Officials from Clinton County and the Town of Plattsburgh held a ribbon cutting this morning to formally open access to new manufacturing development acreage that is considered a significant milestone in regional economic development.
Officials celebrated the opening of the Clinton County Business Innovation Gateway in the Clinton County Industrial Park. County Legislature Chair Republican Mark Henry said the new 145 acres of shovel ready land is crucial to attracting developers to the area.
“This is a moment that many of us have worked for, for years. This project represents a major step forward for Clinton County. the Clinton County Business Innovation Gateway isn’t just a road. It’s the foundation for future growth and opportunity. This new infrastructure will support business expansion, innovation and job creation helping to strengthen our local economy for years and years to come. The potential here is immense. What we’re creating here today, all of us here today, will open doors for new industries, encourage entrepreneurship and provide new opportunities for our workforce.”
State Assemblyman D. Billy Jones, a Democrat representing the 115th District, supported passage in 2022 of the FAST-NY state initiative, which provides grants to communities to develop shovel ready development projects. A $3 million grant from that program helped to develop 145 acres of the Business Innovation Gateway site.
“A lot of what goes on in development is what you don’t see: the infrastructure behind it. We have industrial ready sites, shovel ready sites, ready to go here and that’s what economic development is. This is really a momentous day and this is what we envisioned. We have a site here ready for development and I can’t wait for what’s ready to happen here on these sites.”
Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman, a Democrat, said it marks a major milestone for the region’s economic development.
“This project underscores our commitment to strategic investments that drive both growth and innovation and it will not only benefit us today but will serve generations to come.”
North Country Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Joel Wood was chatting with Mark Henry. Wood said there is significant interest, especially from Quebec and Canadian based manufacturers, in development opportunities in the area.
“The demand is there and this is something they’ve been asking us about. So when you’re looking at prospect opportunities they’re in the pipeline.”
Mark Henry: “We were talking earlier. This is a road that is built on confidence and optimism. And we’ve got plenty of confidence in this region’s ability to attract businesses and we are certainly optimistic in the future economic growth of this county.”
There are 145 acres that are shovel ready and another 300 can be developed.
Total investment in the project site so far totals about $6 million.
The road leading to the new Clinton County Business Innovation Gateway has been named after long-time North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas.
