(Schenectady, NY) Schenectady County officials today announced plans to expand the County’s Airport Business Park. The County has been awarded a grant of $330,000 from the New York State Department of Transportation to help fund airport improvements. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently approved a thirty-day public comment period on the road and hangar improvements.
Susan Savage, Chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature said, “The improvements to the airport and the expansion of the Airport Business Park will increase our tax base and create new jobs in Schenectady County.“
The expanded Airport Business Park adds to the momentum occurring on the Route 50 corridor with the redevelopment of the former Kmart site. It also allows Schenectady County to market shovel ready sites to suppliers of both GE and Global Foundries.
Two years ago, the County created the Airport Business Park and sold land to the first tenant Fortitech, an international company based in Schenectady. Fortitech built a new 48,000 square foot facility at the new corporate park. The County and Metroplex worked together to construct “Tech Park Road,” a road connecting the Fortitech site to Route 50. In addition, a new corporate hangar was built at the airport.
The $330,000 grant will allow for an existing taxiway to be expanded by 10,000 square feet connecting the flight-line with a three-acre site that will be marketed for new hangars. The County plans to lease three one-acre sites to private owners who want to construct hangars for corporate or individually-owned aircraft. Each new hangar built at the airport will also pay real estate taxes through the use of a payment in lieu of tax agreement (PILOT) putting previously tax-exempt land on the tax rolls for the first time.
“Tech Park Road” will be extended by 185 feet to connect with the road servicing the existing airport tower and will provide access to four shovel-ready sites with a total of 23 acres of land. The County will market these four shovel-ready sites and lease them to expanding businesses that will create new jobs and also pay PILOTS expanding the tax base for the County, Town of Glenville and Scotia-Glenville School District.
The Schenectady County Airport is currently home to: the Stratton Air National Guard Base; a Joint Armed Forces Training Center used by Guard and Reserve military units; Richmor Aviation; an aviation training facility; an Air Traffic Controller Training Facility sponsored by Schenectady County Community College and the Schenectady County Recreation Center, a year round indoor ice skating arena. More than 2,000 people currently work at the airport.
A map showing the planned expansion of the Airport Business Park is enclosed.
The FAA has approved a 30-day public comment period on the draft environmental assessment prepared by the County for the airport improvements. The comment period will continue through April 27th.
More information on lease opportunities at the Schenectady County Airport can be obtained by contacting the Schenectady County Department of Economic Development and Planning at 518-386-2225.
Contact:
Joe McQueen
(518) 388-4772