The Peru Gazette

The Empire State Development (ESD) Board of Directors met today in New York City and approved $20.4 million in funding for 30 projects that are spurring economic growth and opportunity in all 10 regions of New York State. The projects will directly create 30 new jobs and enable the creation of hundreds more while also retaining more than 2,200 existing jobs. These targeted investments will leverage over $41.3 million in private and other public funding to support business expansions and regional tourism efforts, and projects that are building a strong foundation for future economic growth and job creation.

“The funding approved today stimulates local communities from Long Island to Western New York – carrying momentum that initiatives like the Regional Economic Development Councils and Buffalo Billion started just three years ago,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams. “By investing in these projects, we are fostering opportunity for New Yorkers by providing essential tools to improve business operations and create new jobs. With more than 17,000 new private sector jobs created in July alone, New York’s economic progress continues to move in the right direction, supported by the lowest business and middle class tax rates in a generation and important State investments that are working.”

The Board approved the following Regional Economic Development Council award grants:

The Southern Tier High Technology Incubator – (Southern Tier Region – Broome County) – $7,000,000
The Southern Tier High Technology Incubator, Inc., along with a coalition of regional partners, will use a grant of up to $7,000,000 to support the construction of a high-technology incubator in downtown Binghamton, which will provide a unique entrepreneurial ecosystem for emerging high-technology companies.

The Southern Tier High Technology Incubator, a 501(c)(3) corporation, was formed in April 2012 to construct, own and manage a high-tech incubator in Binghamton, New York. The incubator will provide high-tech infrastructure for up to 12 companies focusing on research and development in energy, microelectronics and healthcare. Southern Tier High Technology Incubator secured funds to establish the high technology incubator in a distressed part of downtown Binghamton by requesting assistance through Round II of the Regional Council initiative. The project was deemed a regional priority by the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council and was awarded a $7,000,000 Empire State Development grant to assist in Phase I design and construction of the incubator in an effort to foster community revitalization and encourage industry-university partnerships. The project is aligned with the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council’s plan to create jobs through industry-university collaboration and high-tech infrastructure. Southern Tier High Technology Incubator also focuses on smart energy, microelectronics, healthcare and the creation of next generation transportation technologies. The incubator expects to have enabled more than 900 jobs within the next nine years.

Broome County Government – (Southern Tier Region – Broome County) – $500,000
Broome County Government will use a grant of up to $500,000 for a portion of the costs to renovate the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, a 153,616 square-foot facility that provides an operations base for sports and entertainment and serves as an important anchor for tourism activity in the Southern Tier Region. The Arena attracts approximately 250,000 visitors annually, and making upgrades and improvements to the Arena is necessary for the continuation of facility operations and the preservation of the Arena’s role in tourism for the Region. Broome County won $500,000 from Empire State Development through the Regional Council initiative in order to purchase equipment and carry out the necessary upgrades to the facility. This is a regional priority project and is consistent with the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council’s plan to address economic development by focusing on tourism.

Crouse Hospital Baker Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Renovations– (Central New York Region – Onondaga County) – $575,000
Crouse Health Hospital, a private, not-for-profit hospital that is accredited by DNV Healthcare and offers a full range of general and specialty care, inpatient and outpatient services and community health education and outreach programs, will use a grant of up to $575,000 for a portion of the costs of the renovation and enhancement of the Crouse Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which will include a new roof, a sterile procedures room and isolation rooms. The Baker Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a designated Level IV Regional Center serving a 16-county region of New York State, admits 900 premature and critically ill infants each year. In 2012, Crouse identified the need to renovate and expand its existing facilities by upgrading maternity center services, but lacked the equity required to fund the expansion project. Crouse applied in the first round of the Regional Council initiative and was awarded a $575,000 grant to support the project. Crouse’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a priority project for the Central New York Region because it advances the goals, strategies and initiatives of the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council’s strategic plan of repurposing existing health care assets by renovating and updating a critical component of the Region’s health services ecosystem.

Lewis County General Hospital Dialysis Center – (North Country Region – Lewis County) – $300,000
Lewis County General Hospital, a municipal medical facility owned and operated by Lewis County, will use a grant of up to $300,000 for a portion of construction costs for a 7,500-square-foot addition that will function as a dialysis center at the hospital’s main facility in Lowville, Lewis County. The Hospital began operations in 1931, and presently operates an emergency department and nursing home, employs over 600 people and provides state-of-the-art medical facilities, services and programs usually only found in larger metropolitan areas. In an effort to ensure that necessary medical care is available for the community, the Hospital sought Empire State Development’s assistance to finance its dialysis center project. As a result of this project, hospital patients and residents in need of dialysis no longer have to travel to receive care, since such services are now available locally in Lewis County. This project is consistent with the North Country Regional Economic Development Council’s plan to improve the quality of life and healthcare in North Country communities.

Town of Ellicottville Regional Water – (Western New York Region – Cattaraugus County) – $268,000
The Town of Ellicottville will use a grant of up to $268,000 as reimbursement for a portion of costs associated with the construction of a new 350,000-gallon water tank, related water transmission works and an access road between Fillmore Drive and U.S. Route 219 in Ellicottville and the adjacent Town of Mansfield in Cattaraugus County. Ellicottville, located in the foothills of the Alleghany Mountains, is primarily known as a tourist destination due to its two premier ski resorts and its close proximity to the Seneca Allegany Casino and Hotel and Allegany State Park. As a result, Ellicottville and its neighbor Mansfield have experienced tremendous growth in tourism and tourism-related businesses over the past decade. The existing public water holding and transmission system, which consisted of only one operable water reservoir, did not have adequate water pressure to service existing residents and businesses, hampering further economic development.

Without Empire State Development’s assistance, the Town would have been unable to complete the project, which will enable Ellicottville to proceed with future development in housing, tourism attractions and its Central Business District. This regional priority project is consistent with the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council’s plan to enable new residential and commercial construction in order to increase tourism capacity.

The Board approved the following Buffalo Billion grant:

Buffalo Billion Initiative – Buffalo SUNY Research Foundation Burgard High School – (Western New York Region – Erie County) – $3,200,000
The Research Foundation for the State University of New York, an educational corporation that administers externally funded contracts and grants for and on behalf of SUNY, will use a grant of up to $3,200,000 to support the creation of an Advanced Manufacturing Program at the Buffalo City School District’s Burgard High School in Buffalo, Erie County. The Research Foundation will use these funds on behalf of Alfred State College. This project is part of Governor Cuomo’s Buffalo Billion Investment Development Plan to promote advanced technology, manufacturing and smart growth; increase highly-skilled jobs; and attract young people to the Western New York Region.

The Buffalo Billion Initiative, a commitment to invest $1 billion in the Buffalo area economy, is designed to spur significantly greater private investment and create thousands of new, sustainable jobs, aiding New York State in helping the Buffalo area to realize immediate economic growth while setting the foundation for sustainable economic opportunity for future generations.

In June 2014, the Governor announced a $3.2 million award from the Buffalo Billion Initiative for the creation of the Advanced Manufacturing Program, an initiative to align education and right-skilled training. The five-year high school partnership program will provide the opportunity for incoming ninth grade students to earn a four-year high school diploma while also earning a two-year Associates’ degree from Alfred State. Students who complete the five-year program will have the skills and certifications necessary to be gainfully employed at an entry level position in the fields of welding, automobile service technicians and advanced manufacturing technology.

The Board approved the following Empire State Economic Development Fund grant:

Eyer Building – (Finger Lakes Region – Monroe County) – $200,000
The Town/Village of East Rochester will use a grant of up to $200,000 for a portion of the cost of renovations of the 67,000-square-foot Eyer Building to consolidate municipal offices and departments, including the court, library and senior center, in one location.

The building, which was built between 1899 and 1901, has been vacant since 2003, when it served as an early indoor mall with a variety of shops and later housed offices. Through the Regional Council CFA process, East Rochester was awarded $200,000 to fill a financing gap that allowed the renovation project to move forward in a timely manner. The renovation began in June 2013 and was completed in June 2014, restoring a significant historic asset to use and enhancing East Rochester’s central business district by revitalizing the municipality’s downtown district for employees, residents, commercial property owners and visitors. The project is consistent with the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council’s plan to reinforce the character of the area through downtown redevelopment, adaptive reuse of existing buildings and infrastructure and historic preservation.

The Board approved the following Economic Development Purposes Fund grants:

Trudeau Institute – (North Country Region – Franklin County) – $3,600,000
Trudeau Institute, a not-for-profit biomedical research organization focusing on disease prevention, will use a grant of up to $3,600,000 for a portion of the costs of ongoing programs, operations and staffing at the Institute’s biomedical research laboratories to support a joint Trudeau Institute – Clarkson University multi-year plan for future operations.

The Institute, located in Saranac Lake, New York, conducts biomedical research to develop new treatments and treatment-prevention strategies against disease, and also conducts contract research projects for the National Institute of Health. Trudeau requested Empire State Development’s assistance as part of a plan to continue its operations, expand its research laboratory to conduct biomedical research in areas such as aging, cancer and influenza, and create a joint multi-year plan with Clarkson University. Without Empire State Development’s assistance, the retention and future expansion of Trudeau would not be possible.

As a result of this project, the Institute, in conjunction with Clarkson University, will move closer to its broader vision of establishing a biotech cluster in the North Country, expanding education and technology-based economic development. This project is consistent with the North Country Regional Economic Development Council’s regional plan to advance biotech research in the Region.

Xylem, Inc. – (Mid-Hudson Region – Westchester County) – $1,000,000
Xylem, Inc., a leading global provider of water technology, will use a grant of up to $1,000,000 for a portion of construction and renovation costs for its expansion to a new headquarters in Rye Brook, Westchester County.

Xylem enables its customers to transport, treat, test and efficiently use water in public utility, residential and commercial building services, and industrial and agricultural settings. The company does business in more than 150 countries through a number of market-leading product brands and has more than 12,500 employees worldwide. When Xylem’s lease in Westchester, NY was set to expire in 2013, the company initiated a search to identify the most advantageous location for the relocation and expansion of its Global Corporate Headquarters operations, considering locations in Connecticut and New York.

In August 2012, Xylem sought financial assistance from both the Westchester County IDA and Empire State Development for relocation within New York. In February 2013, Empire State Development offered an incentive package inclusive of a $1,000,000 grant and a $1,350,000 Excelsior tax credit to enable Xylem’s expansion project in Rye Brook. As a result of the project, Xylem will retain 106 existing jobs and create 15 new jobs at its new location.

Internships.com– (Allegany, Erie, Chautauqua and Niagara Counties) – $100,000
Internships.com, a division of CareerArc Group, LLC and the world’s largest internship marketplace, will use a grant of up to $100,000 for a portion of the cost of an internship pilot program at seven State University of New York campuses located in Western New York.

As the world’s largest internship marketplace, Internships.com brings students, employers and higher education institutions together in one centralized location through interactive tools and digital resources. The company will establish the New York State Internship.com Pilot Program to support the development of a university-branded online platform to optimize the internship search and placement process for all workforce-ready SUNY students at the following SUNY campuses:

§ SUNY Buffalo State, Buffalo, Erie County
§ Erie Community College, Williamsville, Erie County
§ Niagara Community College, Sanborn, Niagara County
§ Alfred State College, Alfred, Allegany County
§ University at Buffalo, Buffalo, Erie County
§ SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia, Chautauqua County
§ Jamestown Community College, Jamestown, Chautauqua County

Based on the seven SUNY campuses that will participate in the pilot program, more than 62,000 undergraduate students will have access to the internship platform, which will begin development in early September 2014 and will be completed by October 2014. Internships.com will also benefit New York State businesses by providing increased access to qualified SUNY student interns. Empire State Development’s financial assistance to the company will further promote economic development by supporting job creation and retention in Western New York through the provision of a new venue for internships, which will provide training and may lead to long-term employment opportunities. This project is consistent with the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council’s plan to strengthen the connections between education and training to businesses and jobs in the region.

Village of Frankfort’s Small Business Assistance Program (Herkimer County) – $50,000
The Village of Frankfort will use a grant of up to $50,000 for a portion of the cost of commercial storefront facade renovations for 10 qualified businesses located on Main Street and South Litchfield to Railroad Street in Frankfort, Herkimer County. In 2012, Frankfort sought to provide facade improvements for local businesses on Main Street. The Village council proposed a project that would focus on the small business sector, an area lacking in revitalization efforts. At that time, several small businesses had also approached the Village to seek assistance in expanding and renovating operations. Frankfort saw an opportunity to develop a unified business assistance program to enhance the character of Main Street, but fell short in its budget to assist these businesses. In July 2012, the Village applied for funding through Round II of the Regional Council Consolidated Funding Application process. In July 2013, Empire State Development made the Village an offer of assistance to help them reach their financial goal. Without Empire State Development’s assistance, the project could not have moved forward.

The project will stimulate economic revitalization and foster small business development while making Frankfort’s Main Street more inviting for shoppers, visitors and investors. The project is consistent with the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council’s plan to foster an entrepreneurial spirit and renewal of communities in the Region and reclaim the Region’s landscape.

The Board approved the following Restore New York Communities Capital Grant:

City of North Tonawanda – Teddy Bear Building and City Incinerator (Niagara County) – $500,203
The City of North Tonawanda will use a grant of up to $500,203 as reimbursement for a portion of demolition and building renovation costs for the rehabilitation of the vacant City Incinerator facility for future commercial use and the conversion of the vacant Teddy Bear Building into a mixed-use structure.

The City of North Tonawanda’s Downtown Redevelopment Plan identified locations in need of significant rehabilitation or demolition in order to spur economic growth and revitalize the city’s historic downtown business district. The Municipal Commercial Redevelopment Project is a multi-step City revitalization project consistent with the City’s plan, and focuses on supporting, expanding and improving visitor services and cultural gems while improving the market for sustained commercial activities, removing blight and creating future economic development parcels. In 2007, the City applied for Restore NY funding to assist in gap financing for the redevelopment of four locations identified in the Plan and Redevelopment Program, and in 2008 was awarded $500,203 in funding for the demolition of the long-vacant City Incinerator and the renovation of the vacant Teddy Bear Building, allowing for the City’s ongoing strategy to build and sustain healthy neighborhoods by leveraging a variety of public and private resources.

Following the demolition of the City Incinerator, Competition Transmission, a local auto repair business, has moved its operations to a site across the street, increasing the business’ visibility to vehicular traffic and providing space for its future growth. By rehabilitating the Teddy Bear Building, the once vacant historical structure can now be used by residents, businesses and tourists.

The Board approved the following Market NY grants:
Market NY Grant Program – Regional Tourism Marketing Competition (Various Regions) – $3,204,801
In 2013, Round III of the Governor’s Regional Economic Development Council competition included up to $10 million for Market NY, a program that supports regionally themed New York-focused projects. Market NY helps to bolster tourism growth by promoting tourism destinations, attractions and special events, and also provides funding for tourism facilities in New York State. The Market NY program and each funded proposal will work to support the Regional Councils’ long term strategic plans for economic growth in the regions, as well as to attract visitors to New York State.
Funding is available for projects intended to create or retain jobs and increase tourism in a community or region. It is allocated among the State’s ten regions, each represented by a regional council and based on each council’s development and implementation of a five-year strategic plan that details a comprehensive vision for economic development and specific strategies to implement that vision. Grants are awarded to projects identified as significant, regionally supported and capable of stimulating economic investment through attraction of tourists to the dedicated area.
The Empire State Development Board of Directors has approved $3,204,801 today, making these funds available to 19 Regional Marketing Tourism projects in the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Central New York, Mohawk Valley, New York City and Long Island Regions, some of which also serve multiple regions. Each grantee has identified and prioritized Regional Marketing Tourism projects that support the Regional Council’s strategic plans for tourism and will coordinate with New York State’s “I LOVE NEW YORK” tourism division to maximize the overall program impact statewide.
The following grants were approved:

Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau (Multi-Region) – $370,000
Niagara Tourism & Convention Corporation (Multi-Region) – $300,000
Long Island Wine Council (Long Island) – 285,000
Catskills Tourism Marketing to New York City (Multi-Region) – $270,000
Children’s Success Fund, LLC (Finger Lakes) – $250,000
National Baseball Hall Of Fame (Mohawk Valley) – $234,000
Alliance for Coney Island (New York City) – $225,000
Visit Rochester (Finger Lakes) – $200,000
Wildlife Conservation Society (Multi-Region) – 211,750
St. Joseph’s College (Long Island) – $197,551
Tioga County Tourism (Southern Tier) – $100,000
Adirondack North Country Association (Multi-Region) – $100,000
Lakes to Locks Passage, Inc. (Multi-Region) – $100,000
Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages (Multi-Region) – $82,500
Parks & Trails New York, Inc. (Multi-Region) – $80,000
Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, Inc. (Multi-Region) – $50,000
Visit Buffalo Niagara (Western New York) – $50,000
Catskill Center for Conservation & Development, Inc. (Multi-Region) – $49,500
Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce (Multi-Region) – $49,500

More information about the Market NY projects is available HERE.

The next meeting of the Board of Directors will be in September.

Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency (www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I Love NY,” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov.