December 20, 2012

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that $738 million has been awarded through Round Two of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative.

A centerpiece of the Governor's strategy to jumpstart the economy and create jobs, the Regional Councils were put in place in 2011 to redesign the state's approach to economic development from a top-down model to a community-based, performance-driven approach. The initiative empowers community, business, and academic leaders, as well as members of the public in each region of the state, to develop strategic plans specifically tailored to their region's unique strengths and resources in order create jobs and support economic growth.

As part of the second round of the Regional Council process, Governor Cuomo, Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy, and a Strategic Implementation Assessment Team composed of state agency commissioners with Brookings Institution and senior staff, traveled to every region of the state to view progress on projects that have received state funding, as well as assess projects included in the region's 2012 application.

"For the second year in a row, the Regional Councils have been on the forefront of rebuilding New York State's economy," Governor Cuomo said. "For too many years, top-down economic development policies have failed communities across the state and not truly invested in the unique resources and strengths of each of New York's regions. The strategic plans created during this process have given each region a comprehensive, locally created plan for future economic growth. With this second round of Regional Economic Development Council awards, the state is recognizing the creativity and innovation of each strategic plan, while investing hundreds of millions of dollars to put New Yorkers back to work and rebuild our economy."

Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy, Chair of the Regional Economic Development Councils said, "Together with Governor Cuomo, we have traveled to every region of the state, listened to local business and community leaders, and seen firsthand the progress that has been made and potential for future growth. Under the Regional Economic Development Councils, it is clear that New York State is on the path to building an economy made for the 21st Century. I commend each of the Co-Chairs and their teams for the countless hours that went into these plans, and congratulate them on their hard work and achievements."

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos said, "The Regional Councils are one of the many ways New York is working to attract and promote business growth and investment, and proving that it is once again open for business. I applaud Governor Cuomo and Lieutenant Governor Duffy for their hard work and vision, and for making this a truly collaborative process. I congratulate the winners on putting forward plans that will create jobs and enhance communities -- both small and large -- across the state."

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said, "The Regional Economic Development Councils are developing job growth plans that are tailored to fit each areas unique resources and competitive advantages. The strategic decision-making is a collaborative effort among community leaders who most clearly see what each region needs to spur economic growth. This is how smart, 21st Century economic development is done and I am so pleased to see this working in New York."

Consistent with the Governor's Executive Order to increase Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) participation in state contracting, all projects awarded grants through this initiative must use best efforts to reach the goal of 20% MWBE participation.

Highlights of the 725 projects across the state receiving awards in the second round of REDC funding are outlined below:

FINGER LAKES: Best Plan Awardee: $96.2 Million for 76 Projects

  • $5 million for Health Sciences Center for Computational Innovation, a partnership between the University of Rochester and IBM, will make the region a leading center for high performance computing, strengthen R&D, and accelerate growth in the region's life sciences sector. State funding will be used to purchase high-speed computing equipment to create one of the most powerful, energy-efficient high performance computing facilities in the world.
  • $5 million for equipment purchases at the recently completed Rochester Institute of Technologys Golisano Institute of Sustainability. This Institute will position RIT as an international leader in programs that embody the principles of sustainability in product development.
  • $2 million in support of a small business revolving loan fund for the nine Finger Lakes counties. The Pathstone Finger Lakes Enterprise Fund will provide essential credit to microenterprise and small businesses, particularly in underserved rural and urban communities, accelerating economic growth and community development.
  • $4 million to support the adaptive reuse of the Midtown Tower into mixed commercial, office, and residential space. This tower is one of the cornerstones of the City of Rochester's Midtown Redevelopment project which will revitalize the city center.
  • $4 million to complete College Town, a mixed-use development located adjacent to the University of Rochester campus. The College Town project is a comprehensive plan to redevelop 16 acres in the City of Rochester into a vibrant neighborhood consisting of mixed-use development that will serve as a gateway to the City and the University of Rochester.
  • $600,000 for Monroe Community College to purchase mobile training units for its program to upgrade skills of area residents. This Multiple Pathways to Middle Skills Jobs project will work in close coordination with a network of private, not-for-profit, and public sector organizations to provide hands-on training to K-12 students and displaced workers.
  • $2.5 million for the Finger Lakes Business Accelerator Cooperative to create an interconnected network of business support services and incubation facilities that spans all nine counties of the region.
  • $500,000 for Genesee Countys Science Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) project. State funding will support the necessary infrastructure improvements to better position the Finger Lakes and Western New York regions as a hub for the next generation of advanced manufacturing companies.
  • $125,000 to accelerate the redevelopment of the former Army depot in Seneca County into the Seneca AgBio Green Energy Park. State funding will be used to renovate and equip the plant for the expansion of two tenants and also provide on-the-job training in advanced manufacturing and production operations of green energy, environmental sustainability and agricultural processing equipment, grain drying and waste processing.

 

CENTRAL NEW YORK: Top Performer: $93.8 Million for 73 Projects

  • $3.1 million to enable the Syracuse Community Health Center to begin to establish a healthcare campus on the 800-900 Block of S. Salina Street. The project involves construction of a 60,000 sq. ft. LEED-certified primary health care center at the former Superior Electric facility.
  • $2.5 million to redevelop the former Sibley's Department Store into a mixed-use space with approximately 62,000 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail and 60 residential units on the upper three floors.
  • $320,000 to construct Prospect Place, a planned mixed-use development adjacent to St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center's main entrance and newly-constructed emergency department. The new building will include a fresh food caf, 12 apartments intended for hospital employees, and retail and green spaces. The building will also have a "green roof" and other sustainable features.
  • $397,831 for the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry to create a biomass and biofuel processing facility on campus. The new Biomass Cooperative Innovation Center will offer students, researchers, and community members access to biomass processing and biofuel processing equipment and resources. The Center will produce wood pellets, biodiesel from waste oil, and potentially fish pellets produced from food waste.
  • $1.5 million to establish a shared-use processing and warehousing facility for small-scale food processing and distribution of locally-farmed products (meat, dairy, cereals, and vegetables). The project involves purchasing and equipping an existing 45,000 sq. ft. building in Canastota.
  • $500,000 for Central NY Biotechnology Accelerator and SUNY ESF to purchase lab equipment that will be available to potential biotech incubator tenants and university collaborators on a shared basis. The incubator space will be available for start-up companies, predominantly in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, and bioenergy fields.
  • $1.5 million for infrastructure improvements related to the planned redevelopment of the Syracuse Inner Harbor including environmental remediation, public infrastructure improvements, renovation of the NYS Canals maintenance building into a crew boathouse, and/or relocation of the freight house as a potential Canal museum.
  • $2 million to develop a 150-acre site in Central Square into a premier multi-use destination facility for motor sports, trade shows, concerts and other events. The new facilities will include a state-of-the-art synthetic dirt racing track with new, high-tech LED lighting; banquet and restaurant facilities; and VIP suites. Funding will assist with infrastructure improvements required for access to and from I-81 and an associated rest area.
  • $600,000 for South Avenue PriceRite Supermarket to renovate and expand an existing warehouse, redeveloping it into a new 35,000 sq. ft. supermarket on South Avenue in the Syracuse. The new store will provide fresh and affordable groceries to the underserved South Side neighborhood.
  • $1 million to redevelop the former Kennedy Square housing complex in Syracuse. The Loguen's Crossing project includes, but is not limited to, the extension of water and sewer lines, storm water retention, sidewalks, and street landscaping.

 

MID-HUDSON: Best Plan Awardee: $92.8 Million for 84 Projects

  • $1 million to build an iBio Incubator that will offer laboratory and office space and services for entrepreneurs and start-up biotechnology companies and provide specialized workforce training for established biotechnology companies in the region.
  • $3 million to establish the New York State Cloud Computing and Analytics Center at Marist College that will facilitate operations for technology based firms by providing workforce training and reducing overhead.
  • $1 million for Touro College to use the now vacant Horton Hospital in Middletown to house a school of osteopathic medicine. The new school would help bolster the number of medical professionals in the Mid-Hudson region.
  • $775,000 to create a Hudson Valley Food Hub that will provide processing and marketing opportunities to farmers and other food producers, leveraging the region's outstanding agricultural resources. Strengthening the area's food distribution infrastructure will help retain and stimulate an economic sector that also supports tourism and the region's natural resources.
  • $1.5 million for the expansion of the Echo Bay Waterfront in New Rochelle that will reclaim current commercial/industrial land and provide access to the water's edge for city residents and regional communities alike. The project also includes new market rate and affordable rental housing with neighborhood retail opportunities, as well as 5+ acres of public open space.
  • $500,000 to develop the Matrix Distribution Park in Newburgh, including the construction of a 550,000 square foot manufacturing/distribution facility at the intersection of I-84 & I-87 with the goal of attracting a Fortune 500 caliber company to this location.
  • $2 million to develop the site of the closed Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center in Dutchess County, including upgrading a Metro-North train station, a commercial/retail area, 9-hole golf course, community center, and 200 units of housing.
  • $1 million for the preservation and redevelopment of the iconic 1904 Glenwood Power Plant on the Hudson River in Yonkers for a mixed-use program would create a social, business and cultural destination.
  • $1.2 million for the construction of a mile-long Hudson Landing Promenade along the Hudson River straddling the City of Kingston/Town of Ulster municipal boundary on an old industrial site.

 

SOUTHERN TIER: Best Plan Awardee: $91.1 Million for 62 Projects

  • $7 million for the construction of the Southern Tier High Technology Incubator, a collaboration between Binghamton University and the regional economic development community, in downtown Binghamton.
  • $3 million for the expansion of Corning Incorporateds manufacturing facility in the Town of Erwin.
  • $2.1 million to support the Next Generation Energy Efficiency Technology, a collaboration with BAE Systems (BAE) and SUNY Binghamton to advance BAE's hybrid-electric propulsion system product lines. BAE will invest $2.9 million and create 40 new jobs.
  • $2.5 million for the Southern Tier Telemedicine and Mobile Health Care Technology Fund Initiative.
  • $500,000 to Cornell University for the development of a Food Processing and Development Lab, which will provide farmers and other small businesses with access to small scale production area that can transform raw materials into packaged products such as yogurt, beverages, cheese, etc
  • $2.5 million for the continuation of Southern Tier Community Revitalization Program.
  • $1.8 million for the City of Ithaca to rehabilitate and reconstruct the deteriorated surface of the three-block Ithaca Commons and the replacement and upgrades of all of the underground utilities.
  • $1.5 million for the continuation of Southern Tier Infrastructure Fund to support the development of Shovel Ready Sites
  • $300,000 for Schuyler County, in partnership with the Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development, Schuyler County IDA, the Village of Watkins Glen and the Village of Montour Falls, will conduct planning and preliminary engineering and environmental investigation to decommission the Watkins Glen and the Montour Falls Waste Water Treatment Plants and consolidate the two systems into a state-of-the-art Green Waste Water Treatment Plants located south of Glen Creek in Watkins Glen.

 

NORTH COUNTRY: Top Performer: $90.2 million for 82 projects

  • $300,000 to enable the Adirondack Meat Company to construct a 7,500 square foot meat processing plant and retail store, which supports the agricultural sector by providing access to a local processing facility for livestock.
  • $2.0 million for the creation of a Community Transformation Tourism Fund. This new fund administered by the Adirondack Economic Development Council will establish a specialized loan fund for tourism-related ventures, which supports the need to foster tourism development across the North Country.
  • $1.7 million to enhance broadband connectivity in Hamilton County. This Phase II support for the development of middle and last mile fiber in Hamilton County, which supports a key regional aim of bringing broadband access to all communities in the Adirondacks.
  • $3 million for Creekwood Housing in Jefferson County to support the construction of 100 units of housing for families and military personnel, which supports the housing needs and future of Fort Drum.
  • $1.75 million for International Paper to convert existing power plant from heating fuel to natural gas including equipment modifications for new natural gas line, or use of liquefied natural gas to support the long-term stability of this major manufacturing operation.
  • $108,000 to the Adirondack Association of Towns Villages to create an Adirondack Park Recreation Web Portal designed to create, market, and sustain a web portal and database for tourism and recreation-related amenities and activities within the Adirondack Park. This involves all three regions which cover parts of the Adirondack Park and is therefore an example of a multi-regional project, including the North Country, Capital, and Mohawk Valley regions.
  • $1 million for the redevelopment of the Lyons Falls Mill. Lewis County will demolish buildings, remediate a Brownfield, and develop a road to hydroelectric plant.
  • $1 million for the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks to construct an elevated walkway with interactive exhibits as a major added attraction at the Wild Center to support tourism development in the region.
  • $1.37 million to enable SLIC Network Solutions to install broadband in Long Lake and surrounding area. This project supports aim of expanded broadband access in the Adirondacks.
  • $2 million for the construction of Carthage Apartments, 364 apartments in the Fort Drum area to support the housing needs and future of Fort Drum.
  • $2.5 million for the Municipal Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Support Fund, which will provide the resources necessary to implement critical infrastructure projects including water, sewer and road or port enhancements. The project will allow each community to identify its own priorities that are aligned with the Regional Council Strategic Plan and to structure projects to support unique local needs. The objective is to leverage additional funds, attract and retain businesses, and serve existing and new residents and visitors

 

LONG ISLAND: $59.7 Million for 86 Projects

  • $500,00 to support a 30,000 sq. ft. expansion of the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park on 38.5 acres at Farmingdale State College. The project will help meet a critical need for incubator space to accommodate spin-offs from Long Island research facilities and retain and create life sciences jobs in the region.
  • $1 million to support the construction of an $80 million, 94,000 sq. ft. Research Institute at Winthrop University Hospital in the Village of Mineola. The Institute will be medical research and education facility that will focus on diabetes and obesity.
  • $1 million to support the construction of a sewage collection system for the Ronkonkoma Hub transit-oriented development. The system will connect the proposed mixed use redevelopment project a to new sewage treatment plant being constructed by Suffolk County with Round One Regional Council support. A second component in the Town of Islip involves the construction of a four lane access road of approximately 9,000 linear feet to a 60-acre undeveloped parcel at MacArthur Airport. This project is critical to the retention of the FAA Tracon Facility on Long Island and retention of 800 jobs.
  • $1 million to construct a new Long Island Railroad station and pedestrian overpass, providing access to new commuter parking areas in Wyandanch.
  • $500,000 for Nassau County to redevelop the 77-acre Nassau Hub area to include a new state-of-the-art indoor sports arena, minor league baseball park, retail, office and residential development.
  • $500,000 for the expansion of the Brookhaven Rail Terminal in Yaphank to include construction of a 500,000 sq. ft. refrigerated warehouse and a multi-modal rail freight facility to transport of product on and off Long Island.
  • $227,583 and $120,000 for infrastructure improvements to improve the competitiveness and profitability of two commercial fish processing, packing and distribution facilities in Montauk, the largest fishing port in New York State.
  • $152,000 to continue the Regional Councils Round One initiative to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education ("STEM") throughout Long Island with a laser-focused emphasis on providing educational opportunities for youth from disadvantaged communities. The commitment continues and is expanded with a consortium of five visionary STEM projects supporting educational institutions, increasing engineering graduates, enhancing medical education and training our youth for high paying technology careers on Long Island.
  • $250,000 for the continuation of the EngINE initiative implemented in 2012 as a result of Round One funding to address the critical need for engineers on Long Island. The project undertaken by Farmingdale State College and NYIT will raise the engineering graduation rates at these institutions by 15%.

 

MOHAWK VALLEY: $59.7 Million for 70 Projects

  • $150,000 for Rome Strip Steel Co. Inc. to install new equipment at their steel rolling mill located in Rome. The upgrades will make the mill more productive, allowing for increased output and quality levels while decreasing scrap.
  • $1.375 million to enable Mohawk Fabrics, a manufacturer and distributor of industrial and commercial textiles and fabrics, to expand its manufacturing facility, invest in two knitting machines, and install a 50-70 Kwan solar energy system, in order to accommodate demand for new orders and eliminate out-of-state outsourcing currently being done.
  • $275,000 to help the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum undertake a comprehensive digitization project that will allow users to access the entire Hall of Fame collection online, with images and curatorial comments.
  • $250,000 for improvements along Genesee Street in Utica as part of a conversion of the public right-of-way to a boulevard-style design, as well as supporting the creation of additional parking opportunities on surface lots in the area around the State and County office buildings.
  • $1 million to expand capacity at the Gloversville/Johnstown Waste Water Treatment Facility to accommodate Greek-style yogurt maker FAGE USA's $150 million expansion.
  • $300,000 for the design and construction of a 3,500 square foot Customs and Border Patrol facility at Griffiss International Airport in Rome for the clearance of aircraft crews both civil and military arriving from international locations.
  • $250,000 to support the Rome Capitol Theater expand its operations into three adjacent buildings and restore the historic main auditorium, adding jobs, additional performance spaces, and encouraging activity in Rome's Central Business District.

 

WESTERN NEW YORK: $52.8 Million for 58 Projects

  • $186,000 for the Town of Wellsville for infrastructure upgrades to provide public water for businesses along NYS Route 417. The 1.25-mile project area is occupied by 15 businesses, including Alstom Air-Preheater Corporation (620 employees) and Northern Lights Candles (100 employees).
  • $268,000 to construct a 350,000 gallon water tank and related water transmission works to eliminate low flows and pressures in the Town and Village of Ellicotville and the Town of Mansfield. This project will allow for job retention and growth by improving infrastructure used by existing major employers.
  • $450,000 to revitalize the Niagara Falls' downtown mixed-use commercial district and adjacent residential neighborhood, and attract young adults by offering to assist with the re-payment of student loans.
  • $434,310 to enable Springville Center for the Arts, a major provider of cultural activity and artistic experience in rural Western New York, to conduct critical improvements to the 1869 Baptist Church property at 37 North Buffalo Street to be reused as a multi-arts center.
  • $394,810 to enable the Springville Center for the Arts to acquire and rehabilitate 5 East Main Street into an Arts Cafe, Artisan Marketplace and Artist Housing.
  • $420,000 for the restoration and reopening of Gowandas Historic Hollywood Theater, a project that is expected to create jobs, enhance cultural tourism and encourage new business development.
  • $500,000 to assist with a partnership between Alfred University and SUNY Buffalo to create an Advanced Materials Manufacturing and Training Center that will substantially advance the speed with which new materials are brought to market.
  • $300,000 for a joint development project between Calix Ceramic Solutions, GNP Ceramics, and Ceramic Technology Partnership to create a company which makes ceramic products using three new advanced ceramic manufacturing processes.
  • $460,000 for Del Monte Foods to install additional railcar staging and unloading at their Milk-Bone Buffalo facility. This investment will help assure the Milk-Bone plant remains in Western New York for the foreseeable future as the only manufacturer of the Milk-Bone line.
  • $350,000 for Dunkirk Bioenergy to provide a more affordable recycled waste disposal alternative, as well as lower cost clean power and heat to two of the largest employers in Chautauqua County. This project is designed to take advantage of the industrial organic waste stream that exists around the facility site to receive and process organic waste for power generation.

 

NEW YORK CITY: $51.4 Million for 50 Projects

  • $1.5 million for the New York Genome Center, a partnership with 11 major academic, medical, philanthropy, technology and pharmaceutical institutions will bring large-scale genomic analyses in conjunction with translational research, bioinformatics capability, data mining. State funding will be used to create state-of-the-art research space in Manhattan.
  • $1.25 million for Macro Sea, Inc. to establish a high-tech design and prototyping New Lab center at the Brooklyn Navy Yard by adaptively reusing two wings of the Green Manufacturing Center, a former shipbuilding factory originally built in 1899.
  • $500,000 for the New York City Wetlands Mitigation Bank to facilitate waterfront development and restoration of targeted wetlands in New York harbor. The program will provide seed financing to fund a restoration project that could support new ferry landings, waterfront esplanades and open space, upgrades to sewer infrastructure, and rehabilitated roads and bridges.
  • $400,000 for the Oak Point Property to construct a warehouse, distribution and food processing facility that will feature locally grown and organic produce/farm products from New York State growers, a rooftop farm run by Gotham Greens, and a training facility.
  • $5 million for infrastructure improvements to convert the former Brooklyn Navy Yards Hospital into a new Media Campus for Steiner Studios. This $110.25 million project will support site preparation and preconstruction activities that will ultimately enable over 460,000 square feet of new space to be built for academic partners and media companies in renovated historic structures and new buildings.

 

CAPITAL REGION: $50.3 Million for 84 Projects

  • $850,000 to support rebuilding efforts in the Town of Prattsville focused on new homes, parks and streetscape improvements.
  • $775,000 to allow the Hudson Valley Agribusiness Development Corporation to expand food processing and distribution capacity for firms that serve New York State farms.
  • $500,000 will be made available to support the NY CAP Research Alliance to encourage collaborative research among member organizations including University at Albany, RPI and Albany Medical Center to attract future federal and industry funding.
  • $ 4 million is being provided to preserve the historic nature and long-term value of Kiernan Plaza, attracting economically stable and synergistic high-tech companies to downtown Albany.
  • $1 million install a new biomass fueled cogeneration plant and gas fired steam turbine to produce additional steam and electricity at the Watervliet Arsenal to preserve the existing Army R&D and manufacturing operations, as well as attract new businesses to the Watervliet Arsenal.
  • $950,000 to redevelop the Albany Waterfront into a premier destination for waterfront events and performances, as well as a local and regional destination for recreation, waterfront access and services, and Hudson River-based tourism.
  • $1 million to support the expansion of the Rotterdam MultiModal Center allowing Railex, a growing national transportation logistics and distribution company, to make the Capital Region a Hub for energy efficient rail transport.
  • $150,000 to allow Transfinder, a growing local technology company, to expand into additional space in downtown Schenectady and create the NYBizLab, a business accelerator targeted to technology start-ups.
  • $150,000 for the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to upgrade its laboratory facilities for student and research use, including installation of precision instrumentation.
  • $250,000 for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to develop a shared-use laboratory facility in the Rensselaer Technology Park Campus. An existing facility located within the Tech Park will be acquired, updated and renovated for use by collaborating academic and industry research groups, supporting the regional research initiatives and alliances.