Plattsburgh again among top micropolitan communities for development

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March 9, 2009

Site Selection magazine applauds economic gains

BY DAN HEATH The Press Republican Fri May 14, 2010, 07:13 PM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — Plattsburgh is once again near the top of a national magazine's ranking of economic-development projects.

Site Selection, the magazine of corporate real-estate strategy and area economic development, has Plattsburgh 14th in its 2008 Governor's Cup Award ranking of top micropolitan areas, five spots better than last year.

The Development Corp. was invited to submit notable projects to the magazine staff on behalf of Clinton County.

TOP PROJECTS
Those included the $30 million Nova Bus plant nearing completion in the Town of Plattsburgh. The 136,000-square-foot plant is being built in The Development Corp.'s Banker Road Industrial Park and is expected to employ 250 by the end of September.

In addition, Nova Bus suppliers SpencerARL New York and B3CG Interconnect are expanding to locations in The Development Corp.'s Air Industrial Park, also in the Town of Plattsburgh. Those two companies are expected to eventually bring another 100 jobs to the Plattsburgh area.

Other nominated projects include the approximately $177 million Noble Altona Windpark (temporarily off-line due to tower collapse), the $33.5 million expansion at CVPH Medical Center in the City of Plattsburgh and the $9 million Hampton Inn and Suites under construction on Route 3 in the Town of Plattsburgh.

DIVERSITY
"It is gratifying to see development in such disparate sectors demonstrating the local diversification in economic growth," Development Corp. President Adoré Flynn Kurtz said in a news release.

"Such diversity indicates the internal strength in the local economy and is compelling proof to existing local companies and new businesses that Plattsburgh is a good place to do business."

The magazine defines micropolitans as municipalities with 10,000 to 50,000 people that cover at least one county.

The ranking is based on new or expanded capital projects, as tracked by magazine publisher Conway Data Inc.'s New Plant Database.

Plattsburgh Town Supervisor Bernie Bassett said work done by the town and its departments to bring projects to fruition is vital to the region's success.

"With the help of other regional agencies, services, organizations, educational institutions, etc., we have the opportunity for even greater success in the future," he said in a written statement.

"Given the current economic challenges that developers and investors must work with, we have many unique resources to help achieve success and economic stability for businesses that locate in Plattsburgh."

RANKINGS
Other New York micropolitan areas to make the list are Batavia at No. 4; Jamestown-Dunkirk-Fredonia, No. 26; and Corning, No. 41.

Plattsburgh has been the top 20 since at least 2002. It finished third in 2002, second in 2003, fourth in 2004, seventh in 2005, 12th in 2006 and 19th in 2007.

City of Plattsburgh Mayor Donald Kasprzak said Plattsburgh is constantly ranked high due to the efforts of regional government and economic leaders.

"As long as we work together and remain positive in these difficult times, I am confident Plattsburgh will remain a priority destination for interested developers."

E-mail Dan Heath at: dheath@pressrepublican.com