking spaces, bike racks, an on‑site laundry free to tenants and a courtyard/green space. Developers said the design should create additional on‑street parking along Genesee Street by closing existing curb cuts on the parcel.

- Timeline and funding: Developers said the property is under a purchase and sale agreement with a due‑diligence period that began when the contract was signed (they noted 184 days from contract start, with an option to extend 90 days). Next steps the presenters described: submit a site‑plan application in March; seek site plan approval in May; compete for a 9% Low‑Income Housing Tax Credit application in the summer/fall; begin construction as early as next summer if awarded credits; and target completion and move‑in in winter 2028. They estimated a total development cost of about $35 million and projected roughly $50,000 in annual property tax revenue under current assumptions. Lakeview reported a conditional OMH award of about $11 million.

Public questions and councilor concerns

Councilors and residents pressed presenters on building height, integration with the historic Castle Street frontage, long‑term upkeep and safety. One resident said downtown faces visible public‑safety and substance‑use issues and asked what assurances the community had “that 6 years down the road, this won’t look like…a traditional New York City housing project.” The presenters responded that Lakeview invests in building quality and ongoing maintenance; they offered tours of existing properties and cited long‑term local ownership after the tax‑credit investor period ends.

On safety, Lakeview described screening for tenants, case‑management to intervene early, locked building access, cameras in common areas, and cooperation with local law enforcement. They said eviction or other legal responses would be used if a resident’s behavior repeatedly endangered others.

Site, zoning and regulatory notes

Presenters said they will request variances related to parking and some dimensional requirements and will work with the City’s zoning and building‑code staff and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) because Castle Street lies within the historic district. They said they have begun environmental testing and utility coordination with NYSEG and stormwater/sewer discussions during due diligence.

No formal council action was taken during the meeting. The presenters asked for community input and noted that letters of support from the city could strengthen their competitive tax‑credit application.

Ending / next steps

Developers said they will submit the site‑plan application this March and continue community outreach. They requested and welcomed neighbors’ comments and offered to meet property owners directly to address adjacency concerns. The council did not vote on any project approvals at the meeting.

Quotes (selected, verbatim and attributed to meeting speakers)

- “We really value transparency and just being accessible and communicative,” Tiffany Lovejoy, CEO of Lakeview Health Services. - “We have not actually acquired it…we have a purchase and sale agreement,” a Lakeview representative describing the current contract status and due‑diligence period. - “You have a development arm to your organization that…” (discussion of development experience), developer representative Minh Terry (remarks during Q&A).