HGAR Broker/Owner Event, July 22

Putnam’s Businesses, Nonprofits and Tourism Interests Rely on Each Other

Putnam County’s economy is essentially a symbiotic relationship between area businesses, nonprofits and the tourism industry, and business development strategies would do well to understand this interaction. Perhaps more than any other nearby county, Putnam relies on large nonprofit employers to provide jobs and fuel our economy.  A review of the Putnam County Economic Development…

Normandy Inks Over 235,000 Square Feet Of Lease Deals at The Exchange in 2015

WHITE PLAINS—Normandy Real Estate Partners, a leading real estate operator and fund manager, announced recently it had secured significant leasing volume for its Westchester County-based portfolio, “The Exchange.” The 1.6 million-square-foot portfolio, which consists of 14 buildings, has completed more than 235,000 square feet of leases year-to-date, with CBRE representing Normandy in the transactions. This…

Major Sportsdome Project Planned at IBM Parcel

EAST FISHKILL—A two-and-a-half year process to bring what will be a $25-million air-supported sportsdome to Dutchess County ended last month with the purchase of a 30-acre parcel of land here by Hopewell Sportsdome Ventures from an affiliate of Linuo Solar Group, the owner of the IBM West campus property. The vacant property was part of…

Yonkers to Build First Firehouse in 35 Years

YONKERS—Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano announced on Aug. 13 the city plans to build a new firehouse in downtown Yonkers, the first to be constructed in 35 years. The decision was made after city officials and engineers determined that the building conditions at local firehouse Station 1 on New School Street were unsafe earlier this summer.…

Urstadt REIT Acquires Westchester Shopping Center

HARRISON—Urstadt Biddle Properties Inc. of Greenwich, CT has increased its retail holdings in Westchester County with the $10-million purchase of the Harrison Shopping Center here. The retail REIT paid all cash for the 25,000-square-foot property. The property is anchored by an A&P Fresh Supermarket, which will be replaced by a prominent grocer upon bankruptcy court…

Council Keeps Current Fire Sprinkler Codes

ALBANY—The New York State Association of Realtors reported on Aug. 19 that the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council voted 10-3 to keep existing code as is and will not implement a statewide mandate on fire sprinkler installation. NYSAR and HGAR issued Calls for Action over the last several months to its…

Hudson Valley Becomes Engineering Innovation Hub

NEW PALTZ—Engineers will be needed in a host of technological and manufacturing industries in the years to come and the Hudson Valley is at the forefront of advancing new engineering technologies, including the development of 3-D Printing, and educating the engineers of tomorrow. The Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp., in collaboration with SUNY New Paltz…

HVEDC Receives NYSEG Grant For ‘Bet on Business’ Academy

NEW WINDSOR— Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp. reported recently it had received a grant from the New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) Corp. for its groundbreaking “Bet on My Business Academy” initiative. The pilot program, part of HVEDC’s Hudson Valley Food & Beverage Alliance, aims to help local entrepreneurs in the food and beverage…

Hudson Valley Beer, Wine Spirits Summit To Be Held on Oct. 14th at Culinary Institute

HYDE PARK—The Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation (HVEDC) announced on Aug. 12 that the keynote speaker at its highly anticipated, third annual Hudson Valley Beer, Wine, Spirits, & Cider Summit will be leading American wine educator Kevin Zraly, founder of Windows on the World Wine School. The Summit will take place on October 14th beginning…

Gov. Cuomo Signs Bill Geared to Help Craft Breweries, Distilleries and Cideries

ALBANY—Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation on Aug. 14 that will make business easier for craft beverage companies in New York State. The three measures will allow farm distilleries to sell gifts and souvenirs, authorize retail stores to conduct tastings of liquor, beer and cider, and exempt micro-breweries from redundant tax filing requirements. “In every corner…

Food and Beverage Industry Plays Key Role in Hudson Valley Economy

The food and beverage sector has been a mainstay of the Hudson Valley economy for some time with the likes of PepsiCo, Dannon and Heineken USA doing business in the Hudson Valley and employing thousands of workers. The sector has been bolstered by some growing industry players such as: Best Mexican, Gillette Creamery, Harney &…

Could Project Impact TZ Commuter Rail? New $25 Billion Gateway Tunnel Proposal Garners Initial Support from NY-NJ Pols

TARRYTOWN—Construction work continues in earnest on the $3.9-billion new Tappan Zee Bridge project. A key future component of the new bridge will be enhanced mass transit either in the form of bus rapid transit or commuter rail. The commuter rail component to bring a one-seat ride to West of Hudson commuters to Grand Central Station…

Baby Boomers Still a Major Force in Hudson Valley

NEW PALTZ— Labor expert Dr. Paul Harrington of Drexel University contends that the major economic driver of the Hudson Valley is still the Baby Boomers and not the Millennial generation as many economists and business experts would have you believe. Dr. Harington, the keynote speaker at the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp.’s second State of…

Hudson Valley Sees Explosive Growth in Food and Beverage Industry

In recent years, the Hudson Valley region has seen substantial growth in its food and beverage industry. Perhaps what was once the region’s best-kept secret, the Hudson Valley’s food and beverage industry has experienced continuous expansion in size, popularity and recognition. This widespread development has been demonstrated in its craft breweries, distilleries, cider mills and…

$300M Mixed-Use Project in Port Chester Advances

PORT CHESTER—Starwood Capital Group of Greenwich, CT officially began the public review process last month on its ambitious $300-million redevelopment plan for the long shuttered United Hospital property here. The project entered the public review process on July 20 after Port Chester’s Board of Trustees voted to accept as complete the Draft Environmental Impact Statement…

Lennar Seeks Approval of $277M Redevelopment Of Westchester Pavilion Mall in White Plains

WHITE PLAINS—A few months after it signed an agreement to acquire the troubled Westchester Pavilion mall here and redevelop the site into a major mixed-use complex, the Florida-based developer of the project appeared before the City of White Plains earlier this month for site plan approval. William Null, an attorney with White Plains-based law firm…

Butterfield Project in Cold Spring Breaks Ground

COLD SPRING– Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell and other elected officials and participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Butterfield redevelopment project and the dedication of the Roger Ailes Senior Center on July 8 in Cold Spring. The Roger Ailes Senior Center will be a senior friendship and nutrition center, run by the Putnam County…

Lt. Governor Touts Policies for Rebuilding State’s Economy

RYE BROOK—More than 100 members and guests of The Business Council of Westchester were on hand June 30 for an exclusive address by New York Lt. Gov. Kathleen Hochul who told the audience how Governor Andrew Cuomo is rebuilding the state’s economy by adding jobs, luring businesses to stay in the Empire State and controlling…

HGAR Yankees Event Raises More Than $12,000 for RPAC

HGAR raised $12,050 for RPAC at its Yankee Rooftop Barbecue and Game event on June 24 at Yankee Stadium.  Approximately 75 HGAR members and sponsors attended the event.