Empire State Development Blog

21 Commercial Landlords in New York City and Upstate New York Have Committed to Facilitate Testing   Expanding Access to COVID-19 Testing Key to Safely Reopening Economy Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the New York Forward COVID-Safe Offices partnership with major commercial real estate partners to expand access to COVID-19 testing for employers. As part of the initiative, 21 participating landlords have committed to provide space and facilitate access to testing services for tenants interested in conducting regular diagnostic testing of their employees.  "From the beginning of the pandemic, New York has always said that our recovery is not a choice between public health and the economy - it has to be both - and with this partnership we are demonstrating just how effectively we can accomplish our goals," Governor Cuomo said. "This new partnership with major commercial real estate companies is the next step in reinvigorating our urban cores and commercial offices, supporting state and regional economies. Improved access to testing will further drive New York State's economic recovery by encouraging employers and employees to safely return to work using science and data to guide their decisions."   First announced as part of the Governor's 2021 State of the State Address, this unique partnership will expand testing, which is critical to controlling the spread of the virus, and provide workers with additional confidence in the safety of their workplaces as New York safely resumes and increases economic activity. In New York City, eight landlords representing more than 100 million square feet of commercial office space have already committed to participate. In Upstate New York, 13 landlords spanning the Capital Region, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse areas have affirmed their commitment to expanding access to testing for their tenants. Empire State Development continues to work with additional commercial property owners to expand the program.  Empire State Development Acting Commissioner, and President & CEO-designate Eric Gertler said, "New York State remains focused on rebuilding the state's economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This new partnership with commercial real estate stakeholders will help more companies transition employees back into offices, while supporting the ecosystem of small businesses that rely on customers that work in local workplaces."   Read the full press release here.

Governor's Cup Presented to Pindar Vineyards  Paumanok Vineyards Named Winery of the Year Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the top winners of the 35th annual New York Wine Classic, a nationally recognized competition highlighting the best of New York's wine. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul made the announcement this evening during a special live virtual event hosted by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation.  This year, the Governor's Cup, the most esteemed award given at the Classic, was presented to Pindar Vineyards for its 2019 Dr. Dan's Signature Collection, Gewurztraminer from the Long Island region. In addition, Paumanok Vineyards from Long Island was presented with the 'Winery of the Year' award. "Congratulations to Pindar Vineyards and Paumanok Vineyards for not only the recognition they won in the competition, but also for showcasing why New York State is a premier wine destination" Governor Cuomo said. "Thanks to our strategic investments, New York's wine industry has seen unprecedented growth over these past few years, and as we reopen our state, wine enthusiasts can enjoy this unique part of the New York experience all across the state."     "The pandemic created extraordinary challenges for the wine industry, but New York's wineries and vineyards adapted, innovated and continued to create some of the country's best wines," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "From Long Island to Lake Erie, New York is now home to more than 1,200 wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries that are finally being recognized for their preeminent products. Congratulations to Pindar Vineyards and PaumanokVineyards for their well-deserved awards."    The Governor's Cup, a large silver chalice, recognizes the "Best of Show" or top prize of all entries in the New York Wine Classic. The "Winery of the Year" award is presented to the winery with the best overall showing based on the level and number of awards in relation to entries. Read the full press release here.

New Headquarters Brings Organization Back to its Founding Neighborhood Urban League Empowerment Center Project Includes New York's First Museum Dedicated to Civil Rights, Plus Below-Market Office Space for Community Groups and Civic Organizations Site will include 170 Affordable Housing Units to Be Constructed with Support from New York State Homes and Community Renewal  Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the groundbreaking for the National Urban League's new headquarters in Harlem, where the organization was first established over a century ago. The Urban League Empowerment Center, on 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard and Lenox Avenue, will also include the Urban Civil Rights Museum Experience and the National Urban League Institute for Race, Equity and Justice, plus affordable housing, office space and retail space.  "For more than a century, the National Urban League has been vital in supporting the advancement of Black Americans and other historically underrepresented groups in New York State and across America, and has been particularly critical in helping get shots in arms as the state expands its vaccination effort," Governor Cuomo said. "This project exemplifies the League's mission that began more than a century ago in the same Harlem neighborhood, offering community support and education through affordable housing, lower-cost office space, and the state's first museum dedicated to civil rights history. As the challenges and struggles surrounding the fight for equal rights continue to today, this new headquarters is even more vital and I'm very proud that it's being built in New York." National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said, "New York City is where we were born, and I am proud that New York City is where we will stay. I am even more excited about the neighborhood economic development our new home represents. With affordable office space for non-profit organizations like One Hundred Black Men of New York, the United Negro College Fund New York, and the Harlem-based Jazzmobile, the Empowerment Center will be a hub and a catalyst for enterprise, creativity, activism and advocacy." As part of the $242 million project, the National Urban League will build a nearly 42,000-square-foot national headquarters in the same neighborhood where it was founded by Ruth Standish Baldwin and Dr. George Edmund Haynes in 1910. The site will also house the 19,500-square-foot National Urban League Institute for Race, Equity and Justice conferencecenter, and the nearly 21,500-square-foot Urban Civil Rights Museum Experience-New York's first civil rights museum to share and illustrate the story of civil rights advocacy in the north.  Read the full press release here.