Chenango County to benefit from half billion dollar award
ALBANY – Holiday wishes came true for three economic development regions in the state, each receiving half a billion dollars on Thursday to kick-start projects that promote economic growth.
The Southern Tier was one of those regions. The Southern Tier – composed of Chenango, Broome, Tioga, Delaware, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Tompkins counties – will receive $500 million dolled out over the next five years through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative (URI), a program aimed at systematically revitalizing the economy of Upstate New York.
URI funds have also been awarded to the Central and Finger Lakes regions.
The Southern Tier has already leveraged more than $303 million awarded through the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) initiative since 2011. The Southern Tier council says its URI plan will bolster more than $2.5 billion in private investment, create more than 10,200 jobs, and have an overall economic impact of $3.4 billion over the next five years.
A total 61 projects made the short list in the Southern Tier’s URI plan. They include a $3.5 million health education complex in Corning, a $3.5 million mixed-use residential and commercial facility in Binghamton, and a $2 million innovation park in Binghamton.
In Chenango County, the Southern Tier executive committee short-listed five projects which are ready to go. Barring unfortunate circumstances at the state level, all five of those projects will be funded through the URI, according to Commerce Chenango President and CEO Steve Craig.
“It’s the most projects we’ve ever applied for, and we basically received approval for all five,” Craig said, citing the extra benefit of being able to fund projects when applications don’t line up with the state’s Consolidated Funding Application timelines. “Money will be spread out relatively evenly over the next five years. This will create a system whereby we can entertain applications on a rolling basis instead of once a year, which will be more user friendly for people who have projects that don’t coincide with the CFA funding cycle.”
For now, the five projects likely to see funding in Chenango include assistance to the Leatherstocking Gas Company for construction of a natural gas pipeline from Bainbridge to Greene, mainly for the benefit of the largest employer in the Southern Tier, the Raymond Corporation. The pipeline would also benefit industrial users in Bainbridge and residential users in both villages.
The Raymond Corporation will additionally receive money for another project called the “Raymond Center of Excellence.”
The URI will also be used to rebuild and rebrand the Norwich Howard Johnson Hotel as a Best Western. Craig said that’s a priority project to promote tourism and business development as it would attract business travelers who currently choose lodging outside Chenango County.
Other URI funds will go toward development of a USDA certified meat processing plant in Sherburne, and supporting a proposal to double the size and workforce of the L.A. Najarian, Inc. ribbon mill in Greene.
Craig said that while he hasn’t seen a final list for every URI approved project in the Southern Tier, he expects that all five projects in Chenango will see funding.
“It’s a new way of looking at things to do it regionally, and there’s always the temptation to keep score on a county by county basis,” he added. “In terms of population, Chenango County is well represented in these applications and approvals, and I think we’re going to see a good impact.”
The Upstate Revitalization Initiative is a new competition this year, awarding a total $1.5 billion in the three awarded regions. Seven other regions were also awarded through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative this year. In total, $2.25 billion in economic and community development funding has been announced to all ten regions.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said: “Over the past five years, the Regional Councils have become an integral part of generating economic opportunity in communities statewide. By removing barriers to growth, controlling spending and cutting taxes, we have laid the groundwork for our Regional Councils to pursue projects in key industries that have turned their communities into local economic engines.”
Cuomo said this year’s round of awards demonstrates progress in “changing the trajectory” of New York’s economy.
In a statement released Thursday, Republican Senator-elect Fred Akshar (52nd Senatorial District) applauded the hard work of the Southern Tier Regional Council – work that he said really paid off.
“I appreciate Governor Cuomo recognizing the Southern Tier’s need for jobs, opportunity and economic growth,” said Akshar. “It’s incumbent upon government to create an environment with opportunities for people and businesses to thrive in our communities. Although I wasn’t involved in the process this year, I look forward to working hard with local leaders to help see these projects through to fruition.”
The Southern Tier was one of those regions. The Southern Tier – composed of Chenango, Broome, Tioga, Delaware, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Tompkins counties – will receive $500 million dolled out over the next five years through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative (URI), a program aimed at systematically revitalizing the economy of Upstate New York.
URI funds have also been awarded to the Central and Finger Lakes regions.
The Southern Tier has already leveraged more than $303 million awarded through the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) initiative since 2011. The Southern Tier council says its URI plan will bolster more than $2.5 billion in private investment, create more than 10,200 jobs, and have an overall economic impact of $3.4 billion over the next five years.
A total 61 projects made the short list in the Southern Tier’s URI plan. They include a $3.5 million health education complex in Corning, a $3.5 million mixed-use residential and commercial facility in Binghamton, and a $2 million innovation park in Binghamton.
In Chenango County, the Southern Tier executive committee short-listed five projects which are ready to go. Barring unfortunate circumstances at the state level, all five of those projects will be funded through the URI, according to Commerce Chenango President and CEO Steve Craig.
“It’s the most projects we’ve ever applied for, and we basically received approval for all five,” Craig said, citing the extra benefit of being able to fund projects when applications don’t line up with the state’s Consolidated Funding Application timelines. “Money will be spread out relatively evenly over the next five years. This will create a system whereby we can entertain applications on a rolling basis instead of once a year, which will be more user friendly for people who have projects that don’t coincide with the CFA funding cycle.”
For now, the five projects likely to see funding in Chenango include assistance to the Leatherstocking Gas Company for construction of a natural gas pipeline from Bainbridge to Greene, mainly for the benefit of the largest employer in the Southern Tier, the Raymond Corporation. The pipeline would also benefit industrial users in Bainbridge and residential users in both villages.
The Raymond Corporation will additionally receive money for another project called the “Raymond Center of Excellence.”
The URI will also be used to rebuild and rebrand the Norwich Howard Johnson Hotel as a Best Western. Craig said that’s a priority project to promote tourism and business development as it would attract business travelers who currently choose lodging outside Chenango County.
Other URI funds will go toward development of a USDA certified meat processing plant in Sherburne, and supporting a proposal to double the size and workforce of the L.A. Najarian, Inc. ribbon mill in Greene.
Craig said that while he hasn’t seen a final list for every URI approved project in the Southern Tier, he expects that all five projects in Chenango will see funding.
“It’s a new way of looking at things to do it regionally, and there’s always the temptation to keep score on a county by county basis,” he added. “In terms of population, Chenango County is well represented in these applications and approvals, and I think we’re going to see a good impact.”
The Upstate Revitalization Initiative is a new competition this year, awarding a total $1.5 billion in the three awarded regions. Seven other regions were also awarded through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative this year. In total, $2.25 billion in economic and community development funding has been announced to all ten regions.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said: “Over the past five years, the Regional Councils have become an integral part of generating economic opportunity in communities statewide. By removing barriers to growth, controlling spending and cutting taxes, we have laid the groundwork for our Regional Councils to pursue projects in key industries that have turned their communities into local economic engines.”
Cuomo said this year’s round of awards demonstrates progress in “changing the trajectory” of New York’s economy.
In a statement released Thursday, Republican Senator-elect Fred Akshar (52nd Senatorial District) applauded the hard work of the Southern Tier Regional Council – work that he said really paid off.
“I appreciate Governor Cuomo recognizing the Southern Tier’s need for jobs, opportunity and economic growth,” said Akshar. “It’s incumbent upon government to create an environment with opportunities for people and businesses to thrive in our communities. Although I wasn’t involved in the process this year, I look forward to working hard with local leaders to help see these projects through to fruition.”
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