Last week, Rochester Senator Joe Robach attended the unveiling of a memorial to the late Les Harrison, Basketball Hall of Famer and former Founder, Owner and Coach of the 1951 NBA Champion Rochester Royals.

Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980, Les Harrison was born and raised in Rochester and attended East High School where he was a star basketball player. Les was the founder, owner and coach of the original Rochester Royals professional basketball franchise, winning world championships as a member of the National Basketball League in 1945-46 and as a member of the National Basketball Association in 1950-51. Les played an integral role in the merger of the NBL and the Basketball Association of America into the National Basketball Association in 1949. Les was responsible for breaking professional basketball’s color barrier when, in 1945, he signed the first African American, Dolly King, to a contract. He was also the director and sponsor of the Rochester Classic collegiate basketball tournament for 30 year as well as operating a basketball camp, where Senator Joe Robach once worked.

On the same day as the Les Harrison Memorial unveiling, the NBA announced that the Sacramento Kings franchise would be sold to a group in Sacramento instead of Seattle. The retention of the Kings in Sacramento ensured that the franchise of Les Harrison and Rochester would be remain a member of the of the NBA. The Sacramento Kings can trace their origins to a local semi-professional team based in Rochester, New York in the early 1920s. The team was officially established professionally in 1945 as the Rochester Royals by Les Harrison. The Royals relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1957, becoming the Cincinnati Royals. In 1972, the team relocated to Kansas City, taking up the name Kansas City Kings. They then moved to Sacramento in 1985.

Rochester Senator Joe Robach applauded the recent announcement that $91 million in awards for shovel-ready projects to build affordable housing across the state, including in Rochester and the Finger Lakes Region. The low-interest loans and tax credits will build and preserve 2,060 units of affordable housing and are expected to leverage more than $485 million in grants, loans and private resources.

“As New York’s economy gets back on track, today we are announcing awards to partners who, through a rigorous application process, presented worthy, shovel-ready projects across the state — development that will create jobs while building and preserving affordable housing for our residents,” Governor Cuomo said. “By streamlining the application process, New York State is removing barriers that held back economic development for too long and made government inefficient. These funds will leverage hundreds of millions of dollars in private resources, creating valuable partnerships as we work to rebuild communities and create jobs in all corners of the state.”

The funds were available through New York State Homes & Community Renewal (HCR)’s Unified Funding Application, a single-source process to apply for several funding streams for affordable, multifamily developments, part of the Governor’s efforts to break down the inefficient and duplicative silos that had previously governed state funding. In total, HCR will make 33 awards, totaling over $91 million in low-interest loans and tax credits that will build and preserve 2,060 units of affordable housing. The projects are expected to leverage over $485 million in grants, loans and private resources.

In this round of funding, applicants competed for: low-interest loans through the Low-Income Housing Trust Fund Program (HTF); Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC); the HOME Capital Program; and State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (SLIHC).

Finger Lakes
DePaul Properties, Inc./Betts Housing Partners LLC — $5.7 million for Rochester View Apartments; new construction of 60 rental units in the Town of Henrietta (Monroe County). The project will provide 33 units for low-income individuals with psychiatric disabilities, and 27 units for low-income persons with hearing impairments. Coordinated investment with NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Homeless Housing and Assistance Corporation (HHAC).

Rochester Senator Joe Robach excitedly anticipated the announcement that Columbia Pictures’ The Amazing Spider-Man™ 2, which is being filmed entirely in New York State, will be shooting in Rochester starting this morning. During the nine-day shoot, the production’s second unit will film a car chase scene. The film is slated for release on May 2, 2014.

To film the scene, 200 crew members will be coming to the city, where they will be joined by 250 local crew hires and 150 extras. It is expected that the production will require 3,000 hotel nights and spend $400,000 on local vendors, $120,000 on craft service, and $120,000 on restaurant meals.

“The City of Rochester could not be more thrilled that the Amazing Spider-Man 2 will begin shooting scenes in Rochester,” Lieutenant Governor and former City of Rochester Mayor Robert J. Duffy said. “Not only will this bring new jobs into the community and give the city an economic boost, but it will be an exciting moment for Rochesterians watching the film, knowing that such familiar places are in the background. As the former mayor of this great city, I am excited for this tremendous opportunity, as it speaks to the work that this state government under Governor Cuomo has done over the past two years to truly make New York the Hollywood of the East.”

Filming The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in New York is generating millions of dollars in economic activity across the state.
Many major television and film productions, including The Amazing Spider-Man 2, have cited the State’s film and television tax credit program as a leading factor in their decision to film and produce in New York. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have been created and billions of dollars have been injected into New York’s economy as a result.

About “The Amazing Spider-Man™ 2”

In The Amazing Spider-Man™ 2, for Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), life is busy – between taking out the bad guys as Spider-Man and spending time with the person he loves, Gwen (Emma Stone), high school graduation can’t come quickly enough. Peter hasn’t forgotten about the promise he made to Gwen’s father to protect her by staying away – but that’s a promise he just can’t keep. Things will change for Peter when a new villain, Electro (Jamie Foxx), emerges, an old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, and Peter uncovers new clues about his past. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is directed by by Marc Webb from a screenplay by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci & Jeff Pinkner, with a previous draft by James Vanderbilt, and based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are the producers. The executive producers are E. Bennett Walsh, Stan Lee, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci.

Senator Joe Robach applauded an opportunity for education enhancement for young women at the University of Rochester. The college is hosting a pre-college experience in physics to encourage the participation of women in science. From July 8th to July 31st those students who are accepted will learn about the “laws of physics” and engineering through team projects; develop laboratory skills and familiarity with lab equipment; investigate how physics concepts relate to real life; interact with scientist in a range of fields and careers; and have fun with other women interested in science.

The PREP (Pre-College Experience in Physics) program offers a unique exploration of the world of science. our philosophy is to inspire greater confidence and understanding in your future encounters with high school physics and open avenues to further science careers. PREP is designed for students attending local high schools with no prior experience in physics. Participants gain first hand knowledge of college life, with guests from University faculty, visits to some of the U of R’s research facilities, a campus tour, a meeting with an admissions counselors.

There is no fee for this program. Applicants should currently be in grade 9 or 10. This is a commuter program and participants are responsible of their own transportation and lunch. Space is limited to only 24 students. Application materials are due April 30th. The program is directed by Prof. Steven Manly. For more information contact Connie Jones at 275-5306 or visit http://www.pas.rochester.edu/PREP/

New York State Senator Joe Robach was on the Rochester Institute of Technology campus last Friday for a ribbon cutting at the Golisano Institute for Sustainability. The $38-million facility will be powered by fuel cell technology, and will be the home for RIT’s programs that focus on “green” technology.

The Institute’s main purpose is to work with industry experts and specialists to find ways for technology to work more efficiently, and require fewer resources. The Institute will feature programs for school-age children and will serve as a community resource. Joe Robach worked with his colleagues in the Senate and Assembly, as well as the Governor’s office to ensure that RIT received $5-million in state funding to develop the project. The 84,000-square-foot “living lab” represents RIT’s commitment to the environment through research and academic programs. GIS plans to host an open house for the RIT community later this spring. The building will also be showcased during Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival on Saturday, May 4.

The 84,000-square-foot facility is a state-of-the-art laboratory for scientific discovery and experiential learning. The building will be home to GIS’ master’s degree and Ph.D. programs in sustainability and architecture. Research labs, student work areas, classrooms and conference rooms, a 65-seat auditorium and office suites all open onto a light-filled, four-story galleria space. The facility was designed and constructed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards of the U.S. Green Building Council. RIT has one other LEED Platinum (University Services Center) and one LEED Gold (Engineering Technology Hall) facility, but the GIS building is the largest and most advanced project to date. Among Sustainability Hall’s outstanding features are:

-7 systems integration test beds.
-8 sustainability technology support laboratories.
-Computing and collaborative spaces to support research.
-Extensive glazing reduces the amount of artificial light required inside the structure. A sunshade system of stationary louvers on the south side of the building reduces heat buildup from direct sun exposure during summer months.
-UTC Model 400 Purecell System is the primary energy source for the building. This unit produces 400 kilowatts of continuous electric power; heat generated as a by-product of electrical generation helps heat this and other buildings on campus.
-Microgrid system that takes variable power inputs from all sources (including windmills and solar panels) and stores energy in a battery bank to provide 50 kilowatt-hours of power. This will power some of the building’s lights and electrical outlets as well as charging stations for electric vehicles.
-Geothermal system using liquid that circulates from eight 150-foot deep wells through pipes in the galleria floor, helping to keep the building warm in winter and cool in summer.

Rochester Senator Joe Robach joins his colleagues in the City of Rochester in their excitement that producers and crew members from Columbia Pictures selected Rochester as one of the locations for filming an upcoming major motion picture, The Amazing Spider-Man 2. The scenes filmed in Rochester will be action sequences that include car chases and other special effects.

The film’s production team has been working closely with City and Staet officials, including staff from the Rochester Police Department, Rochester Fire Department, Department of Environmental Services and others to plan for the filming and ensure that all public safety elements are taken into consideration. The production team has also met with the Rochester Genesee Regional Transit Authority (RGRTA), the Rochester City School District, the Rochester/Finger Lakes Film and Video Office, and the Monroe County Department of Transportation to work on logistics for street closures and bus re-routing during the shoot.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is set to film scenes in Downtown Rochester beginning on Tuesday, April 30 and expected to continue through Thursday, May 9, between the hours of 6 a.m and 9 p.m. each day. The scenes will be filmed on Main Street, between East Avenue and South Plymouth Avenue. Portions of Main Street will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian access during filming. Depending on the filming needs for each day, different stretches of Main Street from East Avenue to South Plymouth Avenue will be closed at different times.

The production team is looking for extras! Send your name, a photo of yourself, the year, make, and model of your car, and your contact information to rochester@gwcnyc.com to be considered. Please note that the City of Rochester is not involved with the extra selection process.

In the budget recently passed by the Legislature, Rochester Senator Robach voted to support measures that will hopefully lead to clean water, clean air and healthy communities.  In the new State Budget reflects a strong commitment to protecting and enhancing New York and Rochester’s natural resources and makes major new investments in key environmental initiatives that will benefit local communities across Monroe County and New York State.

The budget included $153 million for vital funding of the Environmental Protection Fund, an increasing over last years amount by $19 million.  The EPF funding will support a wide array of essential projects that protect open spaces and ensures clean air and water for millions of New Yorkers.

Also included is $45 million in additional NY Works funding for improvements to parks and historic sites that Senator Robach hopes will be used right here in Rochester in the preservation of our historic neighborhoods.  To help protect the heath and safety of families and communities across New York $40 million was allocated for critical environmental clean ups.

In January, Rochester Senator Joe Robach teamed up with Time Warner Cable, Sunnking, Waste Management and Monroe County for a electronics recycling event. People dropped off old computers, printers, phones, tv’s and more, and they didn’t even have to get out of the car!

Last week, Rochester Senator Joe Robach joined Mayor Tom Richards and joined in the ground-breaking ceremony to mark the renovation of the Carriage Factory Apartments. These are located on Litchfield Street in Rochester. The building, which was built in 1910 and has been vacant for the past 25 years, was once home to Cunningham Carriage Factory. Once renovations are complete, it will include 71 units of affordable rental housing to accommodate people with special needs through DePaul Community Services.

The former factory was home to James Cunningham & Sons Company, operating from 1896 to 1936 in Rochester, New York. Cunningham Automobile incorporated in 1882, and taken over after James’ death in 1886 by his son Joseph, the company made fine carriages and sleighs, and became a leading manufacturer of these vehicles before the turn of the century. Cunningham went on to manufacture automobiles, car bodies, chassis frames for other marques, and aircraft. Today, it is mainly remembered for high-quality luxury automobiles. However, the company stayed true to their roots in production of handcrafted automobiles rather then adapting to the Ford-type assembly line.

DePaul Community Services can be described as a not-for-profit agency founded in 1958 that is committed to providing quality residential, rehabilitation and support services to persons in recovery from mental illness, the elderly, and persons with addictions. Tens of thousands of people, from the very young to the very old, who have passed through the doors of DePaul’s many homes and programs over the past 50 plus years seeking help… the person with mental illness working toward recovery; the adult child who is concerned about their elderly parent living alone; the troubled problem gambler trying to break the cycle of addiction. All have sought assistance at DePaul and found opportunity, support and hope.

Rochester Senator Joe Robach in his remarks stated his pleasure to help with the funding from New York State as this important project will help bring people back to the Susan B. Anthony neighborhood will provide much needed affordable housing for those is our community with special needs.

Last week Rochester Senator Joe Robach applauded Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announcement that construction will begin next month on a project to replace four bridge decks on Interstate 490 in Monroe County. The work is part of a $13.8 million contract funded through the NY Works program. The project meets the goals of Governor Cuomo’s Drivers First initiative to ensure that construction causes the least impact to motorists.

The bridges carry eastbound and westbound I-490 over Chili Center Coldwater Road (Route 386) in Chili and eastbound and westbound I-490 over Route 204 (Airport Expressway) in Gates. During construction, a 2.5-mile stretch of I-490 will be reduced from two lanes to a single lane in each direction between Paul Road in Chili and Buffalo Road in Gates. Traffic from one side of the highway will be crossed over the center median to use the opposite side of the highway. All traffic will use the eastbound bridges during the first phase of the project while the westbound bridge decks are removed and replaced. Traffic will be shifted to the westbound side during the second phase, as construction occurs on the eastbound bridges. Construction on the first phase of the project will begin in April and last into August. The entrance ramp from Chili Center Coldwater Road to I-490 eastbound will be closed. A detour will be posted directing drivers to take Chili Center Coldwater Road to Westside Drive to Coldwater Road (Route 386) to Buffalo Road (Route 33) to access I-490. All other entrance and exit ramps will remain open while the first phase is under construction.

Rochester Senator Joe Robach said, “Not only will this project provide upgrades to our infrastructure and provide for safer transportation for drivers, but it will also provide a boost in employment opportunities in our community. As this project gets underway in April and continues through November, it provides opportunities for hard-working men and women who are looking to get back into the construction workforce.”

Rochester Senator Joe Robach applauded Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement that “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” will be the largest movie production to be filmed in New York and is expected to result in 3,500 jobs and the casting of 11,000 extras. The production will have the biggest stage footprint ever seen in New York with massive sets being constructed at three facilities in Long Island and Brooklyn. Scenes will be shot both upstate and downstate. “There is no better place to film the next adventure of Peter Parker than right here in the Empire State,” Governor Cuomo said. “New York has the resources, talent and locations to help make ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ a blockbuster hit. This production will also help generate new jobs and economic activity both upstate and downstate which is great news for our local communities and fans of the franchise.”

“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” production expects to require 3,500 new hires, one-third of whom will be from Long Island, and 11,000 extras, one-fourth to one-third of whom will be from Long Island. Upstate, the production expects to hire approximately 250 crew members and a few hundred extras. The production expects to shoot for 150 days, including 10 to 15 days in Rochester. Last week, the production scouted locations in Rochester for scenes, one of which will be a car chase. Filming “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” in New York will generate millions of dollars in economic activity across the state. For example, the production will require 3,000 hotel room nights in Rochester as well as 3,000 hotel room nights in Bethpage and Plainview on Long Island.

Many movie productions, including “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” have touted New York State’s film tax credit program as a major incentive when choosing New York as the location to film. Since the film tax credit program started in 2004, it has leveraged an estimated $12.1 billion worth of direct spending and has been a huge job generator for New York. In 2012 alone, it is estimated that the 134 projects that have applied for the program will result in $2.2 billion in spending in New York. The State is now being billed as “Hollywood East.”