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Bi-Weekly Development News for Warren County and the Region

Ed Bartholomew, President | Arleen Girard, Chair

JULY 22, 2016

INSIDE EDC

EDC NEWS ALERT:

518 Area Code Change Public Hearing

EDC Warren County President & CEO Ed Bartholomew stated that there will be a public hearing by NYS Department of Public Service on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. at Crandall Library regarding a potential change in the 518 area code area (518 covers approximately 17 upstate counties). The information session will be at 5:00 p.m. with public statement hearing at 6:00 p.m.

It is expected that the current 518 area code will reach its capacity in 2019.

NYS Public Service is examining two options in resolving this issue:

1. Existing numbers would not be affected, while new numbers would receive a separate area code;

2. Current geographic region would be divided into two areas, and all numbers in one of those areas would be assigned to and required to use a new area code.

Bartholomew indicated in addition to the public information session on the 26th, public and businesses may provide comment via email - email secretary@dps.ny.gov or toll-free opinion line 1-800-335-2120. Bartholomew urges residents and businesses to express their opinion on this issue.

Area Codes in New York State

Owners of Davidson Brothers to Sell Queensbury Brewery

The owners of Davidson Brothers Brewing Co. in Glens Falls, New York, are preparing to sell a separate $3.5 million brewery they built three years ago in a former movie theater nearby Queensbury.

John and Rick Davidson are selling Glens Falls Brewing LLC to Northern Eagle Beverages Inc. in Oneonta, about a two-hour drive southwest of Glens Falls and one hour west of Albany. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The sale is expected to close by the end of summer.

Read the article in the Business Review.

Lake George Summer Season is 'fabulous,' Mayor says

"Everyone tells me the summer has been fabulous so far", Lake George Mayor Robert Blais told The Chronicle Tuesday.

"A lot of business people have told me they had a record 4th of July weekend. The weather is the primary factor, particularly on the weekend, when you don't get people who come here on vacation but get people who come here because it's Lake George and the weather is nice."

Mayor Blais said, "All of our barometers" used to gauge visitors to Lake George Village are up. Water consumption is up, flow into the treatment plant is up, and the parking meter revenue from the back streets is up 12% over last year."

---------Gordon Woodworth

Announcements So Far for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) Winners:

Governor Cuomo Announces Middletown to Receive $10 Million in Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

Governor Cuomo Announces

Plattsburgh to Receive $10 Million in Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

Governor Cuomo Announces Geneva to Receive $10 Million in Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

Governor Cuomo is expected to announce the Capital Region winner of a $10 million downtown development prize soon, said EDC Warren County President Ed Bartholomew at a recent meeting of the Glens Falls Civic Development Corp., Glens Falls Industrial Development Agency and Glens Falls Local Development board. Glens Falls is in competition with 10 other cities. Officials are optimistic about the chance of winning.

NYS Ag Water Conservation Grants

Governor's office just announced $13.1 million for agricultural water conservation projects statewide including $1.7 million for three Washington County sites. Click here for the full list.

Click here for the press release.

Lake George Officials Pitch Water Quality

About a dozen local leaders, representing municipalities, economic development groups and environmental conservation agencies, shared their views, concerns and plans with two Capital Region Economic Development Council representatives, in the hope of improving their chances of winning state funds to help pay for a new village wastewater treatment plant. EDC Vice President John Wheatley represented EDC at this meeting.

Read the article in the Post-Star.

JUST Updates:

Just Who is JUST? And...why did they come to Glens Falls?

Recent news articles listed a number of high profile names from the entertainment industry that came together to back the concept of a community minded business venture that improves life in some way. Here is a list of JUST investors and staff with more information and quotes about their involvement in JUST:

Click here.

New video released by JUST featuring using renewable sourced sugar cane from Brazil in the plastic for caps.

JUST "Plastic from Plants" Video

JUST Water Adds Errol Schweizer and Dwight Richmond as Strategic Advisors

Read the article in BEVNET.

Top Emerging Tech Areas

New GE Report on Top Emerging Technologies in 2016. A number of these are being developed or researched in Capital Region.

Click here.

China's Booming Investment in US Real Estate -- the Huge New Force in America's Largest Asset Class developed or researched in Capital Region.

Article detailing the growth in Chinese investment into US. NYC is far and away the largest target of investment. Indications are Upstate NY including Adirondacks now on the radar screen as well based on recent high profile acquisitions and near-acquisitions.

Read the article.

Glens Falls City Band Offers Free Concert Series

The Glens Falls City Band will perform in City Park Monday evenings through Aug. 29. The Glens Falls City Band is a 27-piece professional concert band. Selections will include marches, Broadway show tunes, light pops, classics and standard concert band literature. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy some free family fun.

Click here.

Former Angio CEO Joe DeVivo Accepts New Position with a California Based Telemedicine Technology Company as CEO.

Read the press release.

The Hyde Collection Hires Susan Pruiksma as New Financial Manager.

Congratulations to Susan from the team at EDC!

Click here for the news release.

WARREN COUNTY HAPPENINGS

Manufacturing Workers Globally

By The Numbers: The U.S. Has 12 Million Manufacturing Workers; China Has Ten Times That Number -- 114 Million

Read the article in Manufacturing & Technology News.

E-Commerce Label Converter Goes Digital/Labels & Labeling

Upstate New York-based SheetLabels.com is not your typical label converter, its president Adam Gray says. In fact, it's not a label converter at all. First and foremost, SheetLabels.com is a software company masquerading as a company that makes labels. 'At our core we're a software company,' says Adam Gray. 'Our software powers our entire business.'

Read the article here.

CR Bard: Expansion Plans on Track, Product Pipeline Strong

Article mentions acquisition of Lutonix Corp. which developed drug eluting balloon used in conjunction with other Bard medical device products.

Read the article in YAHOO.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & REGIONAL NEWS

Building Permits: Capital District Data for May/June

Report from Capital District Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC) covering four county Albany Schenectady Troy area shows a growing trend toward multifamily construction vs single family. Saratoga County permits are over 50% of the four county total.

Read the report here.

Possible New R & D Facility at Malta

Chip research plant could land next to GlobalFoundries.

Read the article in The Daily Gazette.

Robotics Impact on Site Selection

Article in Site Selection discussing the inevitable impact robotics is making on job market. The good news is there is an increasing flow of investment toward places that develop comprehensive STEM programs vs strict lower wage and housing costs driving location decisions.

Read the article.

Tax Breaks Will Keep Turbine Parts Designer in New York

Example of tax credits as a tool in manufacturing retention in the region as well as attraction.

Read the article in the Business Review.

Massachusetts Officials Approve 5-Year, $14.8 Billion Infrastructure Plan

State of Massachusetts just approved $14.8 billion comprehensive plan to fund infrastructure improvements over next 5 years with the goal to position the state competitively. Included in Mass DOT's Aeronautic Division are leveraged FAA projects for smaller airport improvements including Pittsfield Airport's improvement project Phase II.

Read the article in Washington Newsline.

Plattsburgh Airport Improvements

Nearly 600 jobs, improvements on horizon if Plattsburgh airport gets $52M.

Plattsburgh is working on plan to further improve and expand its airport using NYS airport improvement funding.

Click here.

Jasper County Resort to Spec Buildings

Recent example in Jasper County South Carolina of economic development agency obtaining grant funding to construct spec light industrial buildings to lease or sell off I-95 in attempt to address shortage of available properties for retention, expansion and attraction.

Read the article in Bluffton Today.