Hopeful economic signs for Liberty

Businesses see potential in sites

By Duncan Hutchison | Manor Ink Mentor

Liberty, NY – News of economic development initiatives in the Town of Liberty shared by Mark Baez, president and CEO of the town’s Partnership for Economic Development, at its recent annual awards dinner outlined a variety of outstanding opportunities for the municipality.

Given the negative impact of the closure of PepsiCo’s Mill Street Frito-Lay facility on the town in May, resulting in the loss of over 280 positions, some of the most encouraging news was learning about the number of suitors interested in taking over the plant.

Interest in the former Pepsi complex

According to Baez, while still in the preliminary stages, the town has been in close negotiations with multiple suitors due, in no small part, to the improvements and amenities made to the facility by its former owner. As Baez explained, “It’s close to the highway, has enough power, water and sewer; enough office space, loading docks, storage and manufacturing space ... from an economic development perspective, it ticks all the boxes.”

With the number of interested parties and the variety of different industry sectors, Baez feels confident one of them will stick. “If one does, it means turning that building once again into a viable employee base, with several hundred employees working there and providing a positive impact on local service businesses, and businesses in the general area and probably outside of the area, because folks will be coming to work there from different locales throughout Sullivan County, maybe even beyond,” Baez said.

Baez also provided some additional information about the iconic Grossinger’s Resort, a property which has been sold to PPG Development from south Florida, in partnership with investor Andrew Spodek. The acquisition is part of the Florida-based company’s portfolio of high-end golf and luxury lifestyle residential resorts.

Prospects for the Grossinger’s property

PPG’s focus will be to refurbish what Baez described as “... the jewel of the property, ‘The Big G,’ an 18-hole championship golf course,” and that in doing so, “they have hired some of the most experienced high level professionals in the planning, engineering and architectural fields.”

Baez emphasized PPG’s experience as seen in the other properties they own, and that their background in these areas will ensure “that the use at Grossinger’s will remain similar to what was then.” Importantly, PPG has indicated they are exploring their options to build a boutique hotel or high-end housing.

Summarizing, Baez said, “They have one shot at doing it right, and so they’re taking the time necessary to do everything in a manner that’s going to be not only acceptable for the community but that will also appeal to the client base that they’re going to be serving.”

A possible distribution warehouse, too

Completing his presentation, Baez updated his audience with further promising gains made in respect of the pending site of the one-million-square-foot warehouse facility earmarked for construction on Old Rte. 17 in Ferndale. Having helped in acquiring an all-important $21 million sewer infrastructure grant last year, Delaware Engineering has been retained to handle the necessary upgrades.

Should all these projects come to fruition, the impact on the area and to Liberty itself will be, according to Baez, a game changer, bringing jobs, investment and tax ratables that haven’t been coming for quite some time.