SOUTHERN TIER Upstate Revitalization Initiative Plan SOUTHERN TIER’S ADVANCED ECONOMY OF THE FUTURE Talent Place Build the Invest in the Technology Greater Binghamton Advanced Manufacturing Lasting partnerships Innovation Ecosystem Industry Transform the Promote the Food and Agriculture Southern Tier’s Industry Innovative Culture Table of Contents Message from the Co-Chairs 1 Acknowledgments 2 Section I. Introduction and Executive Summary 4 Section II. Situation Analysis 19 Section III. Vision and Initiatives 31 Section IV. Process and Guiding Principles 35 Section V. Strategies to Increase Regional Wealth 40 Section VI. Implementation of the Plan 148 Appendices 164 Message from the Co-Chairs The Southern Tier is ready to be a hotbed of vigorous business growth and development and a destination for the next generation of the nation’s best and brightest talent. We are prepared to work hard during the next five years to execute our Upstate Revitalization Initiative Plan, which is strategic, realistic and designed to produce measurable results. Nearly 1,000 people across the region participated in developing our plan, and we will stand together to transform the Southern Tier and bring about an advanced economy of the future. Throughout the planning process, we have built strong synergies among individuals, target industries, academia, the nonprofit sector and government. With this solid foundation of connections and relationships, the Southern Tier is poised to move forward immediately. The URI investment of $500 million will leverage more than $2.5 billion in private investment, create more than 10,200 jobs and have an overall economic impact of $3.4 billion in the next five years. We will revitalize distressed communities, make our mark as a region of innovation, attract foreign investment and increase exports, leverage our natural resources, strengthen our industries ranging from advanced manufacturing to agriculture to tourism, and change our image. By 2020 we expect the Southern Tier will be recognized for its innovation, highly trained workforce, strong communities and high-paying jobs. At the same time, we recognize the importance of reaching across regional boundaries to tap expertise and collaborate on opportunities that will enhance the economy of the entire state. We also have made certain that programs, services and jobs will be available to everyone who wants to be part of the Southern Tier’s workforce and overall economic success. On behalf of the Southern Tier, we thank Governor Cuomo for his vision and the opportunity to compete for an Upstate Revitalization Initiative award. Sincerely, Harvey Stenger, Co-chair Tom Tranter, Co-chair President, Binghamton University President, Corning Enterprises Southern Tier Upstate Revitalization Initiative Plan 1 Acknowledgments Regional Economic Development Council of the Southern Tier Dr. Harvey Stenger, Co-chair Kevin McLaughlin President, Binghamton University Executive Director, Broome County IDA Tom Tranter, Council Co-chair Svante Myrick President, Corning Enterprises City of Ithaca, Mayor Dr. Kathryn Boor Mary George Opperman Dean of College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Vice President of Human Resources, Cornell Cornell University University Patricia A. Cummings Kathryn Connerton Partner, Leonard & Cummings LLP President & CEO, Lourdes Hospital Rich David Uttara Prasad Binghamton, Mayor President & CEO, Lin Industries Inc. Martin A. Dietrich Debra Preston President & CEO, NBT Bank Broome County, County Executive James Eisel Lou Santoni Delaware County, Chair of County Legislature President & CEO, Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce Peg Ellsworth Executive Director, MARK Project Inc. Thomas Santulli Chemung County, County Executive Dennis Fagan Schuyler County, Chair of County Legislature Martha Sauerbrey Tioga County, Chair of County Legislature Mike Field President of Operations and Engineering, Barbara J. Schindler Raymond Corporation President & COO, Golden Artists Colors Inc. Ernest Hartman Linda M. Shumaker Business Manager, IBEW Local 139 President, Shumaker Engineering & Surveying Joseph Hauryski Susan Skidmore Steuben County, Chair of County Legislature City of Elmira, Mayor Mike Lane Rose Sotak Tompkins County, Chair of County Legislature Town of Union, Supervisor Diane Lantz Daniel Spoor Executive Director, REDEC Relending Vice President, Lockheed Martin Systems Corporation Integration Vacant Michael Stamm State Senate, 52nd District President, Tompkins County Area Development Barbara Lifton Dr. Candace Vancko State Assembly, 125th District President, SUNY Delhi George Miner A. Scott Welliver President, Southern Tier Economic Growth Inc. Chairman & CEO, Welliver Inc. Judy McKinney-Cherry Lawrence Wilcox Executive Director, SCOPED Chenango County, Chair of County Legislature 2 Southern Tier Upstate Revitalization Initiative Plan Strategic Planner Susan Payne, Strategic Planning and Economic Development Consultant Upstate Revitalization Initiative Plan Regional Coordinators Research and Writing Team Members Steve Craig, Chenango County Jason Carbone, Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development Jim Griffin, Steuben County Rachel Coker, Binghamton University Jamie Johnson, Steuben County Mary Beth Curtin, Binghamton University Kevin McLaughlin, Broome County Steve Czarnecki, Binghamton University Judy McKinney Cherry, Schuyler County Stacey Duncan, The Agency George Miner, Chemung County Peg Ellsworth, The MARK Project Joe Moody, Town of Union Frank Evangelisti, Broome County Bob Murphy, City of Binghamton Scott Hancock, Binghamton University Glen Nealis, Delaware County Katelynn Hrywnak, Binghamton University Michael Stamm, Tompkins County Valerie Imbruce, Binghamton University LeeAnn Tinney, Tioga County Liz Kradjian, Binghamton University Kevin McLaughlin, The Agency Work Group Facilitator Tom Kowalik, Binghamton University Jan Nyrop, Cornell University Susan Payne, Strategic Planning and Economic Development Consultant Editor Laury Poland, Finger Lakes Wine Country Rachel Coker, Binghamton University Rachel Rhodes, Cornell University Design and Layout Tom Schryver, Cornell University Martha Terry, Binghamton University Per Stromhaug, Binghamton University Catherine Ryckman, Intern, Corning Enterprises Connor Sharkey, Intern, Corning Enterprises Empire State Development, Southern Tier Regional Office Bonnie Palmer, Regional Director Robin Alpaugh, Deputy Regional Director Joe Roman, Economic Development Program Specialist Omar Sanders, Project Manager Barbara Furch, Project Associate Southern Tier Upstate Revitalization Initiative Plan 3 Section I. Introduction and Executive Summary Introduction Picture a place with a reasonable cost of living and incredible natural beauty. Think of communities where you may run into your neighbor at the coffee shop — or while cheering at a professional sporting event. Add world-renowned institutions of higher education and residents known for their capacity to innovate. Now put all these advantages at the intersection of major highways and rivers, with easy access to half of the North American population. That’s the Southern Tier. We’re not blind to the challenges that lie ahead. Our region has struggled with declining population, an aging workforce, the loss of several major employers and two epic floods in just the past decade. But today the Southern Tier is at a tipping point. With an Upstate Revitalization Initiative investment of $500 million from New York State, we will capitalize on our many assets and overcome these obstacles to create an advanced economy. With this plan, we will build the Greater Binghamton Innovation Ecosystem to lift up the region’s most distressed urban area, transform the food and agriculture industry to capitalize on the Southern Tier’s natural resources, invest in the advanced manufacturing industry to infuse innovation at every level of our region’s largest employer and, finally, Students drive the economy by living, learning and playing in the Southern Tier, and have the potential promote the Southern Tier’s innovative culture to attract tourists, to contribute to the economy by joining the workforce foreign investment and entrepreneurs while encouraging residents to or starting businesses. become regional ambassadors. We will aggressively implement our plan to create the ideal conditions for economic growth by leveraging more than $2.5 billion in private investment, creating more than 10,200 jobs and having an overall economic impact of more than $3.4 billion in the next five years. Building on a strong foundation of target industries, higher education institutions, the nonprofit sector and government agencies, the Southern Tier will take a collaborative approach to attract talent and investment for the development of industry clusters, especially advanced manufacturing, healthcare, food and agriculture and tourism. Our focus will be on increasing the size, quality and prosperity of the region’s workforce through new business creation based on high-technology discoveries and other entrepreneurial activities, while ensuring healthy communities and protecting the region’s natural beauty and resources. This plan represents months of research and public engagement, with deep dives into the demographics and economics of the Southern Tier as well as input from industry and academic leaders, experts in their fields and nearly 1,000 residents. When the initiatives laid out in this plan have been realized, the Southern Tier will no longer be just a region in upstate New York.