Seneca County IDA selects winning bidder for the former Seneca Army Depot

ROMULUS, N.Y. — The Seneca County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) selected business owner Earl Martin as the winning bidder for the approximately 7,000 remaining acres of the former Seneca Army Depot.

The IDA voted “unanimously” to select Martin at its board meeting on Wednesday, the Seneca County IDA said in a news release issued Thursday.

Martin owns Seneca Iron Works of Seneca Falls and Deer Haven Park, LLC.

The IDA selected Martin’s bid for its “economic impact and environmental considerations,” Bob Aronson, executive director of the Seneca County IDA, said in the release.

“This is the best chance in a long time to revitalize the Depot property,” Aronson said. “We look forward to working with Martin and helping him to create a brighter future for Seneca County.”

The agreement calls for Martin to pay $900,000 for the property, according to an article on the website of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

Martin’s proposal, detailed in the IDA release, calls for a $13 million projected investment in the expansion of his existing company, Seneca Iron Works, and other developments with a potential to create more than 200 new jobs over a 10-year period.

The website for Seneca Iron Works displays a company called Seneca Dairy Systems, which specializes in “manufacturing and distributing dairy equipment.” Seneca Iron Works in 1999 purchased Seneca Dairy Systems, LLC, a firm that was originally known as Green Valley Welding, according to the website.

Martin’s project would mean “less reliance” on Chinese suppliers, with the expectation of bringing “many of those opportunities to Seneca County,” the IDA said.

It would also result in “taxable land use,” making the property an “economic asset” to Seneca County, the towns of Varick and Romulus, and the Romulus and South Seneca school districts.

In addition, Martin has indicated a “willingness” to have a “much-desired” east-west road through the depot. The project would also mean the development of about 20 Amish homesteads to live on and farm the land.

Martin also plans to dedicate Depot land for wildlife preservation, specifically for the white deer for which the property is known. He’ll also work with Seneca White Deer, Inc., and/or other organizations on the preservation process, the IDA said.

Martin said he was “pleased” that the IDA selected him as the winning bidder.

“Our plans will enable Seneca Iron Works to continue growing, and will pave the way for additional industrial, agricultural and tourism development over the next 10 years,” Martin contended in the IDA news release. With support from the community, our plans could have far-reaching effects that will strengthen the county’s economy as a whole, as well as the entire Finger Lakes region.”

The depot has been for sale since the Seneca County IDA called for property bids on Dec. 15. Potential developers submitted a total of 16 bids for the property by the submission deadline of Feb. 29.

The facility is a former World War II ordnance depot and one of the “largest developable properties” in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, the IDA said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com