Uptown Canandaigua now 'shovel-ready.' Here's what businesses will be on site
CANANDAIGUA, NY — Representatives from the construction firm Apogee Development, TruAgent Real Estate and the town of Canandaigua were present for the official groundbreaking ceremony for Uptown Canandaigua last week.
In spite of cooler temperatures and some brief snowfall, representatives from each group dug into the earth off Route 332, next to Enterprise Rent-A-Car, with guests applauding. The property will soon feature a state-of-the-art, 8,000-square-foot, energy-efficient, Class-A commercial space, equipped for a restaurant and two retail tenants.
Two banners denoted businesses that would soon take up space at the site, including the Ontario winery Robinson Estates and the Canandaigua sporting goods store Fullsend Ski & Outdoor.
In remarks following the ceremony, TruAgent Co-Founder Pete Zizzi praised the efforts of each party for making it a reality, calling it a "truly collaborative effort."
“We are grateful for the ongoing support we have received from the Canandaigua Town Planning Board and city officials,” Bill Dower, owner and developer of Apogee Development, added. “This has been a truly collaborative effort and without their support, we would not be where we are today.”
“The Apogee and TruAgent team have been a great group to collaborate with and are clearly dedicated to bringing their vision to life,” said Shawna Bonshak, Canandaigua town planner. “Not only do we believe that this development will pave the way for other Canandaigua Uptown initiatives, but it will also increase the vitality of our local economy and bring new, high-quality dining and shopping options to the region.”
The groundbreaking ceremony capped a years-long effort to develop the 100-acre plot of land near Blue Heron Park and the Canandaigua fire station off Route 332, with the end goal of turning the space into a collection of mixed-use buildings with proposed calls for as many as 150 to 200 single-family affordable housing units along with dedicated business space. Aside from fostering development, the project is also intended to preserve and protect open space, natural resources and agricultural resources in other spots in the town, according to Town Manager Doug Finch.
Finch added in August that several years ago the town funded and adopted a study outlining the goals for this section of town. The first step in implementing the goals of the study is the proposed creation of a new zoning designation, form-based code, Finch said, which the Town Board was considering but had not yet signed off on.
Form-based code zoning allows for multiple uses on a property; the project design, not its use, is the essential aspect for consideration. The zoning would be used for a particular area defined in a study, such as Uptown Canandaigua. According to Finch, the code, which was officially adopted by the Town Board on Oct. 18, will only apply to the parcels of land along Route 332, from the city line to Emerson Road. Other portions of the town will not be under the same regulation.
Finch added that the ceremony was "exciting," noting that he could tell the measure of success and interest in the event by the turnout of attendees.
"It's been a long time coming," he said. "The building they're calling Canandaigua Crossings will be one of the buildings under the form-based code. We're happy to welcome the new businesses scheduled to come in there."
As part of the initial concept plan, several roads, sidewalks and trails are planned throughout the project —including Uptown Boulevard, which will run through it — as well as areas for green space, according to Glenn Thornton, of Thornton Engineering. Thornton added that this was a conceptual plan that will definitely "change and improve as we go."
Construction is expected to be completed in the spring of 2022.
Additional reporting by Daily Messenger writer Mike Murphy.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Uptown Canandaigua now 'shovel-ready.' Here's what businesses will be on site
