The Agency - Report to the Community 2019

REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2019

ECONOMIC COMMUNITY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

TOGETHER. THE AGE NCY-NY.COM

MESSAGE TO THE

COMMUNITY

OPTIMISM EQUALS OPPORTUNITY. When reflecting on 2019, it is evident from the strides made in economic development that this mantra truly serves as a guiding principle for The Agency. A year of growth, key investment, and effective collaboration, 2019 has tested and proved our community’s dedication to promoting a healthy, sustainable economy while simultaneously improving the quality of life for all Broome County residents.

Where does this optimism come from? It is no secret that Broome County has been no stranger to economic adversity. Located along the rust belt, over the years our community has faced its ups and downs from the closing of former stalwarts, such as the Endicott Johnson Corporation in the 1940s and the IBM-Endicott manufacturing facility in the early 2000s, to falling victim to two 500-year floods in 2006 and 2011. Our collective tenacity as a community, however, has allowed us to keep pushing forward and define our own economy rather than let adversity define us.

STACEY DUNCAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

When comparing the results amongst the most recent editions of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce’s annual Economic Outlook Guide, that is where you can readily find the blossoming optimism. Business leaders are polled each year on their predictions and sentiments regarding the state of Broome’s economy. In 2018, we saw only 40% of business leaders expected the economy to expand, while in the 2019 results, that number grew to 44%, which means over half (60%) of participating business leaders had an improved outlook going into 2019, and what a year 2019 has been.

A diverse array of projects came to the area in 2019 including the Lofts@JC, which will address growing needs for affordable housing for young professionals, and Canopy Growth Corporation’s American manufacturing operations, a 308,000 square foot facility bringing with it a near $100,000,000 investment. We celebrated the expansion of our existing businesses, as well, such as Synergy Athletics which, through the use of our Small Business Incentive Program, was able to open its fourth location within Broome County, where the company has always called home since its inception in 2008.

The Broome Talent Task Force worked tirelessly in 2019 to dispel the notion that there are no jobs here in Broome and championed several key workforce development initiatives. The Agency helped lead the way in the creation of Peak, a comprehensive K-20 career pipeline, and partnered with the Greater Binghamton Education Outreach Program to hold the first annual SPARK Career Fair, an 8th grade exploration fair designed to introduce students to careers within the region.

JOHN M. BERNARDO | CHAIRMAN

We saw the creation of the Leadership Alliance between Broome County’s two most prominent economic and business development organizations, The Agency and the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, as our Executive Director became the next President & CEO of the Chamber. This joint strength between our organizations will only continue to inspire a more positive outlook going forward as the Leadership Alliance remains steadfast in its commitment to create a sustainable economic climate.

In all that The Agency has accomplished in the past year, we have led the way with an optimistic outlook, and the Agency and the Chamber intend to nurture this shared community optimism, because the way one approaches a problem can mean everything to finding the solution. Together, we are stronger, and through effective collaboration, we will build a blueprint for a better Broome going forward in 2020 and beyond.

WHO WE ARE The Agency is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors that is appointed by the Chairman of the Broome County Legislature. The Board governs the activities of both the IDA and the LDC.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JOHN M. BERNARDO

WAYNE L. HOWARD

JOHN J. STEVENS

CHAIRMAN

VICE CHAIRMAN

TREASURER

RICHARD A. BUCCI

DANIEL E. CROCKER

BRIAN T. ROSE

CHERYL I. SACCO

JOE P. MIRABITO

JAMES R. PEDUTO

SECRETARY

DEVELOPMENT TEAM

STACEY DUNCAN

TOM GRAY

NATALIE ABBADESSA

BRENDAN O’BRYAN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

SENIOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

BUSINESS & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

CARRIE HORNBECK EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

THERESA RYAN

AMY WILLIAMSON

FINANCE MANAGER

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

JOE MEAGHER LEGAL COUNSEL

STRATEGIC

PLAN

2017 2020

12 Assume a Leadership Role in the Development and Implementation of a Workforce Development and Talent Attraction Initiative

Facilitate a collaborative approach to advancing the economic revitalization of the Binghamton, Endicott and Johnson City urban cores and positioning the targeted areas for longterm economic sustainability

We promote and leverage all available resources and Broome County’s strengths to foster economic growth and create prosperity in an ethical and transparent manner.

345 The Agency is a catalyst, partner and investor that delivers clear benefits including job creation, development sites and enhanced quality of life for the residents of Broome County.

Reduce and mitigate the impact of development barriers, particularly infrastructure and availability of sites

Develop and implement a comprehensive business recruitment and retention strategy that responds to the most critical issues ranging from gap financing to strengthening the innovative and entrepreneurial atmosphere

Strengthen the capacity of both the IDA and LDC entities in support of these strategic priorities

ALL ABOUT LEADERSHIP. INTRODUCING...

BROOME COUNTY a good life.

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TAKING THE LEAD

In October 2019, The Agency and The Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, and their subsequent organizations, forged a strategic leadership alliance. The Agency’s Executive Director, Stacey Duncan, was appointed by the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as its new President & CEO. Now, Duncan serves as the administrative link between the two Boards of Directors, which exist independently as both organizations continue to pursue their individual missions while championing shared goals towards economic growth in Broome County.

The Leadership Alliance welcomed the new year with Strategic Planning Consultant Susan Payne as boards and staff from both organizations sat down to map out a blueprint for a better Broome County. From there emerged the vision, for the Leadership Alliance to be recognized as the single entry point for business development and promotion.

When the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we lived our daily lives and forced the nation’s economy to shutdown, the Leadership Alliance stepped up to make that vision a reality. The Leadership Alliance served as single point of accurate, real-time information for businesses and residents alike in Broome County, published two key COVID-19 business resources, the Resiliency Toolkit and Reopening Playbook, and developed the COVID-19 Economic Response, Recovery and Resiliency Task Force to isolate and promote best practices for businesses to safely reopen and restart our economy.

In the face of this unprecedented crisis, the Leadership Alliance has still remained committed to its five core principles: • • • • •

EFFICIENT AND PRODUCTIVE COORDINATION OF PUBLIC / PRIVATE RESOURCES FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS; FOCUS ON TALENT RETENTION AND ACQUISITION IN SUPPORT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS; DEVELOP A COLLABORATIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BLUEPRINT; BECOME THE PRIMARY RESOURCE FOR CURRENT INFORMATION ON BUSINESS ACTIVITY; ENHANCE OUR IMAGE AND VISIBILITY WITH PROACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS AND ADVOCACY PROGRAMS.

The Leadership Alliance will continue to pool their collective resources and relationships to proactively support business development, promote the county’s unique assets, and attract talent and investment to strengthen our community and create a sustainable economic environment.

PILOT’S P R O J E C T ’ S

2019

TOTAL INVESTMENT: $107,444,698

CANOPY GROWTH LLC | KIRKWOOD Canopy Growth is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of industrial hemp based out of Canada with offices and subsidiaries worldwide. Canopy decided to establish their American manufacturing operations here in Broome County where they can readily purchase bulk hemp from regional farmers. Renovations of the facility located at 47-51 Pine Camp Drive in the town of Kirkwood will allow Canopy Growth to process, manufacture, package and distribute hemp derived CBD products. The 308,000 square foot facility when in operation will make Binghamton and the Southern Tier a leader in this space of the agri-pharma manufacturing industry.

TOTAL PROJECT INVESTMENT: $99,390,000 • 75 NEW JOBS

128 GRAND AVE, LLC | JOHNSON CITY

CARRIER SERVICES GROUP | KIRKWOOD

The Lofts@JC project will transform an abandoned structure in Johnson City to a modern ground-up development of a 31,500 square foot three-fore residential apartment building comprised of 24 new units perfect for students, staff, and young professionals.

The project is designed to remain consistent with new design standards set within the community and will be up to date with luxury living at an affordable price.

Carrier Services Group purchased and renovated the old DOD Hillcrest Depot to be the site of their new World Headquarters for asset management services. The site is home to 46 acres including 400,000 square feet of building space. The site will allow CSG to offer a complete portfolio of asset management services for companies such as Verizon, Century Link, Frontier and more.

TOTAL PROJECT INVESTMENT: $6,180,000 • 3 NEW JOBS

TOTAL PROJECT INVESTMENT: $1,874,698 • 55 NEW JOBS

The Small Business Incentive Program provides assistance to businesses located in Broome County through the elimination of (8%) Sales Tax on qualified purchases related to operating a business or for the expansion, renovation of business operations and a (1%) Mortgage Recording Tax on the purchase of land or buildings for business operations.

LOANS

2019

TOTAL: $300,000

WE GOT YOU! SYNERGY ATHLETICS

$16,400 SMALL BUSINESS INCENTIVE PROGRAM This financing will assist Synergy Athletics remodel and upgrade their new location found at 1429 Upper Front Street, Town of Chenango, Broome County, NY. This will be Synergy Athletics fourth location in Broome County, where the company started in 2008. The facility will be equipped with new furnishings, HVAC system, bathroom facilities and shower rooms, increased insulation, LED lights, and exterior upgrades.

250 MAIN SREET, LLC $100,000 BR&E LOAN

The 250 Main Street project consists of the renovation of a 3-story historic brick building in downtown Johnson City. Financing through the small business incentive program and a loan of the BCIDA will allow 250 Main LLC to renovate the entire building to include new up to date equipment and materials. The first floor of the building will feature a commercial space and the remaining floors will house residential 2 bedroom units.

SIMULATION & CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

$200,000 STEED LOAN

Simulation and Control Technologies, Inc (SCT) received a $200,000 loan to assist in the expansion of its holdings through the purchase and revamping of the property and building at 430 Airport Road in Endicott, New York, converting it from a distribution warehouse into a hi-tech engineering office and manufacturing space. The continued development and testing of SCT’s higher payload motion systems is one of many leading R&D priorities

NATIONAL PIPE AND PLASTICS

$418,000 SMALL BUSINESS INCENTIVE PROGRAM National Pipe and Plastics requested an application for a sales and use tax exemption for the purchase of their new headquarters located at 1 North Page Avenue Endicott, New York. This financial assistance allowed for NPP to construct a brand new 23,000+/- sq ft office building, employee and visitor parking lots and park/green space next door to their manufacturing and shipping facility allowing for more efficient and effective production efforts.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

the GOAL.

The Broome Talent Task Force has expanded in the last year, welSUCCESSFUL To introduce students to career opportunities and develop skills to make informed choices about college, internships, coming Tioga FUTURE County to its efforts. jobs and opportunities in our region.

The newly named Broome Tioga Talent Task Force’s first initiative To connect local business to students to foster the growth of a successful workforce pipeline strengthening this year was to create the Peak our community and economy for the future.

12TH program, the path to a successful grade future. The purpose of Peak is to assist all those involved in early the CHALLENGE. career preparedness programs To effectively communicate the wide array of opportunities available to students in a across Broome and Tioga Coun11TH grade cohesive and sequential process, aligning students with opportunities that fit with ties. This includes all students, job their natural talent and interests. seekers, educational institutions, and key business partnerships 10TH within the region. With this prograde gram, we hope to tackle the questhe PATH. TIOGA tion of accessBROOME and+ ascension withThe creation of a cohesive and sequential process to commuin the workforce.

9TH nicate and expose students to targeted activities that will engage and excite them to make informed choices about their future.

The Peak Path to a Successful Future will connect students with local businesses, internships and mentoring to foster relationships to build a vibrant future workforce.

grade

The Broome Talent Task Force has expanded in the last year, welcoming Tioga County to its efforts. The newly named Broome Tioga Talent Task Force’s first initiative this year was to create the Peak pro8TH grade gram, the path to a successful future. The purpose of Peak is to assist all those involved in early career preparedness programs across Broome and Tioga Counties. This includes all students, job seekers, educational institutions, and key business partnerships within the region. With this program, we hope to tackle the question of access and ascension within the workforce.

SPARK This school year, the Greater Binghamton Education Outreach Program (GBEOP) launched the first annual 8th Grade Career Exploration Fair, SPARK. The Agency served as a partner for the event through the Good Life Program, as strong talent attraction and workforce retention efforts begin at home.

Area companies provided hands-on exposure to nearly 2,000 eighth graders from 17 middle schools within the Southern Tier. The goal of the SPARK Career Fair is to promote career readiness amongst students getting ready to enter high school and showcase careers available in our community to encourage students to begin thinking about their career path.

BROOME COUNTY a good life.

TM

RON AND ALICE KWELLER - LIVE IN: VESTAL, NY

OWNERS OF: RENT BING - MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT PROPERTIES / THE COLONIAL RESTAURANT / DOS RIOS CANTINA / THE FOX STONE RESTAURANT

“Binghamton, a city full of opportunity” HOW HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE HERE? Ron: It’s a small town environment where everything is accessible. Everyone is open to a conversation. It is very easy to get answers and get things done. There are many stakeholders that are really invested in making Broome County a better place and you can feel that.

Alice: I’ve been able to pursue a Master’s as well as an MBA part-time at BU while being a hands on mom. Where else can you have the time, the great educational opportunity, and a quality family life all at the same time but in Broome.

HOW HAS YOUR PERSONAL LIFE BENEFITED FROM LIVING/WORKING HERE? Ron: Tremendously. My commute time is only 7 minutes, so that leaves me with so much time to experience life with my family, enjoy the endless amount of activities in sports, cultural centers and a thriving downtown with great restaurants. And I get to do all this while being able to create new businesses which is very exciting and fulfilling.

Alice: Everything I need is a few minute drive away so that is very helpful especially because my kids stay active with baseball, football, ice hockey, tennis. The area offers great sports programs to choose from. Our neighborhood has a lot to offer…hiking trails, parks which is why even during the pandemic we were able to stay active outdoors since there is so much open space. Overall, these activities are providing my kids a very fun and exciting childhood experience and it is building in them a great sense of community.

HOW WOULD YOU RECOMMEND BROOME COUNTY TO SOMEONE LOOKING TO RELOCATE? Ron: Broome offers that a small town and city experience with big time amenities. We have fantastic restaurants, 1st class sports, an amazing university with cultural institutions, concerts, sports…it’s endless. And it is a great place raise a family with great schools, a tight knit community, where we all support each other.

Alice: In a nutshell...affordable living, great schools, tons of sports for kids and outdoor activities, no traffic, an awesome downtown with lots of restaurants, art and entertainment, and we have a Wegmans! Nothing beats that! Everything is so accessible to enjoy the perfect work/life experience.

”From humble meat market to broome county staple”

LUPO’S ORIGINAL SPIEDIES For locals, Lupo’s and their spiedies have probably been household terms for decades. Since the founding of the original Watson Boulevard Lupo’s store in 1951, the family has been providing fresh, quality and classic meat products to Broome County (and beyond), adding some signature marinades along the way.

Current co-owners Sam Lupo Jr. and his brother Steve learned everything they know about the family business from their father Sam Sr. and uncle John Lupo, original owners of Lupo’s meat market in Endicott. It was through this store that most Broome County residents first became familiarized, and enthralled with, Lupo’s meat products.

This solid foundation, in addition to the hard work of Sam Sr. and John to making Lupo’s as reputable and well-run as possible, gave this business its strong start.

While the spiedie didn’t originate with the Lupo family, they are the only local manufacturer of spiedies.

Though chicken spiedies are their all-time best-selling item, Lupo’s offers a variety of meat products including chicken, lamb and pork spiedies, sausage, boneless and pre-marinated chicken breasts (all manufactured in their Endicott facility), as well as various marinades like spiedie, buffalo, lemon-garlic, barbecue and more (all made and bottled in the Kirkwood location).

The economic impact of Lupo’s on our region is unquestionable. Lupo’s produces a million and a quarter pounds of meat products every year, with April through September being their busiest season. Lupo’s products travel to grocery stores as far south as Scranton and Wilkes Barre, as well as Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Corning once a week.

Sam and Steve are pleased to be working with Sam’s son Eliott, growing the business into a third generation.

From humble meat market to Broome County staple, Lupo’s products can be purchased in almost every local grocery store.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

VILLAGE OF JOHNSON CITY PARTNERSHIP In 2019 The Agency entered into contract with the Village of Johnson City to provide assistance in moving forward the grants available through the Greater Binghamton Fund. These funds are available to property owners and the Village in order to improve the Village’s iDistrict Streetscape, Parks, Gateway, Green Infrastructure and Public Access Improvements including public access to WiFi. The Agency took the lead on the “Project Facelift” fund program in order to provide business owners with access to reimbursable funds to improve their façade. We have been working with nearly 20 businesses in the Village of Johnson City to navigate the State’s reimbursement process. This is just one part of many aspects The Agency continues to assist the Village of Johnson City in order to improve the livability, workability and overall appearance to the historic Village of Johnson City.

BROWNFIELDS GRANT FOR COMMUNITIES The Brownfields Grant for Communities is a grant set up by the Environmental Protection Agency set aside for cleanup and redevelopment, job creation, and economic development. The Agency was selected to receive a $300,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant targeting many of the old industrial facilities that have been the face of Broome County for a long time and a reminder of our post-industrial past. The funds will be used to identify sites for assessment across all of Broome County, to assess sites for hazardous substances, complete cleanup and reuse plans, and to carry out community outreach activities. With this EPA program, and utilization of these grant funds, we will reimagine the future of Broome County’s proud industrial past.

600 MAIN STREET REDEVELOPMENT STUDY The Agency began a planning and design process to redevelop the site in 2018 after it had been severely damaged in the September 2011 flood and property ownership was transferred to The Agency. The 27-acre parcel has great visibility and easy access to all areas of Broome County and remains one of the only parcels of open and ready to develop land in Broome County. In collaboration with town, village and county planning offices, state agencies and local residents The Agency has been conduction a State Environmental Quality Review and Generic Environmental Impact Statement in order to make the site as ready for redevelopment as possible. Through our exhaustive research, The Agency and our partners have identified three redevelopment scenarios which incorporate green and gray infrastructure, as well as technology solutions to increase resilience to flooding. This whole process is in an attempt to identify any significant adverse impacts related to the implementation of the site, come up with simple and recommended redevelopment scenarios that are integral for informed decision-making on the site. Our next steps in the process is to issue a Request for Proposals and seek a developer who might want to redevelop this site

FOURTH WAVE INITIATIVE PHASE 1

In November of 2019, the Agency, in conjunction with Three Rivers Development, Team Tioga, and Strategic Planning Consu tant Susan Payne, published the Fourth Wave Initiative Phase I Report.

The report serves as an indepth assessment of the region’s assets and opportunities for application of battery technology and growth of new and existing businesses. It was expected to evaluate the demand for value-added business development associated with clean energy product development, battery manufacturing, assembly of battery packets, base components of energy storage stationary equipment, system integration, and more.

PROJECT UPDATES THE ANSCO CAMERA FACTORY The Ansco Lofts, located at the site of the historic Ansco Camera Factory, officially opened January 2020. Paulus Development, based in Syracuse, brought the property back to life through this $25 million project featuring 100 new lofts and 35,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor. The Lofts provide luxury living, ranging from 500 SF to 1,300 SF, at a fraction of the cost making it perfect for young professionals and addressing the need to provide new housing for the working population of Broome County.

These apartments are available for lease now.

250 MAIN STREET, LLC Construction is underway for the renovations of the property and building located at 250 Main Street Johnson City. The rehabilitation of the historic three-story brick building will feature a community space in the basement, a cafĂŠ and artisan shop on the first floor and two market rate residential units on the upper floors. All floors will be furnished with new materials, such as kitchens and bath, HVAC, and more, to meet up to date design standards.

CR LAND, LLC January 2019 welcomed the grand opening of the 434 Sportsplex located at 1900 Vestal Parkway West. The 53,000 SF building is home to indoor athletic fields, weight training, batting cages as well as a cafĂŠ, offices, and meeting rooms. The goal of the project was to provide an immense indoor multi-sports and athletic space for the residents of the Greater Binghamton community and draw visitors from all over New York State and the surrounding areas. Sports camps, field rentals, and more services are provided by the 434 Sportsplex.

Kevin is an undergraduate at Binghamton University and an economic development intern at The Agency. A graduate of a local high school, Kevin went on to study Financial Economics and hopes to pursue a career in real estate.

KEVIN WU

BROOME COUNTY WORKFORCE DATA ANALYSIS For this project, Kevin revised the Workforce Data Analysis last conducted by Susan Payne, Strategic Planning and Economic Development Consultant, back in August of 2016. To accomplish this, Kevin extracted and analyzed data in employment, wages, target industries, and labor force characteristics through Chmura JobsEQ, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, and various research databases. Using this data, Kevin was able to formulate trends and isolate patterns in the Broome County workforce.

THE AGENCY PROJECT MAPPING The goal of this project is to create a platform that can display all projects that The Agency has been involved in over the past few years. By carefully examining all the documents associated with each project and loans, as well as using GIS, IMO, and Tax Maps, Kevin was able to design models and create detailed profiles for each individual project. The Agency has approved more than 30 projects and 20 loans over the past 20 years. Not only do these projects and loans continue to stimulate our local economy and generate jobs and opportunities, they also provide Broome County residents with a higher quality of life.

BROOME COUNTY HOUSING STUDY Currently, Kevin is working to update the Broome County Housing study, which was last conducted back in 2017. For this project, Kevin reviews various reports such as NYSAR Housing Market Reports, Broome County Comprehensive Plan, and the US Census.

Upon assessing the data, he then prepares content for The Agency’s Housing Study, which reflects the trends and health of the Broome County housing market.

Kevin has said this project has given him the opportunity to become more familiar with the real estate market and its health through navigating residential and commercial real estate websites such as Zillow, Realtor, and Loopnet.

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