Rochester photonics project $3.2M under budget

Construction of a national photonics initiative headquartered in Rochester should end up $3.2 million under budget, officials said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, roughly half of the $44 million in tools for the research hub on Lake Avenue have been delivered or are in transit. Installation is expected to begin next month, with officials anticipating an opening this fall.

The American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics is a $600 million-plus public-private initiative. The goal is to accelerate the developing industry, which uses photons (light) to do the work of electrons, only much faster and more efficiently — with applications ranging from self-driving cars to medical equipment to food safety.

"One of the things that gets us really excited about this project is the interest being shown," said Ed White, associate vice president for the research hub, known as the Test, Assembly and Packaging facility.

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The order of tools being installed and made operational is being geared toward customer interest, he said, with one or more companies hoping to be working onsite before year's end. For now, the tools are being stored at Canal Ponds in Greece.

The Lake Avenue facility adjacent Eastman Business Park is not yet occupied, as work continues prepping the clean room spaces where tools will be installed.

Backed by the Department of Defense, AIM Photonics ended up headquartered in Rochester thanks to a $250 million commitment from New York state, and the area's history in optics.

Officials had budgeted $18.7 million for the buildout.

The under-budget amount is state money, White said, and will go back to the state photonics board to return or reallocate.

BDSHARP@Gannett.com