Keuka Outlet becomes $6.5 million project

    PENN YAN—The Finger Lakes Economic Development Council met Wednesday, Sept. 19 and discussed the cleanup project to take place on the old New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) property in the village of Penn Yan. Development Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Steve Griffin said the board has gotten approval from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to excavate the soil on dry land and in the outlet itself. He said the work will take place between the Liberty and Main Street bridges and the cleanup expense will total around $6.5 million paid for by NYSEG.
    Griffin said the project involves bringing up the sediment and stripping off the top layer of the land itself. He said the DEC will be monitoring the site “sniffing” for signs of coal tar. If discovered, Griffin said they will have the right to shut it down and get it cleaned out.
    Griffin said they are hoping to get started on the project around this time next year. He said one of the reasons it is taking so long for them to clean up this site is because they have around 60 sites similar to this and that the one in Penn Yan is one of the least contaminated. Griffin said it will also take time to get approval from the Army Corps of Engineers for the excavation project.
    The board also discussed a proposal for a new warehouse and packing operation for Birkett Mills to be located at 135 Seneca St. Griffin said Birkett Mills still has some buckwheat hauls in the warehouses on Water Street that will be converted into high-end apartments, and that Birkett Mills needs someplace to store those. He said it will be a 14,000 square foot facility that will store some packaging and warehouse operations for Birkett, and the total project cost is going to be just more than $750,000 for new construction.
    Griffin said they hope to have the site plan to the village within a couple weeks.