New Voices Chime In On Photonics Headquarters Debate

New Voices Chime In On Photonics Headquarters Debate

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Legacy Tower, also known as the former Bausch and Lomb building, and the Sibley Building are continuing to get sized up. After three years of working to get the federal government to award SUNY Polytechnic Institute the multi-million-dollar project, it's understandable this power struggle has Rep. Louise Slaughter frustrated.

"We've got buildings all over Rochester that can be used," Slaughter, D-25th District, said. "This is just men squabbling over real estate."

Slaughter said the real issue is where the manufacturing and research will be done.

"We insist on that (being) done in Rochester," Slaughter said.

Sen. Charles Schumer also put his two cents in on Wednesday. Schumer said he knows both buildings are a good fit for being headquarters for the $600 million institute, but he sees even bigger things for Rochester.

"The largest amount of manufacturing and new jobs will not come from the headquarters, as important as that is, but from the new manufacturing prototype center," Schumer, D-New York said.

We asked how you think this makes Rochester look.

"We are going to get the point where we lose it and they won't want to come here," said Nancy Herbst, of Webster. "I don't think it makes us look good at all."

"I wish they would grow up," said Richard Holowka, of Rochester. "It seems really silly they are fighting over a location. I really don't understand it; the big deal was to get photonics here in the first place. Now, here we are so-called 'leaders' arguing over where the location is going to be."

"I understand that everyone wants to position themselves for it to look good, but they need to consider that everything has a timeline," said Margaret Folwell, of Irondequoit. "If they can't get their act together then we are going to lose it."

After Monday's back and forth on the headquarters location, those leaders are promising they'll work together from now on.