New York Governor Kathy Hochul wants to establish a new economic development center in Albany’s Pine Hills neighborhood.
The Democrat gathered with local leaders on the former College of Saint Rose campus Thursday to announce the county-owned facility would become one of the next ON-RAMP economic development hubs, aimed at connecting New Yorkers to high-paying tech and manufacturing jobs. She announced a $200 million investment to expand the program across the state, with two other new centers in Utica and Rochester.
"Capital Region ON-RAMP, led by the Center for Economic Growth," said Hoichul . "And I'm proposing it not just right here in Albany, but how about on the college campus, the former College of Saint Rose right here, right now. Let's get it done!"
Hochul says the new ON-RAMP centers will receive up to $300,000 in planning grants. Upon completion of a business plan, each center will receive up to $40 million in implementation funding.
Hochul says the ON-RAMP center at Saint Rose, along with the $400 million her budget includes for Albany, will effectively jump-start the city's future.
“We're going to transform Albany, starting right on this campus. I believe we can get it done here. It's a new day for New York. Look forward to hearing the vision, but ON-RAMP right here on this campus, says this place matters. It has value. And we're just getting warmed up,” Hochul said.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan says Hochul's announcement is "exciting on many levels."
"First, we really wanted to get one of the on ramp programs here. It's been successful in other places. But the second piece of this that's really exciting is to be able to do it here utilizing an already existing campus. We don't have to build anything. I mean, I'm sure there's probably some fix-up that's going to be needed, but to be able to really energize this location, and then think about the other types of uses that could come up alongside this ON-RAMP center is really exciting,” said Sheehan.
Albany's inclusion in ON-RAMP comes after the Albany County Pine Hills Land Authority's purchase of the shuttered campus was approved in bankruptcy court. The body created by the state legislature bid $35 million for the private college campus that closed in June after more than a century due to financial pressure and declining enrollment. The campus includes about 90 properties.
