The community of Honeoye Falls had plenty to be thankful for this Thanksgiving when it was revealed in early November that two businesses had purchased the former General Motors fuel-cell research plant in the village.
Last week, the community got an early Christmas present when the first of the two owners revealed their plans.
Victor-based Han-Tek announced last Thursday that it was one of the two businesses moving into the former fuel-cell plant, which was shuttered in 2012 when GM moved its fuel cell research to Detroit, taking more than 220 jobs with it. Han-Tek is currently based in Victor, just off Route 96. It will move into the former GM space at 10 Carriage Street in the village of Honeoye Falls sometime in the late spring or early summer of 2019, said Patrick Tobin, president of Han-Tek. Han-Tek produces integrated automated material handling solutions and large cranes.
“It’s a great day for the whole community,” Village of Honeoye Falls Mayor Rick Milne said. “They’re saying that approximately 60+ people are coming and they will be hiring another 20-30 more which is more than what I had originally anticipated. When you talk about those people coming, it will be great for the community because they can walk to the restaurants, to the grocery store and just people walking in the village.”
Milne said that village officials have been working with the group that purchased the two buildings, 10 Carriage Street and 11 Carriage Street, for a few months, and specifically with Han-Tek for about three to four months. He credited town of Mendon officials, Honeoye Falls-Lima school district officials and Monroe County officials for their work on this deal as well.
“It was a lot of work and it was a team effort by the village, the town, the school district and the county to make the companies feel that they were wanted by the community,” Milne said. “The GM plant was a source of pride in the community and to have those two facilities be occupied again will bring a source of pride back.”
Milne said that the other company, which will occupy 11 Carriage Street, is not yet ready to unveil its plans.
