The mid-Hudson region, which includes Westchester and six neighboring counties, has been awarded $67 million in grants as a part of the state”™s Regional Economic Development Council initiative to spur job growth.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo and members of his administration on Dec. 8 announced how a total of $785 million in state stimulus funding would be divided between the 10 regions.
The initiative, launched in July, called for a competition of sorts between each of the 10 regions, in which each region”™s council was responsible for creating a comprehensive economic development plan and for pinpointing high-potential projects that would immediately spur job growth and private-sector investment.
The mid-Hudson region”™s award is directed toward 61 such projects, including $4 million for the development of a biotech incubator center for advanced research at the New York Medical College in Valhalla; $30 million for the development of affordable housing; $8 million for regional manufacturers like San-Mar Laboratories Inc. in Elmsford; and $3 million for municipalities to assist with infrastructure projects.
The mid-Hudson region missed out on the bigger, $100 million-plus prizes that awaited each of the four “best plan awardees,” but regional council representative Marsha Gordon, president and CEO of The Business Council of Westchester, said the grant still addresses some of the region”™s biggest needs.
“First of all, it”™s a large amount of funding to be able to bring home to our region. When I”™m looking at the projects here that are funded, they range from job creation projects and incubating new businesses to housing projects and the arts and culture ”“ so they really span the broad strategy of the Hudson Valley,” Gordon said.
She said in Westchester, 17 separate projects will receive funding, including the planned biotech incubator at New York Medical College, which was among the county”™s top priorities.
“One of our priorities, which is to create a biotech cluster in Westchester County, has been recognized with the award of $4 million,” she said.
After the regions submitted strategic plans to the governor, an independent committee analyzed and ranked each plan to determine the grant dollars that would be awarded to each region.
The top awardees were the western, north, Long Island and central regions.
The Mid-Hudson region also includes Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan and Ulster counties.
