Buoyed
by an influx of state funding, fast ferry service between Rochester and Toronto
is now on the horizon. Thanks to $14 million in state loans and grants — $4
million more than ferry proponents had previously expected to receive — the
project is moving forward even without funds from Canadian officials.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “To launch this project
successfully, we do not need any additional Canadian funding at this point,”
says Dominick DeLucia, president of Canadian American Transportation Systems
(CATS), the private company spearheading the ferry effort. “Additional Canadian
funding will make the project stronger, but right now, it can be launched with
what has been committed to us by New York State.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย According to DeLucia, a political
squabble that threatened to delay the ferry’s arrival has also been overcome.
CATS has already made an initial payment to an Australian shipbuilder, and its
high-speed catamaran is currently under construction. But without documentation
from the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority and the state
“that we’re indeed moving forward,” DeLucia says, “we can’t reasonably make the
next installment payment.” The next payment is due by September 25.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย County Executive Jack Doyle
initially insisted the RGRTA would play a significant role in operating
Rochester’s port and overseeing the spending of state funds for the ferry.
DeLucia and others, including Mayor Bill Johnson, disputed this, saying RGRTA would
simply be a conduit for the state funds, and the city would be in charge of
port operations.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย In a September 12 interview, DeLucia
said Doyle is “basically saying now: ‘I may have misunderstood. Whatever we can
do to be of help, whatever role we need to play, we’ll play.'”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Spokesmen for Doyle did not return
calls seeking comment, but Donald Riley, the CEO of RGRTA, says the issue of
who controls the port “is not an issue at all.” He says Doyle was likely
referring to language in the statute that created the authority in 1969 that
specifies RGRTA be involved in the operation of harbors. Riley says RGRTA will
“take direction from the governor to make sure [ferry service] happens,” and
leave port operations to the city.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “The city, though, at some point
could turn around and say, ‘We shouldn’t be in the harbor business,'” Riley
adds, at which time he says RGRTA would get more heavily involved in the port’s
oversight.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Speaking of oversight, an advisory
board was formed in the wake of the announcement of the state funding and the
subsequent dispute over RGRTA’s role. The board, which will advise RGRTA
officials regarding the ferry’s funding and operations, is notable in that it
will include three members appointed by Johnson and two chosen by Doyle —
ostensibly giving the city a greater say.
Meanwhile, the
city is selecting a master developer for the 17 to 18 acres of land surrounding the
ferry terminal site. Most of the land is owned by the city, with smaller
portions owned by the county and a railroad company.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The city solicited requests for
qualification to develop the area, and received four bids. Unlike requests for
proposals, for which prospective developers must create detailed site plans,
the request for qualification seeks documentation a developer has the financial
strength to lead a project to completion.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Once a developer has been selected,
“that entity becomes a partner with the city,” says Fashun Ku, the city’s
commissioner of economic development. The city and the developer will then work
together to design, construct, manage, and market the property, with a level of
public input similar to — if not greater than, in this case — that of other
municipal projects.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย According to Ku, the four developers
that have submitted applications are Morningstar Development, a subsidiary of
CATS; Flaum Management Company, the Rochester firm that developed Frontier
Field, Bristol Harbour Resort, and the Center at High Falls, which it continues
to manage at the city’s request; Pitcairn Properties, a developer from the
Philadelphia area; and Washington Square Development Company, a firm from
Syracuse.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Fu says the selection process will
begin in late September. Once a lead developer is chosen, he estimates that
development of the properties will be a six- to nine-month process. That
timetable would meet DeLucia’s hope to have ferry service up and running before
the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club next August.
This article appears in Sep 18-24, 2002.
