Planning proceeds for Triangle site development at Griffiss

ROME — The future development of the 332-acre Triangle site at Griffiss International Airport in Rome is progressing in the planning stages following the March 5 announcement of a $23.6 million state grant to help turn into a semiconductor supply-chain campus.

“It has started in design and concept,” says Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr., noting the planning for the development of the parcel had started well before the grant announcement. It’s called the Triangle site because it has the “general outline” of a triangle, Picente notes in a July 10 phone interview with CNYBJ. “While there’s nothing physically in the ground … the process has begun,” he adds. Oneida County will chip in a local match of nearly $2.7 million. Picente would like to see development get started in the first quarter of 2025 to start preparing the water, sewer, and electrical components so the site is on the fast track and by the end of 2026, perhaps into 2027, it is “shovel ready.” When asked if Oneida County knows of any supply-chain firms that are interested in eventually coming to the site, he says, “We have had discussions, confidentially with some companies that we’re in contact with.” With Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) securing the White Pine Commerce Park in the town of Clay in Onondaga County, Picente notes that the Triangle site is “now the largest site … in the state of New York for development.” Oneida County received the largest amount among seven sites awarded funding under the Focused Attraction of Shovel-Ready Tracts New York (FAST NY) grant program, per the March 5 announcement. The money will allow for the county and its partners to complete infrastructure and transportation improvements to the Triangle site to support up to 3.9 million square feet of developable area. The partners include Griffiss Local Development Corporation (GLDC), Mohawk Valley EDGE (MV EDGE), Salina–based C&S Companies, and the City of Rome.

The work will include electrical upgrades and extension, doubling capacity to provide up to 50 megawatts; water and sewer extension; force main and pump station; looping for increased pressure; transportation and access upgrades; roundabout construction; sound-barrier construction; lighting and pedestrian infrastructure; natural-gas extension from State Route 825; general site work; perimeter fencing; site grading and green infrastructure; and duct bank and utility corridors, per the March 5 announcement. “Conveniently located in the center of New York State and positioned adjacent to Wolfspeed and Micron, Oneida County’s ‘Triangle Site’ at Griffiss is positioned to be the state’s premier semiconductor supply chain campus, offering up to 50 megawatts of power,” Picente said in the March 5 announcement. “This largest shovel-ready site in the state will unlock up to 2.6 million square feet of new construction and the potential for 3,000 new jobs.” The announcement included Rome Mayor Jeffrey Lanigan thanking Gov. Kathy Hochul for the “significant investment that will propel our region’s semiconductor industry forward” and additionally expressing gratitude to Picente and the project partners. “We also want to thank County Executive Anthony Picente, MV EDGE and GLDC for their visionary leadership in spearheading the development of a shovel-ready semiconductor supply chain site,” Lanigan said. “Their outstanding application showcased the strength of our community’s commitment to innovation and we look forward to collaborating on the development of this site, paving the way for further advancements in our local economy and technology sector. Together, we will continue to foster growth and prosperity for generations to come.”