Economic
Development Newsletter
March/April 2004:
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OOC Named
One of Top 10 Economic Development Groups in United States
Operation
Oswego County was named one of the top 10 economic development groups
in the United States in 2003 by Site Selection, a magazine targeted
to expansion planning decision-makers such as CEOs, corporate real
estate executives, facility planners, human resource managers and
consultants to corporations. The agency was also the sole awardee
from New York State.
Site Selection, which is distributed internationally,
is the official publication of the Industrial Asset Management Council,
the world’s leading association of industrial asset management
and corporate real estate executives, their suppliers and service
providers, and economic developers.
The top groups were chosen based on four
categories: new jobs, new jobs per 10,000 residents, new investment
amount and new investment per 10,000 residents.
According to Site Selection, “The exclamation
point for the year in this area just north of Syracuse was the creative
solution devised to bring new activity to the former Nestle facility
in Fulton which the company left in May 2003. By year’s end,
details were being finalized by the Fulton Chocolate Company and
the New York Chocolate and Confections Company…in the refurbishment
of the facility. Providing further sustenance for the local economy
is the new $3.6 million, 27,000 square foot plant operated by Empire
Fresh-Cuts.”
“Operation Oswego County has a long
history of providing excellent support services to local businesses.
To be recognized by this prestigious publication demonstrates the
success achieved by OOC’s economic development programs and
policies. This is not just an honor for OOC, but for local businesses
and the county as a whole,” said Senator James Wright, 48th
District.
“We have had a number of recent economic
successes in Oswego County and a lot of those successes can be attributed
to the leadership of Operation Oswego County. I’m pleased
that Operation Oswego County is getting recognition nationally for
the excellent job that locally, we all know they do,” said
Assemblyman William Barclay, 124th District.
“This recognition
of economic development success in 2003 would not have been possible
without the cooperation and support from our federal, state and
local partners including the County of Oswego Industrial Development
Agency, Oswego County Workforce Development Board, Sen. James Wright,
Assemblyman William Barclay, the Fulton Community Development Agency,
the Oswego Community Development Office, the Oswego County Legislature,
Empire State Development, Niagara Mohawk, SUNY Oswego and the United
States Small Business Administration,” said L. Michael Treadwell,
CEcD, executive director of OOC. “We have been successful
due to our tremendous team approach and by earning the confidence
and trust of company leaders.”
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WiseBuys Department
Store Opens in Pulaski
WiseBuys
Stores, Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its new department
store located in the former 59,600 square-foot Ames building in
Pulaski. The Pulaski store is one of five stores in the North Country
and is expected to create more than 60 jobs.
“WiseBuys was formed to proactively
address the recent loss of Ames Department Stores throughout northern
New York,” said WiseBuys Stores, Inc. founder Thomas Scozzafava.
“Ames represented a vital retail destination in the larger,
key shopping centers and filled an important role of providing a
variety of affordably priced and much-needed merchandise. It is
our goal to replace and expand on the concept of Ames.”
The store offers discounted and brand name
merchandise such as clothing, footwear, domestics, home entertainment
equipment, toys, hardware, furniture, appliances, sporting goods
and housewares at every day low prices.
A Payless Shoe Source and a Radio Shack are
also located in the store.
WiseBuys’ employees and management
team will consist of northern New York residents. The department
store’s warehouse and headquarters will also be located in
northern New York.
The project received financial assistance
from the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency (IDA), New
York Business Development Corporation and Key Bank.
“Ames represented a vital retail destination
and filled an important role in the Pulaski community. We are fortunate
that WiseBuys realized the potential of the Pulaski location as
a viable and profitable retail outlet,” said L. Michael Treadwell,
CEcD, executive director of Operation Oswego County.
“The project will not only create additional
job opportunities, but will also have a positive economic impact
on surrounding businesses and vendors in Pulaski.”
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Linked Deposit
Program Enhanced
Empire State Development’s Linked Deposit
Program (LDP), a public-private partnership that provides businesses
with affordable capital based on bank loans at reduced interest
rates, has been enhanced to allow two Linked Deposits concurrently.
The former guidelines limited businesses
to one LDP which meant that if the company purchased equipment using
the LDP, they had to wait 24 months before utilizing the program
for additional equipment or facilities needed.
The enhancement will enable companies to
have two LDPs up to a total of $1 million simultaneously, providing
businesses further incentive to make additional investments.
Under LDP, eligible businesses can obtain
loans from commercial banks, savings banks and savings and loan
associations at an interest rate that is two or three percentage
points lower than the prevailing rate.
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SBA Underwriter
Fee Reduced
Effective in April, the fee charged by SBA
504 program underwriters was decreased from 0.50% to 0.40% for 20-year
loans. This is a 20 % reduction that will directly impact all future
borrowers for the 20-year debenture.
The National Association of Development Companies
(NADCO) recognized underwriters Merrill Lynch and CS First Boston
Corp. for agreeing to reduce their program fee.
According to NADCO, “through
the hard work of these two firms in pricing and effectively marketing
the 504 debentures, the program’s cost to borrowers has dropped
substantially over the past several years.”
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OOC Business
Assistance: Operation Oswego County offers an
array of business assistance services to both new and expanding companies
throughout Oswego County. Creative
Designs in Metal, a metal art business in Volney, will
manufacture tables, wall hangings, fireplace inserts, signs and
industrial machine parts and will specialize in plasma cutting art
and fabrication work. The owner is a graduate of the Micro Enterprise
Training Program and received financial assistance from Fulton Savings
Bank and a Micro Enterprise loan through the County of Oswego Industrial
Development Agency.
Jake’s Automotive
is a new automotive repair business in Oswego. The project will
receive financial assistance from an SBA 504 loan through OOC, City
of Oswego Community Development Office and Pathfinder Bank. The
new business will create four new jobs.
Northern Oswego County Health Services,
Inc. will expand its Pulaski Health Center facility to
improve the quality and accessibility of primary care, specialty
services and dental services. NOCHSI currently employs 80 and served
over 11,000 patients for a total of 37,000 annual visits last year.
Funding for the project will be assisted by the IDA and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
Winter Harbor, LLC will
expand its heated boat storage and servicing business in Hastings
to add a new 39,900 square foot building to be used for boat storage,
painting and repairs. 28 jobs will be created. The project will
receive financial assistance from an SBA 504 loan through OOC, Solvay
Bank and the IDA.
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SBDC’s
20th Anniversary Commemorated with Open-House
To commemorate the 20th anniversary
of New York State Small Business Development Centers providing entrepreneurs
with high quality training and pro bono counseling, the SUNY Oswego
Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosted an open-house at
Rich Hall on the SUNY Oswego campus in April.
New York State Senator James Wright received
an appreciation award at the event for his continuing support of
small business development and his efforts in establishing the SUNY
Oswego SBDC.
For the past 20 years, the NYS/SBDC has provided
direct business advisement to more than 210,000 businesses, helping
them invest over $2.4 billion in the state’s economy. These
businesses have in turn, created or retained over 100,000 jobs.
Working with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the State University
of New York, the City University of New York and private colleges,
the NYS/SBDC has created an electronically integrated network of
23 regional centers and 26 satellite offices around the state that
offer easy access to information, assistance and training necessary
to help entrepreneurs succeed in small business.
Locally, the SUNY Oswego SBDC provides a
wide range of management and technical assistance such as business
plan development, exploring funding options, business expansion,
marketing and training, workshops and seminars.
Since May 2000, the SUNY Oswego SBDC has
served 738 clients that resulted in more than $14 million in funding
for businesses, 274 jobs created and 253 jobs retained.
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 JHL
Supply recently relocated to a larger facility in Fulton to accommodate
the expansion of its specialty tool and HVAC product line. The company
was founded in 1956 by John H. Leavey, an inventor and entrepreneur
who was commissioned to develop a pilot cleaning pressure pump for
gas service workers in Syracuse. JHL Supply offers products from manufacturers
such as Dwyer, Fieldpiece, Robinair, TPI, Maglite, Pelican and Leatherman.
JHL Supply also operates CampingSurvival.com, an online source for
camping survival/preparedness and emergency supplies. Pictured in
the warehouse of the new facility is owner Thomas Sciacca.
King Arthur’s
Suites, located above King Arthur’s Steakhouse and Brewery
in Oswego, recently celebrated the opening of its fully furnished
guest suites. Pictured at the ribbon cutting ceremony are, from
top left, Danielle Hayden, Greater Oswego Chamber of Commerce; Jennifer
Hill, Greater Oswego Chamber of Commerce executive director; Michelle
Pauldine, suite coordinator; City of Oswego Mayor John Gosek; Anthony
Pauldine, owner; L. Michael Treadwell, CEcD, executive director
of Operation Oswego County; Barbara Bateman, Oswego County National
Bank; Candace Parry, chamber ambassador; and Chrystal Hoyt, Greater
Oswego Chamber of Commerce.
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