Archive: Business & Technology

Andy Sciarabba told the Lansing Town Board Wednesday that the northeast portion of the 140+ acre land targeted for a town center would be perfect for a business and technology park.  Sciarabba proposed that the Town develop the infrastructure for the project, recouping its investment as businesses move in to lease or by lots there.  he said that having a shovel ready business park will give Lansing a competitive edge in attracting business to the Town.

"The Town would be the developer," Sciarabba said.  "It would eventually recoup its investment in the sale of the lots and leasing of the lots."

Sciarabba, who chairs the Town's Economic Development Committee,  has more than 25 years of experience as a developer.  A few of his properties in Lansing include a retail shopping center in front of the mall, the former hardware store on the corner of Triphammer and Peruville Roads that houses several businesses, a new office building that is in the planning process to be located behind Lansing Market, and Lansing Market, the new grocery store that opened last week.

He told the board that communities are competing to attract businesses that will not only provide jobs, but contribute to the tax base.  He noted that with the decline of tax revenues from AES Cayuga, Lansing's biggest taxpayer, it is vital to bring in a collection of smaller businesses to make up for those losses, which could go down to zero if the plant were to close.

"The reason I am doing this is that it's getting harder and harder to develop properties in a short time frame," Sciarabba said.  "It takes a year or two years or longer to get a project through the process.  Our neighbor in Cortland just opened the 172 acre Fingerlakes East Business Park.  It has all the amenities and all the incentives.  They are attracting businesses out of Tompkins County into Cortland County for the purpose of developing this park.  They have a shovel-ready product in place for companies to site their businesses.  This is critical."

Sciarabba proposes that the Town identify a specific site for the park, then install roadways, sewer, underground gas, electric, and municipal water lines, and a central storm water retention area that would serve all the businesses that locate in the park.  

"We're getting calls right now from folks who want to develop in Lansing, but we don't have anything shovel-ready," he argued. "The property that we're talking about is on the planned sewer line, and it has access to Route 34."

Sciarabba has already developed a Lansing Town Center Incentive Zone in cooperation with Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD).  He and TCAD's Heather Filaberto got the board to approve a tax incentive plan that will encourage development in the town center area.  The Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) will likely vote next month to participate in the proposal, which will bring specific benefits including PILOT agreements to developers who build there.

Wednesday Sciarabba asked the Town Board for the go-ahead for his committee to produce a proposal showing what it would take to create a business park as part of the new town center, including costs to the town for roads, infrastructure, and so on.  The report would also project how the sale and lease of lots will recoup the Town's investment in the project over a period of time.  It would cover land use layout and appropriate zoning recommendations.

The board enthusiastically granted it, with all four board members present saying they would like to have this happen.

"It's a great idea," said Town Supervisor Scott Pinney.  "I think we all appreciate you leading this effort, because you have the expertise in this area."

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