Orange County Partnership Hands Out 2016 Major Awards

NEW WINDSOR—The Orange County Partnership recently recognized Angry Orchard Cider Company, Woodbury Common Premium Outlets and Matrix Development Group at its 30th Anniversary Annual Event held recently at Anthony’s Pier 9 in New Windsor.

Maureen Halahan, president and CEO of the Orange County Partnership stated, “As we celebrate 30 years of economic development and growth, our Board of Directors were unanimous in acknowledging the contributions of this year’s award winners.”

The Spirit of Innovation Award was bestowed to Angry Orchard, which began operations in Walden in 2015.  The Quality of Life award was given to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, NY, one of the largest contiguous outlet centers in the world.  Opened in 1985, the center underwent expansions in 1993 and 1998.  It boasts 240 retail stores and occupies 900,000 square feet.

In 2011 the mall announced a proposed $100-million expansion plan that would include a three-level parking garage, 60,000 square feet of additional retail space, new store facades and improvements to traffic flow within the mall and the New York State Thruway interchange at Harriman. With full project completion anticipated in 2017, this project has created 400 construction jobs and 350–400 permanent ones at the new stores.

The Alliance for Balanced Growth recognized Matrix Development Group with its Golden Shovel Award. One of the firm’s most notable projects is the ongoing project in the Town of Newburgh.

Construction of the 565,000-square-foot building on a 69-acre property off Route 17K and Corporate Boulevard began last year. AmerisourceBergen will occupy 317,000 square feet while the remaining 248,000 square feet is speculative construction.

This project represents a $75-million capital investment that has created hundreds of construction jobs and will establish 121 new jobs.