Little interest in Canalsides Explore & More project

Despite the fanfare and buzz surrounding Canalside, and the optimism of state officials, only one real estate developer submitted a bid to handle the construction of a proposed new waterfront building that would house the new Explore & More Childrens Museum, a tourist facility and a possible restaurant.

Details surrounding the proposal were not available, as no final decision has been made, and no final time frame has been given.

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. officials would not even disclose the identity of the bidder, saying the request for proposals process was still underway, and they were in discussions with the interested company.

Im not free to say who it is, but were having negotiations right now, said Tom Dee, president and CEO of Erie Canal Harbor Development, a subsidiary of Empire State Development Corp., the states economic development agency. Im not sure that it is public information.

Thats nonsense, says Robert J. Freeman, executive director of the New York State Committee on Open Government in Albany, itself a part of the governments Department of State.

The identity of the submitter is unquestionably public, Freeman said, rejecting the idea that being in negotiations means the harbor agency cant disclose a name.

Specific details of a proposal might be different, he said, since they could reveal financial information or competitive techniques. But even an overall price tag for the proposal shouldnt be confidential, because its still subject to negotiations and could change, Freeman said. And in this case, theres only one bidder anyway.

The apparent lack of interest in constructing the 100,000-square-foot building on the South Aud Block of Canalside raises questions about just how successful the effort will be, and whether something is wrong with the process or requirements imposed on developers.

In particular, key design features were already set in place, limiting flexibility. The general plan as already outlined by architects calls for the Explore & More museum to relocate from East Aurora to 40,000 square feet in the new facility really a set of three buildings on a parcel sandwiched between the new canals, Main Street and Marine Drive.

Historical streets would be reconstructed for pedestrian use. The complex would also include a new 1,571-square-foot Canalside Information Center with bathrooms, plus the Erie Canalway Trail Plaza and basement space to house the mechanical equipment for the Ice at Canalside. The remainder of the complex would be a mixed-use facility, including a three-story restaurant with 15,900 square feet at the north end and some possible space for apartments, offices or other retail use. Speculation has focused on higher-end restaurants.

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Little interest in Canalsides Explore & More project