News

47 Pilots Administered by Metroplex Generate $14.18 Million in Revenues for Local Governments in Schenectady County

December 20, 2013

Schenectady, N.Y. — The Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority today provided an update on 47 Payment in Lieu of Tax (Pilot) agreements it administers as part of Schenectady County’s unified economic development team. The Pilot agreements generated a total of $14.18 million in payments to local governments in Schenectady County in 2013 up from $9.23 million in 2012. Between 2012 and 2013 pilot revenues increased by more than 53%.  The 2011 Pilot report issued by Metroplex showed total revenues of $4.45 million.

Thirty eight (38) of the 47 pilot projects were built at empty buildings, vacant land or formerly tax-exempt property. These sites generated minimal or no taxes prior to the economic development projects being built. The other 9 projects were company expansions that created new Pilot revenues.

Ray Gillen, Chair of the Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority said, “We are taking property that paid little or no taxes before and we are building projects at these sites that create new jobs and new revenues for local governments.”

14 Projects Were Built on Formerly Government–Owned Land/Buildings or Tax-Exempt Land that Paid $0 in Taxes, Now Paying $1,671,544 in Pilot Payments:

  • MVP at 625 State Street in downtown Schenectady. Built on government–owned land that was returned to tax rolls. 175,000 square foot office building $318,103 up from $256,569 last year.
  • Hampton Inn at 450 State Street in downtown Schenectady. Built on government-owned land that was returned to tax rolls.  62,000 square foot hotel $165,277 up from $144,506 last year.
  • 400 State Street in downtown Schenectady. Built on government–owned land that was returned to tax rolls. 60,200 square foot building $62,536 up from $31,182 last year.
  • Broadway Center in downtown Schenectady. Built on government–owned land that was returned to tax rolls. 140,000 square foot office building $316,978 up from $307,455 last year.
  • 2135 Technology Drive in Schenectady. Built on government-owned land that was returned to the tax rolls. 22,000 square foot building $45,422 down from $61,711 last year.
  • Utech at 135 Broadway in downtown Schenectady. Government-owned building that was returned to tax rolls $24,856 up from $22,340 last year.
  • M&P Labs 2210 Technology Drive in Schenectady. Built on government-owned land that was returned to tax rolls.  $101,538 up from $93,452 last year.
  • Pace Analytical at 2190 Technology Drive in Schenectady. Built on government-owned land that was returned to tax rolls.  $49,602 up from $45,519 last year.
  • 2165 Technology Drive in Schenectady. Built on government-owned land that was returned to tax rolls. 27,000 square foot building $55,554 up from $50,982 last year.
  • 426 State Street in downtown Schenectady.  Built at government-owned building that was returned to tax rolls.  34,000 square feet $89,054 up from $75,000 last year.
  • Former Scotia Navy Depot in Glenville $285,991 up from $271,869 last year.
  • Columbia McClellan Group at 600 McClellan Street in Schenectady. 45,550 square feet built on formerly tax-exempt property $38,771 down from $54,789 last year.
  • Fortitech at the Schenectady County Airport in Glenville. Built on government-owned land that was returned to the tax rolls. 95,000 square feet $96,895 up from $85,853 last year.
  • Bombers at 447 State Street in downtown Schenectady. Built at formerly government-owned building $20,967 up from $18,755 last year.

10 Projects Were Built at Formerly Vacant Buildings that Paid No Taxes or Nominal Taxes, Now Paying $1,349,963 in Pilot Payments:

  • BN Partners at 1510 Maxon Road in downtown Schenectady. 240,000 square foot office building $584,020 up from $466,132 last year.
  • 433 State Street in downtown Schenectady $229,583 up from $150,000 last year.
  • Villa Italia at 226 Broadway in downtown Schenectady $29,041 up from $26,567 last year.
  • JMR Development at 600 Liberty Street in downtown Schenectady $75,000 same as last year.
  • 411 State St in downtown Schenectady $37,105 up from $25,000 last year.
  • 401 State in downtown Schenectady $64,190 up from $63,250 last year.
  • 409 State in downtown Schenectady $33,000 same as last year.
  • World Star at 450 Duane Avenue in Schenectady $164,678 down from $179,229 last year.
  • Mohawk Honda in Glenville $99,004 up from $59,941 last year.
  • Columbia Altamont at 1925 Curry Road in Rotterdam $34,342 up from $30,865 last year.

14 Projects Were Built on Vacant Land that Formerly Generated Nominal Taxes, Now Paying $1,953,932 in Pilot Payments:

  • Railex at the Rotterdam Corporate Park 220,000 square foot warehouse built on vacant land.  $308,000 up from $302,114 last year.
  • 376 Broadway in downtown Schenectady. 24,000 square office building built on vacant land $78,689 up from $71,866 last year.
  • Marcella’s at 564 Broadway in downtown Schenectady.  16,750 square foot facility built on vacant land $62,954 up from $56,593 last year.
  • Unilux at Niskayuna Commerce Park 67,000 square foot manufacturing plant built on vacant land.  $144,525 up from $102,839 last year.
  • Opus Business Park (now Burdeck Street Business Park) in Rotterdam. Three buildings — 15,600 square feet building built on vacant land $20,974 up from $18,979 last year,  35,100 square foot building built on vacant land $61,419 up from $55,844 last year and 25,000 square foot building built on vacant land $40,795 up from $36,798 last year.
  • Dimension Fabricators at 2000 Seventh Avenue in Glenville. 152,000 square foot building built on vacant land $223,081 up from $212,066 last year.
  • Argo Turbo Serve at 588 Broadway in downtown Schenectady.  22,000 square foot building built on former vacant lot $21,697 up from $2,890 last year.
  • Alco site in Schenectady.  Vacant land brownfield remediation underway $40,000 same as last year.
  • FG Rotterdam Holdings in Rotterdam. 31,800 square foot office building built on vacant land $33,629 up from $32,154 last year.
  • EMI Properties in Rotterdam.  6,600 square foot facility built on vacant land $10,641 up from $9,690 last year.
  • NE IP Holding (FedEx Freight) in Rotterdam Corporate Park.  50,000 square foot facility built on vacant land $81,267 up from $71,773 last year.
  • FM Ventures in Rotterdam Corporate Park.  152,000 square foot building built on vacant land $313,337 up from $275,504 last year.
  • Long Pond Village in Rotterdam.  192 unit apartment complex built on vacant land $214,070 up from $193,408 last year.
  • Capital Living in Schenectady.  New Pilot for skilled nursing facility paying $298,854 built on vacant land.

9 Company Agreements/Expansions Paying $9,203,839:

  • Three Pilots at GE Global Research Center in Niskayuna for chemical engineering building expansion, new Pilot manufacturing facility and expansion of Energy Learning Center $624,233 up from $599,308 last year.
  • Kingsway Arms Nursing Center in Schenectady.  New construction addition of 56,000 square feet $245,220 up from $237,853 last year.
  • GE battery plant and Global Renewable Energy Headquarters with a total of 470,000 square feet of renovated space in Buildings 53 and 66 at downtown Schenectady energy campus $2,786,087 up from $2,661,357 last year.
  • GE Rotterdam $4,800,000 new pilot this year.
  • SI Group in Rotterdam Junction. 40,000 square foot expansion $689,670 up from $626,703 last year.
  • Golub Corporation Distribution Center expansion $58,629 up from $51,436 last year.

Expiring Pilots:

  • Time Warner Cable at 1021 Highbridge Road in Rotterdam. 80,000 square foot office building built on vacant land. Last year’s pilot payment $251,170. Now 100% on tax rolls.
  • Belvedere Hotel at 1930 Curry Road in Rotterdam.  28,725 square foot building built on vacant land. Last year’s pilot payment $49,064.  Now 100% on tax rolls.
  • Fortitech at 2105 Technology Drive in Schenectady. Built on government-owned land that was returned to tax rolls. 130,000 square foot facility. Last year’s pilot payment $186,994. Now 100% on tax rolls.
  • SI Group at 2750 Balltown Road in Niskayuna.  83,640 square foot expansion. Last year’s pilot payment $570,000.  Now 100% on tax rolls.
  • Environment One at 2773 Balltown Road in Niskayuna.  42,000 square foot facility expansion added 34,000 square feet.  Last year’s pilot payment $93,397.  Now 100% on tax rolls.

New Pilots Coming on Line in 2014:

  • New Target store in Glenville built at empty retail site.
  • Building 14 in Rotterdam former State Bakery will begin Pilot payments.
  • Curry Road Plaza in Rotterdam new private development at former Town-owned vacant retail site.
  • Schenectady Armory former State owned facility in Schenectady being redeveloped.
  • 845 Broadway former vacant factory space redeveloped as housing.
  • 301 Green Street former vacant window factory redeveloped as housing.
  • 245 Broadway and Town Homes at Union Square – two new residential projects on formerly vacant lots in Schenectady.

Other News Stories You Might Be Interested In