The Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority is sitting on millions of dollars that it can use for a new transit center, and some of that money will expire if they don't have plans in place by September 2010.

All three of the planned components of the defunct Renaissance Square project - the bus station, new MCC campus, and a performing arts center - are currently in limbo.

RGRTA has about $53 million it can use toward a transit center, says spokesperson Jacquie Halldow. That's 80 percent federal transit funds, 10 percent state funds, and 10 percent RGRTA funds. Of that, $3.8 million in federal money is set to expire in September 2010. Another $3.5 million expires in September 2011 if it's not used.

A county spokesperson in 2007 said that the transit center would cost approximately $82 million.

To keep the $3.8 million, RGRTA officials have to present the Federal Transit Administration with a completed application in time for the agency to review it and to award a grant. An agency spokesperson offered no firm deadline for the submission of the application.

RGRTA officials and staff continue to evaluate terminal and shelter options. The authority's board must sign off on any plan, but it's set no deadline to receive a final plan.

City officials will probably have objections if RGRTA wants to follow through on the Mortimer Street site. As the Renaissance Square project fell apart, city officials were vocal about the transit center's potential to affect the neighboring buildings that have been redeveloped into lofts. While it's up to the FTA to approve the project, the city would have to sign off on some details, like curb cuts.