Schenectady County, N.Y. — Schenectady County today announced that it is moving forward with four infrastructure projects designed to support economic development in the Town of Glenville.
The County IDA has approved a $135,000 contract to fund improvements to the rail line serving the Glenville Business and Technology Park in Glenville. The IDA will contract with WJ Riegel Rail Solutions of Glenmont, NY to repair and upgrade the rail spur serving the business park, which is owned by the IDA. The rail work will be completed this summer.
Marty Finn, Chair of the Legislature’s Committee on Economic Development and a member of the County IDA said, “We have been very successful attracting and retaining businesses to the Glenville Business and Technology Park, but with this success comes the need for more rail service to support these businesses. This investment in upgraded rail infrastructure will help us continue to market the Glenville Business and Technology Park to growing companies.”
The Glenville Business and Technology Park is home to more than 3.5 million square feet of space on 310 acres making it one of the largest business parks in the Capital Region. The facility is home to Adirondack Beverages, Dimension Fabricators, DHA Energy, Latham Plastics, Norampac, Codino’s, Specialty Quality Packaging, Thyssen Krupp Safeway, Capovani Brothers, Chick Packaging/NEFAB and others.
Old Dominion Freight Lines will break ground this summer on a 40,000 square foot distribution center and PAL Turbine Services recently signed a 60,000 square foot lease at the Glenville Business and Technology Park.
Cathy Gatta, Schenectady County Legislator from Glenville and member of the County IDA said, “Schenectady County’s economic development team has worked hard to market both the Glenville Business and Technology Park and the Airport Business Park to growing businesses that will create jobs and add to our tax base in Glenville and Schenectady County.”
Schenectady County is also moving forward with three projects at the County Airport, which is also home to the Airport Business Park. The first project is an extension of water and sewer lines from Route 50 into the County Airport. This project is funded by a grant from the NYS Department of Transportation worth $284,090. A matching grant of $31,565 will be provided by Metroplex. The new water and sewer lines will serve the Airport where Richmor Aviation is building a new $1.2 million, 20,000 square foot hangar for corporate aircraft. The project will also bring needed infrastructure to create shovel-ready sites at the Airport Business Park.
A second airport project involves a road extension also funded by NYS DOT through a $330,000 grant to be matched by County funding of $175,000. This project will open up additional hangar sites on the flight line for development while also improving access to the Airport Business Park. The road extension will connect Tech Park Road and Tower Road providing a looped roadway system through the business park opening up additional sites for development.
The third airport project is a $1.9 million expansion of the parking apron for corporate jets and other business aircraft. This project is 95% funded by federal and state grant funds with a 5% match provided by Schenectady County.
Improvements at the Schenectady County Airport will get underway this year and be completed in 2014.