Projects, Communities, + People in the News

Aerospace technology company BAE Systems plans to expand its operations in Endicott, New York. The $64 million project is expected to create up to 134 jobs in Broome County. The 150,000-square-foot addition at the company’s existing campus will include the purchase and installation of machinery and equipment to produce an energy storage system for electric/hybrid electric aircraft. Operations are scheduled to begin in 2027. | Read the story at Area Development

Montreal splash pad maker to expand into Plattsburgh, create up to 40 jobs. Vortex Aquatic Structures International is expanding into a 50,000-square foot facility on the former Air Force Base.  The new Plattsburgh location will serve as a manufacturing facility. Vortex has employed sales staff in the U.S., but this will be its first factory in the country. A big selling point was how close Plattsburgh is to Montreal, and the plan is to bring more production in-house. | Read the story at NCPR

Frito Lay plant lays off 287 in Sullivan County. On February 19, the Frito Lay Pepsico plant in Liberty announced it would close operations, laying off its 287 employees after over two decades of employment. County officials and Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO All 287 positions will be laid off in a 14-day period beginning on May 21. | Read the story at the River Reporter

New York state's economic development arm is stepping in to help solve what many owners of government-subsidized affordable housing in New York City. Empire State Development is issuing a $2 million low-interest loan to a collective of landlords who pooled their resources to fund their own liability insurance coverage after private-market premiums roughly doubled over the past five years. The owners pay an annual rate to the collective, known as a “captive” in insurance parlance, which they can then draw on to cover costs of damages or lawsuits. | Gothamist has the Story

Three New York companies won $180,000 in grants for microelectronics competition. Nordtech and FuzeHub held the New York State. Microelectronics Innovation Challenge to encourage new tech innovations. The three winners are Sono-Tek Corp. in Ulster County; Vyir Inc. of New York City, and TomPhyzx LLC of Dundee, which is between Keuka and Seneca lakes in the Finger Lakes region. The New York State Microelectronics Innovation Challenge was designed to support “groundbreaking advancements that enhance national defense through developments in the microelectronics industry.” | Read at the Times Union

Wayne County IDA advances prison redevelopment plan. At a recent board meeting, the board discussed the Wayne County Correctional Facility property transfer, a long-standing effort to repurpose the former prison site. Once state approval is secured, the county will finalize a land purchase agreement with Westbury Lumber, the private company acquiring the site. Officials expect the sale to close by April, marking a significant step in redeveloping the property for economic use. | Read the story here.

The state’s shovel-ready development study has granted the Orange County Industrial Development Agency $500,000 for environmental studies of the Roseton power plant site in the Town of Newburgh. IDA Executive Director Bill Fioravanti said the funds will be used for pre-development studies into future uses of the property along the Hudson River. | Mid Hudson News has the story.

New York Association of Employment & Training Professionals (NYATEP) released their annual State of the Workforce Report for 2024. The Report provides an annual snapshot of publicly available data to inform communities about the dynamics of their regional economy and the workforce impact. The report is intended to help shed light on who is working and who isn’t, what sectors and occupations are growing across the State, and how effectively New York’s programs, education and training systems are performing to meet current and projected future workforce needs. | Find the report here.