GCEDC shares milestone achievements at annual meeting  

More than 500 projects supported by the Genesee County Economic Development Center since 2003 have generated over $2 billion of investment in Genesee County, pledged over 5,000 jobs and the construction of over 5 million square feet of new and renovated facilities, the agency announced in its 2022 annual report. 

The organization unveiled the report at its annual meeting at Batavia Downs last week. The event also marked the 20th anniversary of Steve Hyde as GCEDC president and CEO.  

Since Hyde took the helm, the organization’s board and staff have led a generation of economic development projects, the creation of successful business parks and significant benefits to the community and workforce, said Peter Zeliff, board chair.  

“When Steve came to the agency, he had a vision and a strategy, and he has patiently adhered to it through all these years and now the business transactions we are successfully brokering here are record breaking and transformative and poised to continue,” Zeliff said.  

In 2022, the GCEDC closed on 12 projects that resulted in over $140 million in economic impact, $97 million in capital investment and a pledge of 117 new jobs. The Batavia/Genesee County region was recognized as a top performing micropolitan for the 19th consecutive year by Site Selection Magazine. 

Among the projects are: 

• Apples Tree Acres LLC has begun construction on a $3.15 million project to add 50,000 square feet of industrial space in Bergen; 
• Rochester Regional Health is investing $42 million to construct a 161,540 square foot medical facility in Batavia, and  
• JR Fancher is in the final stages of building a 14,000 sq. ft. mixed use development at Buffalo East Tech Park in Pembroke that will add six market-rate housing units and commercial space. 

Additionally, there is ongoing construction of Plug Power’s $232 million green hydrogen manufacturing facility, as well as the announcements of Edwards’s $209 million semiconductor dry pump manufacturing facility and Horizon Acres Associates’ $142 million flex campus. 

“The success of the organization is the result of the unique collaboration between the public and private sectors that results in highly successful projects year after year,” Hyde said. “Our community has all the positive attributes that are essential qualities that businesses are looking for, including a tremendous location, a highly productive and educated workforce, access to clean energy and an overall wonderful quality of life.” 

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