City council approves sale of former Foundry site to developer after public hearings and neighborhood debate

Geneva City Council voted to begin a sale process for a city-owned parcel at the former Foundry site on Jackson Street after a public hearing and extended council discussion.

The council voted to approve a contract that would let Home Leasing (identified in staff materials as the interested buyer) purchase parcel 104.8-1-34; the approval came after an unsuccessful attempt to table the motion. The vote on final approval was 7 in favor, 2 opposed. Councilors Whitfield, Morocco, Gillette, Peeler, Lavin, Brennan and Mayor Steve Valentino voted yes; Councilors Petropoulos and Grimaldi voted no.

The developer has offered $70,000 for the parcel and told city staff it intends to conduct community meetings and prepare designs. City staff and the developer told council the sale is the start of a multi-step process: any project proposed for the site must still go through site-plan review, environmental review, and, where applicable, planning-board review and any other approvals required by the municipal code. Director of Development David West told council that the sale would give the developer the certainty needed to invest in design and community outreach, but it would not bypass the planning or SEQR processes.

Public comment at the hearing was mixed. Several neighborhood residents urged lower-density, homeownership-style development and said Jackson Street lacks the infrastructure for a large multi-unit rental complex; one resident said the neighborhood has experienced property damage and flooding that they want addressed before large-scale development proceeds. Other speakers, including business- and economic-development advocates, urged council to approve projects that would bring more housing and customers downtown.

Council debate centered on neighborhood impacts, density, parking and the timeline for review. Councilors who voted against the sale said they wanted more time for research and neighborhood outreach before the city entered an exclusive agreement; councilors in favor said the city needed to advance housing and economic-development projects and that the planning process would still allow the community a formal review and appeal opportunities.

Councilors repeatedly emphasized that the sale contract requires the buyer to obtain necessary planning approvals and environmental review before any construction or final transfer of the property. City staff said the city will work to ensure developers meet community engagement expectations as projects move from a conceptual design to formal applications.

The council’s approval starts the sale process; staff said additional actions and approvals will follow if the developer submits a concrete site plan.