New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recommends keeping the state’s public health lab in Albany, a step toward putting an end to years of deliberation about a move. Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, an Albany Democrat, says the updated $750 million Wadsworth Center will create 1,200 jobs just from the public investment.
“We hope there’ll be many multipliers with other suppliers and firms coming in as well as ultimately a multiplier of $2.3 billion,” Fahy said. “This is big. We need to make sure it works for Albany and the Capital Region with bringing in those innovators and scientists into the core of this region.”
The new center would replace five facilities around the Capital Region. Governor Cuomo, a Democrat, detailed his $178 billion state budget plan Tuesday for lawmakers to consider the start of the fiscal year April 1.
“The new public health laboratory to be located at the Harriman state office campus is great news for the Capital Region," said State Senator Neil Breslin, a Capital Region Democrat, in a statement. This project has the potential to create over 1,000 science jobs in our community, and contribute millions of dollars to our local economy.”
“I am pleased to see that the long overdue investment in the Harriman State Office Building Campus through the New Life Sciences Lab siting announcement," said Assemblyman John McDonald, a Capital Region, Democrat, in a statement. "This is a discussion that has been ongoing for decades and is not only a victory for the City of Albany and Albany County but for Rensselaer, Saratoga, and the entire Capital Region. This facility will be the headquarters for the premiere health care research facility in the country and will bring significant jobs and investment to our upstate communities.”
