Boat museum board seeks Urbana site

URBANA—The Finger Lakes Boating Museum is working on an agreement with Mercury Aircraft to house the museum in the former Taylor Wine Company warehouse in Urbana.
This is where the museum board is now storing the collection, following the group breaking off an agreement with the city of Geneva. Acting President Ed Wightman added former President Vince Scalise has stepped down.
The museum moved the boats to Urbana on the southern end of Keuka Lake in early April. Wightman explained once plans fell through in Geneva, the board was given until March of this year to either move the boats from the city or pay a $1,650 monthly rent. He added the museum was not paying any rent previously.
The board was working with the city of Geneva since 2009 to locate the museum within a visitors’ center planned for construction on municipally owned property. However, the museum said it withdrew from the agreement in December 2012 based on actions the city had taken.
Now, Wightman said the museum board is in talks with Mercury Aircraft about locating the museum and the 130 boats in Urbana. He explained if Mercury agrees, it will separate the some 12 acres from this property for the museum.