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Business Park Planned for Genesee County

04/15/2010

By: Anne Lithiluxa

For the past five years, the Genesee County Economic Development Center has been working on plans to build a 1,300-acre business park in the town of Alabama.

In a town with one blinking stop light and a population of 1,900 people:

"We have the potential to bring 9,300 high-tech, high-paying jobs at this site,” Steven Hyde, 0resident of the Genesee County Economic Development Center said.

But it could take up to 20 years for that to happen. The Western New York Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) is looking to bring companies in from sectors like solar, computer, television, and bio-manufacturing.

"We can draw from both the Buffalo and Rochester workforce populations. In about a 45-minute drive you got 2.1 million people,” Hyde said.

People like Alabama resident Tom Cortright, who hopes the new businesses will be good neighbors.

"I’m in favor of it, I think it's something that the town needs. We need to get something out here, build up tax base and jobs, bring in more jobs for the area. I'm going to miss some of the hunting land down there, but other than that, there are other spots to go hunting,” Cortright said.

This site in Genesee County is where Yahoo was considering building their data center before deciding on Lockport in Erie County.

Hyde said that there is an electrical grid that runs right through the property that will make it even more desirable for businesses.

"Its anywhere from 50 to 70 percent discount versus market rates. So when you can offer that type of a potential discount you are very competitive at a global level,” Hyde added.

Alabama is the very western most part of Genesee County and fits within the 30-mile radius for low-cost hydropower. Each phase of the project is funded through state grants and money allocated from the state budget.

Hyde said thanks to bi-partisan support from Senator Bill Stachowski and Senator Mike Ranzenhofer, phase two was able to stay on track.

"He was really able to break a million dollars free from this year’s state budget,” Hyde said.

Currently, STAMP is in phase two of four phases. Hyde said the cost for phase two is $1.35 million.

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