Published September 10, 2007 10:55 pm - he ARC Rubber Co. received a Community Reinvestment Area tax abatement from City Council Monday, sending the long-time Geneva company forward with plans to expand and improve its Water Street industrial complex by 10,000 square feet
Geneva council OKs tax break
ARC Rubber will expand
By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon
GENEVA — The ARC Rubber Co. received a Community Reinvestment Area tax abatement from City Council Monday, sending the long-time Geneva company forward with plans to expand and improve its Water Street industrial complex by 10,000 square feet.
“This is a good company that has been in Geneva a long time,” City Manager Jim Pearson said. “We appreciate their investment and interest in growing with Geneva.”
ARC Vice President Robert Johnson III attended the meeting and said the business’ expansion will be both utility and cosmetic.
“We are in the newer part of the old True Temper complex, which means our buildings were constructed in the late 1800’s,” Johnson said. “We are at a point where the mortar is crumbling and the roofs are not watertight anymore.”
The plan includes the demolition of the crumbling structures and the construction of a 10,000 square-foot storage addition, Johnson said.
“People will be able to see a big difference to the buildings from the street. We are really cleaning up this property,” he said.
The road to tax abatement is long and requires the permission of both the city and the school district, which would also lose tax dollars, Council President Dennis Brown said.
“We have met with the school system and it is our understanding that they will pass their resolution (for the abatement) in their next meeting. It is a pleasure to move this project forward tonight,” he said.
Council also voted to move forward on the West Street paving project.
The project has an estimated construction cost of $47,000 but low bidder Ronyak Paving will complete the project for $36,161.89, Pearson said.
The highest bid came in at $51,285, Pearson said.
“It is our hope to finish the West Street paving by this fall to finish out our yearly paving goals,” he said.
Ronyak Paving was the contractor for the Raymond Drive paving project, Street Superintendent Timothy Bittner said.
The West Street paving is funded by the 2006 Community Development Block Grant, Pearson said.