August 19, 2008 at 12:34 pm by Larry Rulison, Business writer
Galesi Group held a grand opening for its new 270,000-square-foot Small Business Hub at the Rotterdam Corporate Park on Route 7 in Rotterdam this morning.
Galesi spent $3 million renovating the building, which was subdivided into 24 sections of 11,000 square feet of space each.
Galesi received grants from the state and National Grid for the renovations and electrical upgrades.
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Salvatore
August 19, 2008, 4:02pm
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heard Tommasone on during Rush today at the newsbreak he sounded good
Channel 10 news did a nice report on this also. Steve was handsome as ever
We must admit, Steve does present himself very well. He does show some class when he talks. At least he doesn't stutter. (I know...me's bad )
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
ROTTERDAM Small business hub planned $3M project to create jobs BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
When small businesses quickly snapped up the Galesi Group’s flexible space in Albany County, Dave Buiko saw the opportunity. The company’s chief operating officer said the market seemed good for light-industrial tenants searching for space to locate offices, a showroom and storage. So Galesi transformed the cavernous Building 3 in the Rotterdam Corporate Park into what state and local officials are calling a small business hub — conveniently near the Thruway and Interstate 88. Using $2 million in state funding from the Restore NY Communities Initiatives, Galesi transformed the 270,000-square-foot building in the mammoth complex to accommodate up to two dozen small to mid-sized businesses. Buiko said the project came after the park on Duanesburg Road received multiple requests for space smaller than 15,000 square feet. “It really is designed to serve an underserved market,” he said during a news conference Tuesday inside one of the new spaces. The project also benefited from a $100,000 industrial redevelopment grant awarded through National Grid. In addition to the state assistance, Galesi invested $1 million of its own. Buiko said this latest investment is among more than $50 million worth of economic development projects at the park, including Price Chopper’s $15 million, 152,000-square-foot refrigerated warehouse, FedEx Freight’s $6 million regional hub and the $18 million Railex food distribution center. He said the small business hub is part of a long-term plan Galesi has to best use the park’s 4 million square feet of building space. Building 3 is among 14 that made up the Army depot during World War I and World War II. Like many of the buildings, the sprawling brick structure was once served by rail lines and could not accommodate tractor-trailers. But with state funding, Galesi was able to demolish the old concrete rail loading docks and install diagonal bays that can receive 53-foot trailers. In addition, the company had all of the exterior utilities placed underground, allowing the poles to be removed and providing greater access for trucks. Galesi also improved the facade of the building to include glassdoor entrances to each space. Buiko said the new spaces will offer companies the opportunity to grow their businesses as they see fit. “It could be warehousing, it could be a showcase, it could be offices,” he said. “It’s the ultimate in flexibility. Buiko said the state funding allowed Galesi to complete the project while keeping the cost of renting space affordable. Absent this funding, he said the renovation would have made rents at the building cost-prohibitive. Galesi and Rotterdam officials had originally aimed to redevelop two of the park’s buildings and had applied for $4 million of Restore NY funding. Buiko said the project was trimmed after the company received only half of what they had requested. State Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, R-Schenectady, credited cooperation among state, county and local agencies for the success of the project. He said this partnership should serve as an example for the effort to cultivate business across the state. “I know it looks empty here,” he said, looking around one of the 11,000-square-foot spaces, “but I think you’ll see a fair amount of businesses that are going to want to come here.” Rotterdam Supervisor Steve Tommasone said the new flexible space should help draw more business to the park, which in turn will create more jobs in the town. “We want to have the community grow and improve our quality of life,” he said. “We can’t do that without good jobs.”
at least our supervisor said the right things. I wonder what kind of money the demos forked to our freinds at G_lesi indeed. Over here the people that give have the squeky wheel get the grease my friends
The name of David Buicko, the Galesi Group’s chief operating officer, was misspelled in Wednesday’s article about the small business hub at the Rotterdam Corporate Park.
State, county and local officials participate in a ribbon cutting, Tuesday, Aug. 19, for the Galesi Group’s new small business hub in the Rotterdam Corporate Park. The Galesi Group renovated Building 3 in the park to accommodate up to 24 small businesses. (Submitted photo) Small businesses interested in locating in Rotterdam will have a new place of refuge thanks to $3 million in renovations to Building 3 in the Corporate Park.
The Galesi Group unveiled a new “small business hub” Tuesday, Aug. 19, at the Corporate Park, where flexible space can be rented for use by small to mid-size companies.
“This project will help position Schenectady County to become the location of choice for fast-growing small businesses,” said David Buicko, chief operating officer of the Galesi Group. “Now that Building 3 is completely renovated, we will have a very attractive option for post-incubator stage companies.”
He said space for small business is an “underserved” area of the local real-estate market.
The new 270,000-square-foot facility is subdivided into 11,000-square-foot sections to serve up to 24 companies’ specific space needs. Spaces could include a “store-front” entrance for office or showroom space; or a back entrance, which could be accessed by a dock or overhead door for manufacturing, assembly or warehouse operations.
Renovations to the building include a new façade and roof, in addition to rebuilt docks. New roads and parking areas were constructed.
“This was something we were happy to approve,” said Angelo Santabarbara, chairman of the Rotterdam Industrial Development Agency.
He said the IDA provided sales tax exemption to the Galesi Group.
“It’s a good use for the building,” Santabarbara said.
Officials said they hope the hub, which was a joint effort between Empire State Development, National Grid, Schenectady County, Metroplex and the Town of Rotterdam, will bring new jobs to the region.
“Good-paying manufacturing, distribution and vocational jobs will be available here in our community as a direct result of the investment the Galesi Group has made,” Rotterdam Supervisor Steven Tommasone said. “Restoring and enhancing this building is another achievement of successful public-private partnerships, leveraging the resources necessary to create good jobs for the working families of Rotterdam and Schenectady County.”
Assemblyman James Tedisco, R-Schenectady, echoed Tommasone’s excitement over new jobs saying, “Today’s announcement means new jobs, increased investment in Rotterdam and a strengthened local economy that serves as a model for future economic development.”
Other areas of the park, which have recently been developed, include the Railex USA’s east coast distribution hub, Golub Corporation’s freezer facility, and a regional distribution center for Fed Ex Freight.
Metroplex is also looking to purchase a 260,000-square-foot building from the state to provide additional space for growing companies in the Corporate Park, which is located on Route 7 in Rotterdam, near Interstates 90 and 88.
The Corporate Park contains 19 buildings that average 268,000 square feet each, providing distribution and manufacturing space, as well as office space. You can contact lucasa@spotlightnews.com with any questions.
Here's a question, will we ever hear what companies are moving in? Will it be let known to the rest of the town that you can go behind the iron curtain to visit these businesses?
Do you have any idea how tough it really is to get into this park?
A friend of mine wanted to lease in there - but they rely on some walk in traffic ... it was ridiculous trying to get access and have the rent-a-cop question your moves everytime you came in. They eventually passed and went out of the county.
I know. We really need to get that park opened up, and who knows, let people know what's in there? I wonder how there's so many businesses that can actually stay solvent with zero traffic.
I worked in the industrial park many years ago when I was working for the Golub Corporation. We had a make-shift office there while the main office complex did some renovations. Unless things have changed, and I'm sure they have to some extent, most businesses that located to the park did so for the security. I don't think that retail businesses that depend on walk in traffic would consider the park. But their main offices would. It is an INDUSTRIAL park.
I thought that this was part of the reason that they just changed the name of the park FROM Industrial to Corporate. So that it wouldn't be that industrial feel and so that it was kept open and easy to use. I thought all that change was supposed to come with the name change. Guess not.
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