DICKINSON — The Agency plans to build a business and economic-development center at the south entrance of the SUNY Broome Community College campus in the town of Dickinson. The 17,000-square-foot, “one-stop” facility will include the Agency’s headquarters and house other economic and business-development partners, the Agency said in an April 26 news release. “It will […]
DICKINSON — The Agency plans to build a business and economic-development center at the south entrance of the SUNY Broome Community College campus in the town of Dickinson.
The 17,000-square-foot, “one-stop” facility will include the Agency’s headquarters and house other economic and business-development partners, the Agency said in an April 26 news release.
“It will be our office headquarters. We will actually own the building,” says Stacey Duncan, deputy director, community and economic development, who spoke with CNYBJ on June 3.
The organization issued the release after its annual community breakfast at Traditions at the Glen Resort & Conference Center in Johnson City.
The Agency is the rebranded name of the Broome County Industrial Development Agency (IDA). Its board of directors oversees both the IDA and the Broome County Local Development Corporation (LDC).
The Agency anticipates it’ll be ready for construction “sometime this summer,” either late June or early July, says Duncan.
The late New York State Sen. Thomas Libous had secured a $4.35 million grant for the project through from the New York State Economic Development Assistance Program more than a year ago, she adds.
The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) is administrating the grant.
“We’re just working with them on finalizing all the details … [conducting] the SEQR review, which has been completed,” says Duncan.
SEQR, New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act, “requires all state and local government agencies to consider environmental impacts equally with social and economic factors during discretionary decision-making,” according to the website of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
“We are planning to fund [the project] completely within the grant,” she says. “Everything we’re doing … we’re making sure it fits in that budget.”
The idea of such a one-stop facility has been talked about in the Binghamton area “for a number of years,” according to Duncan.
The Agency is hoping investors and existing businesses will find it “more attractive” to have “all the information they need” in one place.
The Agency is working with Endwell–based Delta Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors and Binghamton–based Fahs Construction Group on this project.
The organization is hoping to have operations in its new headquarters by the end of the first quarter in 2017. It is also working to determine a name for the facility.
Besides the Agency, the structure will house other business and lending organizations.
The Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce is moving its headquarters to the building, according to the April 26 news release.
It’ll also be home to the Alliance for Manufacturing and Technology, the local office of the New York City–based National Development Council, and the New York Business Development Corporation.
The partners will include the Binghamton–area office of the Southern Tier Startup Alliance. Endwell–based Visions Federal Credit Union also has plans to open a small branch inside the structure, according to Duncan.
The Agency’s startup incubator, The Center, will also move into the new building. It currently operates at 59 Court St. in Binghamton.
“The current businesses that are located at the center … They’re going to come over with us as well,” says Duncan.
With the new facility located near SUNY Broome Community College, Duncan says the Agency wants to have a better connection with the school. “Maybe through the use of interns,” she adds.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
