Report: Alicia Keys, husband look to transform Macedon property into music campus

Macedon, N.Y. — (WHAM) - Grammy winning singer Alicia Keys and her husband, producer Swizz Beatz, are planning to transform a large piece of property in Macedon into a music paradise of sorts.

Our news partners at the Times of Wayne County report the couple wants to make a performing arts center and recording studio out of the empty property on Route 31, east of Wayneport Road.

The complex was built in the early 1960s as the Kordite Technical Center before becoming the Exxon Mobil Center.

It was later sold to Jindal Films Company, headquartered in India.

According to the Times, the property amounts to 110 acres, with three buildings and 200,000 square foot of space in the three buildings. The existing main structure would be converted and renovated into classrooms, a cafeteria, and office space. The building would then be used to "educate musicians and artists about the business side of the music and art industry and have a campus and creative atmosphere for learning and expanding opportunities," according to a proposal obtained by 13WHAM News.

The proposed Dean Collection Music & Art Campus would also house the Deans' personal art collection at the renovated pole barn on the property. Once renovated, it would be open for public viewing. Parts of the collection were recently on display at The Ethelbert Cooper Gallery at Harvard University.

The old factory would be overhauled to become a performance art center, large gym, and training area for artists and musicians.

The deal is expected to close within the next two weeks. No final purchase price has been released, according to the Times.

Keys and Beatz, whose real name is Kasseem Dean, have reportedly been searching for a large enough property to house a performing arts center and music campus.

The couple is reportedly slated to tour the Macedon property within a few weeks.

Representatives of Keys and her husband appeared at a Macedon town board meeting Thursday night to discuss the property assessment.

13WHAM followed up with attorney Linda Shaw of Knauf Shaw, LLP Friday morning, who called the potential deal "shockingly real." Shaw presented the Macedon board with Keys' proposal Thursday. She said the Deans have been looking for a facility like the one in Macedon for a while.

"Apparently he got out of the limo and said, 'This is it, this is the site I want,'" Shaw said. "It just apparently works for these uses of these three buildings."

"I think they’ve been looking around the state, they’ve found facilities that were a lot more expensive than this one," Shaw said.

Keys has won 15 Grammy awards since bursting on the music scene in 2001 with her hit song "Fallin." Beatz is a widely acclaimed hip-hop & R&B producer, who's worked with Jay Z, Beyonce, DMX and Kanye West and many more artists over the last 20+ years. Keys and Beatz were married in 2010.

The next step for the planned project will be a review of the proposal by the Macedon's town planning board on August 19.

There’s still many in Macedon who are in disbelief over the proposed plans.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” said Jacob Yerden. “I didn’t really think famous people knew about our town.”

Business owners Nancy and Jim Falanga say the new campus could be a boost to the area, both economically and culturally.

“I’d be a shot in the arm for the town of Macedon, bringing that high level performer in, bringing the people that would follow,” said Jim.

“I think it’d be great for the area, from here to Rochester and surrounding,” said Nancy.

Even town officials were caught off guard when an attorney submitted the plans for the couple at a Thursday night town meeting.

Town engineer Scott Allen says there was a ‘wow factor’ at the meeting when everyone realized who was interested in the property.

“I think this would be a great thing for the whole region, not just Macedon, for Rochester, the whole region, it’d be great,” said Allen.

A rep for Keys and Beatz wasn’t available for comment Friday.