No more industrial uses at Siemens site

The former Siemens Automation factory site at McKee Street and Van Nortwick Avenue in Batavia has officially been rezoned for uses other than industrial.

The Batavia City Countil this week changed its land-use designation to residential. It also did the same for a property just to the west of Siemens, which Siemens leases as a parking lot.

The move was aimed at preventing another industrial use at the site, because city officials don't think it's a good fit in the neighborhood. There are houses across the street to the east, a school to the north, and houses and an apartment complex to the west. Many were built after the factory, which opened its first building there in the 1940s as Furnas Electric.

The factory closed two years ago.

A city policy calls for the site to be redeveloped with residences, offices and stores. Siemens had asked the city to hold off on the rezoning, saying that while the policy was a good idea when proposed in 2005, nobody is interested in buying it for such uses in today's poor economy.

"Our understanding of their plans is they are to demolish the site, clean up a small contaminated area, plant grass seed and see if they can sell it," city administrator William McGrath said. The city wants it demolished soon, or it will cite the company for code violations related to failed fire protection equipment.

Part of the Siemens land is north of McKee Street, and consists of a small parking lot and a lawn. Neighbors want to see that space preserved either as a park (which people presently use it as now) or for future expansion or remodeling of H.C. Storm Elementary School.