Economy

Two well known local companies are planning to develop 21 acres in Canandaigua. Morgan Management and LeChase Construction have formed a joint venture, called Morgan-LeChase Development to work on a mixed use project across from Kershaw Park.

It will be a mix of commercial and residential units, and George Hamlin, who heads up the Canandaigua Area Development Corporation, says this project will involve significant private investment. He says it could be a $100 million project.

New numbers from the New York State Labor Department show some modest job growth in the Rochester area in April. There was a gain of 1700 private sector jobs compared to April of last year. State Labor Analyst Tammy Marino says some of those gains came from the private education and health care sectors.

She also says seasonal hiring was stronger than it usually is for April. Marino says the employment level for the Rochester Metro in April was the highest it has been for that month since 2008.

Governor Cuomo kicked off round 3 of the competition among the state's Regional Economic Development Councils on Wednesday. 

The 10  councils will be competing for $222 million in state funds.  The Finger Lakes Regional council was the winner of the best plan award in round two last year. 

Council co-chair Sandy Parker says more than 250 regional stakeholders make up the council's 14 work groups and they are working toward a goal of creating 40,000 new jobs in the region by the end of 2016.

Here's a quick peak inside the new East Ave. Wegmans, in the area near the prepared foods and the cafe: