The Empire State still has “the economy that never sleeps”, a powerful global hub of commerce, finance, culture and entertainment.

As the most powerful global hub of commerce, finance, culture, international affairs, and entertainment, New York’s economy is one that truly never sleeps. The state is the 11th largest economy in the world and encompasses almost every industry. The New York metropolitan area has not only become a hub of culture, arts, and media, but is a major global center for finance, insurance, and real estate. It is the largest regional economy in the United States.

A portrait of the state’s geographic terrain reveals the Great Appalachian Valley in the east and Lake Champlain in the north, the rugged Adirondack Mountains in the west and the mighty Hudson River flowing southward to the Atlantic Ocean.

The state’s economy is as diverse as its geographic terrain, history, and culture. This includes almost every industry including finance and banking, retail business services, transportation, distribution and manufacturing. New York’s pro-business, pro-growth philosophy offers companies job-creating tax cuts. The state encourages emerging technology growth with tax incentives for research and development. Today, New York’s corporate tax rate is approaching the lowest level since 1970.

Business incentives and grants are offered through Empire State Development, New York’s chief economic development agency, to help companies expand in the state. These include the Manufacturing Assistance Program (MAP), Build Now-NY, Federal Empowerment Zones, Empire Zones, and Investment Tax Credits. In March 2009, Empire State announced $2.5 million in grants that will leverage $43 million in private investment, preserve 529 jobs, and create 171 new ones across the state.

For high-tech companies, New York is a perfect place to grow and expand. Over the past seven years the state has invested more than $1 billion in the tech business sector. Other incentives that help to attract high-tech companies to the state include the Qualified Emerging Technology Employment Credit and Qualified Emerging Technology Company Capital Tax Credit. To further reinforce the state’s high-tech stature, International SEMATECH North, a global consortium of 12 major computer chip manufacturers, recently announced it will locate its next generation computer chip R&D center at the Center of Excellence in Nanoelectronics at Albany.

Whether your company is looking for sophisticated urban space, high-tech research parks, high-traffic retail centers or rural industrial tracts, the following locations exemplify what your company needs to grow and succeed.

Binghamton: Location, Location, Location!

In these challenging times, doing business in Binghamton, in Broome County, NY, makes more sense than ever. The region is an easy three hours northwest of midtown Manhattan, situated strategically between Syracuse and Scranton along the bustling I-81 corridor.

Binghamton is a haven for high technology. With company clusters in aerospace, software, advanced manufacturing, communications, simulation, distribution and services, the region ranks–along with San Jose, Cambridge, and Austin–as one of the strongest areas for innovation in the U.S.

Binghamton is home to household name companies like Lockheed Martin, Gannett, Rockwell Collins, IBM, Frito Lay, L-3 Communications and BAE Systems, along with a range of smaller firms that like our city’s combination of work and play.

Impress, one of the world’s leading can makers, recently announced it would invest $40 million in a new state-of-the-art metal packaging plant in Conklin, just outside Binghamton. The plant will be approximately 100,000 square feet and initially employ 75 people. There are plans for an expansion where employment could eventually be doubled. Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson, is set to open a 40,000-square-foot headquarters in the Charles Street Business Park in Binghamton. This world-class facility will host visitors from around the world and showcase Emerson Network Power’s global-leading technologies in power protection.

Binghamton is home to McIntosh Laboratory, one of the top manufacturers of audio equipment in the world. Innovation, a global leader in automated prescription dispensing based in Binghamton, has a new partnership with Kaiser Permanante for a high-volume pharmacy automation system for the Kaiser Permanante Colorado region in Denver. The company recently has opened a new location at the Huron Campus in Endicott. Broome County IDA recently launched the Greater Binghamton Modeling and Simulation Coalition to promote the many contributions the community has made to the modeling and simulation industry over the years. The coalition includes Binghamton Simulator Co., Binghamton University, Broome Community College, Diamond Visionics, L-3 Link Simulation & Training, Rockwell Collins, RPA Electronic Solutions, Simulation & Control Technologies, and Virtusphere.

Many regional companies enjoy a strong partnership with Binghamton University, an education powerhouse ranked by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance as one of the best values in public colleges anywhere. Binghamton University applications are up more than 50% for this fall’s incoming class.

Binghamton’s real estate market continues to be quite strong. Recently the New York real estate guru Barbara Corcoran appearing on NBC’s Today show said the Binghamton market was one of the top five investments in the U.S. The median selling price in Binghamton is a little more than $110,000.

For more on business in Binghamton, visit the BCIDA’s website at www.bcida.com.

Islip Leads the Way

The Town of Islip is located in southern Suffolk County, New York on the south shore of Long Island. The town consistently leads the Long Island region in business activity, as measured by its Industrial Development deals, SBA 504 loans and New York State Job Development Authority loans. Islip’s Industrial Development Agency (IDA) was selected as an honoree for the 2009 Real Estate Awards as the IDA of the Year in Suffolk County. The honorees are selected by the editorial staff of Long Island Business News and are based on the impact of each project on the local economy.

The Islip IDA was recognized for helping bring several companies to the town, such as Blackman Plumbing, which has invested $25 million in a new corporate headquarters in Bayport and will employ over 160 people. Other success stories include the Perfume Center of America’s construction of a 165,000-square-foot facility in Ronkonkoma and U.S. Alliance Paper’s construction of an 80,000- square-foot facility, both of which will employ close to 100 workers each.

The town’s convenient location to the Long Island MacArthur Airport helps companies conduct business more effectively and efficiently. The airport is one of the fastest growing airports and is recognized as one of the top five regional airports in the United States.

Two valuable incentive programs for companies locating in Islip are its Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) and Empire Zone. Companies can import certain types of merchandise into an FTZ without going through formal customs entry procedures or paying import duties. Islip’s FTZ #52 has 435,000 square feet of prime warehouse and office space located on fifty-two acres of land.

The Empire Zone program offers development and redevelopment opportunities for industrial, commercial, office and traditional downtown retail projects. It provides a variety of state and local tax incentives and economic development benefits that can allow businesses that locate in the Empire Zone to operate virtually tax free. Zone benefits have attracted a variety of businesses, including Creative Bath, Cintas, Jasco, Corporate Courthouse Center, and the Long Island Ducks/Citibank Ballpark.

Other incentives available for businesses include low-cost financing tools such as Tax-Exempt Industrial Revenue Bond Financing, NYS Job Development Authority, Federal SBA 504 Loans; tax abatements, exemptions, and credits such as Industrial Development Agency; grants such as NYS Industrial Effectiveness Program and NYS Environmental Investment Program; technical assistance including NYS Global Export Marketing Services, NYS Manufacturing Assistance Program, and energy conservation tools such as National Grid Energy Efficiency Program, LIPA Energy Efficiency Program, LIPA Commercial Construction Program, and National Grid Cinderella Program.

Islip has a strong food manufacturing and distribution industry and offers numerous state and local economic incentives that provide critical support to help companies build and grow their facilities. In 2008, the New York Office of Economic Development (OED) provided a grant to help Constance Food Group build a state-of-the-art green manufacturing facility. Constance supplies goods to all of the 7-Eleven convenience stores in Long Island, New York City, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Westchester County—a big job requiring a lot of water. Red Castle Bakeries found its way to Islip in October 2007 after being displaced from its New York City home by an urban renewal project. Marco Minuto, Red Castle’s owner, says that Islip has provided Red Castle with an excellent workforce, customer base, and access to major markets.

If it weren’t for Islip’s location in the Empire Zone, Silver Lake, manufacturer in the multi-million-dollar baking business, might have located the company out of state. Islip’s OED has helped the company move to Islip in 1985, expand in 1999, and has played a crucial role in helping it stay competitive and be successful. Its customers include A&P, Grand Union, P&C, Sysco, Wal-Mart, and Costco.

J. Kings Food Service is the 11th largest independent distributor in the country, one of the largest in the state, and the largest on Long Island. The location in Islip has helped the company to leverage its market niche by working synergistically with other town-based businesses such as Jonathan Lord and Wenner Bread, companies that use J. Kings’ services to transport their food products.

Another company that has experienced great success in Islip is the Whitsons Culinary Group, a family-owned dining services company that has grown beyond expectations. It has been so successful that it had to hire 100 new employees, doubling job-growth expectations. In June 2006, the company was designated the Town of Islip Empire Zone’s first Regionally Significant Project, which has helped the company obtain real property tax credits, wage credits, investment tax credits, sales tax abatement, and better LIPA rates. These incentives enabled the company to expand into a vacant lot across from its current location. The company now looks forward to adding another 50 jobs in the next three years.

For information on how your company can expand in Islip, visit www.islipida.org.

Expand and Succeed in Livingston County, NY

Just south of Rochester, in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of western New York State, you will discover Livingston County. Bisected by Interstate 390 and only 10 miles south of the New York State Thruway (I-90), this community of 65,000 residents displayed continuous growth in population and employment.

From telecommunications and utility companies, commercial developers, educational institutions, financial companies and more, Livingston County can tackle every one of your concerns. Livingston County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) has a unique approach to business development—it has done away with the hassles and the typical red tape, and it has a proven track record of success. Since 2000, the agency has induced over $140 million in new investment in the county. These investments resulted in the retention of 1,001 jobs and the creation of 405 new jobs. Projects included manufacturing, distribution, agri-business, health services and childcare.

Barilla America, which produces the nation’s #1 brand of pasta, selected Avon, Livingston County for its $100-million second United States manufacturing and distribution center after a site-selector led search of 54 locations in 13 states. The company has expanded twice since locating here and directly employs 125 and many more indirectly in packaging, trucking, distribution and manufacturing support. Using the IDA and Empire Zone program, $3.3 million of infrastructure (roads, water, sewer, lighting and a railroad siding) was constructed at no local taxpayer cost. Using the BUILD NOW NY program to pre-permit sites as “shovel-ready,” all permits were obtained in 54 days. The facility was constructed in only 53 weeks.

The American Rock Salt mine, located along Interstate 390, is another example of success. The mine, which opened in 2001, became the first new mine constructed in New York in 25 years and had an investment cost of $120 million. A new three-mile railroad spur was constructed to the new mine location.

To enable this critically important project, the Livingston County IDA crafted a unique Payment-in-lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) agreement that resulted in substantial tax abatements in the first seven years and gradual increases in the next 20 years. The IDA also acted as fiscal and construction manager for the $10.5 million construction of the railroad spur that opened ahead of schedule and under budget. The IDA also secured $1.5 million from the Federal Economic Development Administration to offset the cost of a sewer line extension to the mine. Today the mine is the second largest mine in the world, employing 275 workers.

Agriculture and food production thrive and grow in the Finger Lakes region for many reasons. One of the most important factors is the proximity of high volume specialty support suppliers. Sweeteners Plus is one of those critical suppliers as it furnishes sweetener ingredients to more than 300 food manufacturers in New York and nearby states.

The Livingston County IDA assisted the company through tax abatements to expand three times and increase its territorial market. Today the company directly employs 90 and has created many more jobs at Kraft, wineries and beverage manufacturers and in rail and truck distribution.

Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation for decades was the county’s largest employer but that ended in 2003 when the 550,000 square feet of manufacturing structures on 56 acres in Dansville closed. However, the actions of Livingston County IDA helped turn this story around.

During the closure stages, the IDA successfully negotiated with Foster Wheeler withholding from liquidation auction essential mechanical systems including overhead cranes with capacities exceeding 100 tons. It also persuaded Foster Wheeler to maintain the property for up to three years with an on-site caretaker while the IDA attempted to market the property.

As luck would have it, the owner of a successful business in northern Livingston County who drove past the Foster Wheeler Complex each day driving to work, saw opportunity to expand his business using a different business model that could be afforded by the high clearances, cranes and electrical infrastructure serving the plant. The owner purchased and immediately reopened the building in 2005 through financial assistance offered through the IDA and Empire Zone program. Today, all buildings are fully occupied by four companies collectively employing 200 engaged in the growing “green energy” sector. Further growth is expected.

To be part of Livingston County’s success story, visit www.co.livingston.state.ny.us/lcida.htm.

Economic Upturn in Oswego County, NY

Despite the current grim economic climate, Oswego County, located in northwestern New York, continues to be bolstered by significant small business development. Operation Oswego County, a private, non-profit organization working to enhance and protect the economic climate of the county, helped to provide business and financial assistance for projects in 2008 that when fully implemented, will invest over $120 million in Oswego County, and will create and/or retain more than 800 jobs.

New businesses that located to the county include Barnett Forest Products in Scriba, Branches Tree Service, FUEL and Wal-Mart in Fulton, Great Lakes Recycling, Stability Fitness, the general surgery practice of Dr. Allison Duggan and Tim Hortons in Oswego, Big Orange Radiator in Central Square, Stewart’s Shops in Minetto, and Hart and Stone country store and McGillicuddy Enterprises (bowling center and restaurant) in Mexico.

Long-standing businesses such as the Oswego YMCA, Mitchell Printing and Mailing, and Oswego Sub Shop and Wiltsie Construction in Oswego and Uniforms Etc. and Pathfinder Industries in Fulton and Healthway in Pulaski all expanded their operations.

Additionally, developer Douglas Caster invested $2 million to convert the former Goldberg’s Furniture store in Fulton to Cayuga Street Condominiums. The 30,000 square foot space now houses eight upscale condominiums, three commercial spaces and a private parking garage.

The historic Oswego Library recently opened its doors after a 10,000 square foot addition was built to the west of the existing building. The County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency (IDA) provided Civic Facility Revenue Bonds to assist the renovation and expansion.

Businesses are drawn to Oswego County due to many factors. The availability of attractive, low-cost financing options with the county of Oswego IDA, SBA 504 loans, and Empire State Development programs is a start. Utilizing the incentives afforded by the New York State Empire Zone designation can virtually eliminate tax liability for 10 years for new, qualified businesses. The county also provides companies with access to an extensive skilled labor pool; training funding is available through the Oswego County Workforce Development Board and the state of New York.

The county is powered by three nuclear power plants, 10 hydroelectric plants, and four natural gas and fossil fuel power plants, with an installed capacity of over 5,500 megawatts. Oswego County’s Public Utility Service initiated a low-cost power per year until 2010.

With 2,000 miles of highway; CSX Rail System; a fully equipped county airport just 45 minutes from Hancock International Airport in Syracuse; and the Port of Oswego, companies can have all their transportation needs met in Oswego County.

Oswego County boasts a diverse, high-quality workforce of 60,000. County and state agencies provide employers with custom training services as needed, plus other services such as on-the-job training opportunities, skills assessment, and apprenticeship development.

For more information on economic development services in Oswego County, visit www.oswegocounty.org.

Syracuse/Onondaga: A Well-kept Secret

Known as a center of innovation since the mid-19th century, Syracuse and the surrounding area of Onondaga County and Central New York maintain the spirit of innovation while transforming itself into a success in the new economy. Two new initiatives, the Central New York Biotechnology Research Center (www.upstate.edu/biocenter) and the Syracuse University Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems will help fuel the continued success of the region. The area’s skilled and available workforce, affordable cost of operation, diverse economic incentive programs, such as the New York State Empire Zone and Federal Empowerment Zone, and the recently announced “Build Green–Get Green” (www.syracusecentral.com/green) property tax credit for building LEED-certified buildings, all contribute to the successful recruitment of new businesses to the area and opportunities for continued growth of local businesses.

Onondaga County’s diverse economy is a key to the region’s success. From the specialty steel manufacturing of Crucible Steel to the medical device manufacturing of Welch Allyn and from Bristol Meyers Squibb Biopharma research to Bank of New York financial security services, the community has adapted and been a catalyst for growth. Picture a city that has a 350-mile radius of influence that can have an impact on the lives of over 63 million, and you have a clear portrait of the distribution capability of Syracuse. Located literally at the hub of the Northeast United States, Syracuse’s strategic location and excellent air and ground transportation systems make it one of the leading distribution centers in the Northeast. The newly renovated Syracuse Hancock International Airport is served by six major air-cargo companies and plays a pivotal role in the strength of Syracuse’s distribution network. Plus, 11 of the nation’s top 12 common carriers of general freight service the Syracuse area.

A portrait of Syracuse and Onondaga County reveals an area where natural beauty abounds. Nestled in rolling hills and picturesque scenery of forests and lakes, Syracuse is the perfect place to bring people together. For a metropolitan area, Syracuse offers a unique quality of life with safe streets, friendly neighborhoods, and a variety of quality housing choices. Whether it is an upscale condominium in the Armory Square (www.armorysq.org) section of downtown, a traditional tract home, a country haven tucked in the woods, an historic estate, a waterfront property, or a modern apartment or town house, Syracuse and the surrounding suburbs offer affordable choices.

The Syracuse community has a diverse array of excellent private and public schools, universities, and colleges, which provide a depth of educational opportunities for the pursuit of professional and personal interests. Within the immediate Syracuse area, there are six colleges and universities; 35 others are within a 100-mile radius. Syracuse University attracts students from all 50 states and 101 foreign countries to its undergraduate and graduate programs. LeMoyne College regularly ranks as one of the best liberal arts colleges in the North.

Syracuse’s world-renowned health care services include more than 1,400 practicing physicians and health care providers of every medical specialty that serve the residents of Syracuse and Onondaga County. Four major hospitals including the new Golisano Children’s Hospital at Upstate, serve the region.

Syracuse, with its skyline, mix of aesthetics and efficiency of its downtown, is a well-kept secret. However, people are beginning to learn that it is a city with business-class opportunities for a progressive, high quality lifestyle, cultural diversity, and commercial growth. To find out how your company can grow and prosper in this community visit www.syracusecentral.com.

Yonkers, NY: A City of Opportunity

Throughout its history Yonkers has been blessed with several natural and man-made attributes that make it ideal for development: its location on the Hudson River; immediacy to New York City, including fast, reliable rail service and a new high-speed ferry; easy access by five major roadways; and its close proximity to four major airports. Today, New York’s fourth largest city is building on these strengths as it undergoes a major urban renaissance. Recognizing that large-scale developers and companies have many options in choosing their locations, Yonkers has taken a proactive, competitive stance offering aggressive business development incentives through the Yonkers Industrial Development Agency to companies that choose to locate or expand in Yonkers. The results are impressive. Major developers like Streuver Fidelco, Forest City Ratner and Louis Cappelli are transforming the city landscape. A new vibrant downtown, with an edgy mix of old and new architecture, is taking form. Waterfront development is a reality with new restaurants, a renovated train station, commercial space and luxury waterfront apartments rising over the Hudson.

Central to the emerging new Yonkers is an ambitious $5-billion dollar master plan encompassing 500 acres. The heart of the plan is a new downtown to be called River Park Center. The largest development in the city’s history, it is a $1.6- billion, two-million-square-foot mega-project that will include an 11-story retail, entertainment and parking complex capped by two 50-story apartment towers and a minor league baseball stadium. Winding through River Park Center is the Saw Mill River, which is currently underground. It is to be uncovered and “daylighted” with landscaping to create a pedestrian-friendly Riverwalk destination with open space, boutique retail and café dining–and within walking distance to available commercial space at the sleek new Larkin Plaza.

Developers and city planners are eyeing several other waterfront locations for an expansion of the renaissance in progress. The Alexander Street master plan calls for a network of apartment towers, stores and public parks spanning a site between the Metro North rail tracks and the Hudson River. It will include new housing units, as well as office and retail space in buildings ranging from 12 to 26 stories. The complex will be bordered by more than two acres of new parkland. Dozens of acres of open space will feature public art and showcase the stunning beauty of the Hudson River.

Across town, Forest City Ratner’s Ridge Hill Village, a billion dollar mega-project is also under construction. Commercial and residential buildings will encircle a town square, just minutes from the New York State Thruway and a 30-minute drive from midtown Manhattan. Ridge Hill will feature a 175-room hotel, 1,000 market rate condominium units, a 20,000 square foot conference center, and 200,000 square feet of renovated research and office space, as well as 1.2 million square feet of retail space. With hundreds of thousands of square feet of new and renovated commercial space available–at prices up to 75 percent lower than nearby Midtown Manhattan and almost 30 percent cheaper than White Plains, opportunity awaits in Yonkers.

The Yonkers IDA can provide tax incentives and other inducements to make your business move more cost-effective. For more information, visit www.yonkersida.com.

Lancaster County: A Market to Depend On

Lancaster, located in Western New York State, is at the center of the largest commercial and industrial area of upstate New York—The Niagara Frontier. The region sits on two of the five Great Lakes connected via the Niagara River. The falls supplies aesthetic beauty as well as provides a huge source of hydroelectric power.

Located within an 8-hour drive (or 1 hour flight) of approximately 55% of the U.S. and approximately 62% of the Canadian population, Lancaster is a prime local market for nearly every type of industry or service. Readily available supplies and raw materials account for comparatively lower manufacturing costs and economical distribution to the large nearby markets. In addition, the area has become a major financial center for the U.S. with more than 12 major commercial or savings banks.

Plants in and around Lancaster include giants of industry such as Ford and GM which require companies that supply automotive parts, electrical and electronics equipment, safety equipment, food products, fabricated metal, machinery, aerospace, medical, health, optical, and other products.

Lancaster is part of the Buffalo metropolitan area, the second largest metropolitan area in the state after New York City. This exceptional location ranks high in the nation in levels of income, education, research, and purchasing power and is one reason why businesses have based here to grow and prosper. Buffalo is ranked the 5th largest port-of-entry for foreign trade with a volume of $29.8 billion in trade. U.S. and Canadian trade, at $188 billion, is the largest trading relationship in the world. Currently, over 200 companies in the Western New York Area trade with 145 countries worldwide.

The county provides vital transportation and distribution links. The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) runs through Lancaster and interconnects with American and Canadian markets. One of the nation’s principal air centers, The Greater Buffalo International Airport is 12 minutes from Lancaster. Only 30 minutes from Lancaster, The Peace Bridge at Buffalo links the U.S. with Canada. Bridges at Niagara Falls and Lewiston lead to the rich markets of Southern Ontario.

Whether requiring the services of an existing research facility, or planning to locate in the area, companies will find highly skilled people and strong university and research institutions. Technical personnel are graduated by more than 30 colleges and universities in the area, some of which include the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY), three nearby campuses of Erie Community College (ECC), State University College at Buffalo, Metalworking Institute of Western New York, Niagara Community College, Villa Maria College, D’Youville College, Niagara University, and Bryant & Stratton. More than 100 private, commercial and institutional research centers employ thousands of scientists, engineers, biologists, physicists, mathematicians, metallurgists, and technical personnel. A few of the outstanding area facilities include Ecology and Environment, Inc. (E&E), a world leader in providing expertise to handle difficult environmental problems; Calspan Advanced Technology Center, conducting research in aero sciences, flight research, transportation and auto safety testing, communications, and electronics; and Roswell Park Cancer Institute, which draws patients from around the world.

The Lancaster Industrial Development Agency (IDA), a non-profit public benefit corporation and local government agency, works with the Erie County Industrial Development Agency to help businesses grow and prosper in Lancaster. The IDA can help companies locate in industrial sites for a wide variety of endeavors including light and medium manufacturing, warehousing, facilities, distribution complexes and office buildings. Through the use of industrial revenue bonds, the Lancaster IDA can construct facilities for a term and at a price sufficient to amortize the necessary bonds. Advantages to this approach include the ability to write off annual lease costs and the ability to secure a more favorable interest rate. Real property tax incentives require no negotiation. For more information, visit www.lancasterny.com.

A Strategic Location In St. Lawrence County

Nestled between the St. Lawrence River, the Thousand Islands region, and the Adirondack Mountains and running along the Canadian border in northern New York State, St. Lawrence County offers the ideal setting for the growth and development of a wide array of industries. The county offers exceptional transportation facilities, low commercial power rates and the immediate availability of fully serviced industrial sites and buildings. Additionally, its proximity to major markets in the Northeastern United States and in the Montreal-Toronto corridor of Canada gives companies easy access to suppliers, company headquarters and customers.

The county’s largest employers include ALCOA, United Helpers Organization, St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, St. Lawrence NYSARC, and the Canton-Potsdam Hospital. In addition, five colleges and universities enroll over 10,000 students, including three colleges operated by the State University System. These include: Clarkson University (home to the State’s Center for Advanced Technology in Advanced Materials Processing), St. Lawrence University, SUNY College of Technology, SUNY College at Potsdam, and SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry.

A number of venture and investment banking firms provide service to companies locating in upstate New York, including Seaway Private Equity Corporation, Adirondack Venture Fund, First Albany Technology Ventures, and High Peaks Venture Partners. St. Lawrence County’s transportation systems provide efficient and flexible movement throughout the county and to other regions. Interstates 81 and 87 are within easy reach and Highway 401 is just over the Canadian border, connecting the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Montreal, and Windsor. Additionally, the Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) qualified Port of Ogdensburg provides large sea vessels with access to the Great Lakes and world ports.

In 2008, St. Lawrence County ranked as the fourth best place to live in the Northeast in Progressive Farmer magazine’s “Best Places To Live in Rural America,” due to its low housing and land prices, low crime rate, access to medical care, and access to higher education.

As a result of the federal stimulus program, the St. Lawrence County Economic Development Office’s funding for job training and employment programs will nearly double this year to $2.6 million.

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