Thursday, January 10, 2013

Stern Properties, Owners of Rochester, NY's Village Gate Square Evict Comics Etc. after 29 Years

Village Gate, Rochester, NY.
By Davy V.

Comics Etc. has been a fixture in Rochester, NY's Village Gate Square in Rochester, NY for nearly 30 years.

That will soon change.

On Monday, Comics Etc. owner Andy Battaglia received a short email telling him to get out.

I got notified Monday my tenancy was being terminated,” Battaglia said, “I haven’t been able to sleep since, you know 29 years of paying your rent on time you think you're safe. But I don't fit the current plan which seems to be turning the entire place into restaurants."

Interestingly enough, Rochester's YNN News, who originally reported on this story, did a report in July of 2012, on Stern Properties and their renovation of Village Gate Square, including the fact that owner Stern Properties owner Gary Stern gave what can now be seen as a foreshadowing of what would ultimately lead to the eviction of Comics Etc. to make room for restaurants.

Here is Stern's statement from that YNN News interview:

""We have new loft apartments we just finished last year. Now we'll be changing the whole first floor. We have a new Brazilian steak house going in beside California Rollin. So we have five restaurants all around the courtyard and a brand new jazz bar that just opened up," said Gary Stern.

Joining Stern when he made that statement at a news conference announcing the plans for the Village Gate was none other than NY Senator Joe Robach.

I called Stern Properties, which owns Village Gate Square, and who has so far refused to comment on Battaglia's eviction.

A woman named Kelly answered the phone and hung up on me.

Click Play to listen.




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