Image of the Conduent Call Center in Irondequoit, NY.

ESD Announces Grand Opening Of Conduent Call Center at Skyview on the Ridge

Business Services Provider Will Expand Operations in the Town of Irondequoit Creating and Retaining More Than 900 Jobs in the Region

Investment is Being Supported by “Finger Lakes Forward” – The Region’s Comprehensive Strategy to Revitalize Communities and Grow the Economy

Empire State Development (ESD) announced today that Conduent Inc. has officially opened the doors on its new call center at Skyview on the Ridge, the former Medley Centre, at the site of the former Macy’s store in the Town of Irondequoit. The company plans to create up to 315 new full-time jobs over the next five years and almost 600 jobs will also be retained in Monroe County. Conduent, the world’s largest business process services company, assists clients in the healthcare, commercial, transportation and public sector.

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky said, "Successful businesses like Conduent are choosing to expand and create jobs in the Finger Lakes region thanks to Governor Cuomo's efforts in creating a welcoming business climate that encourages growth.”

Conduent provides business process services to many of the state’s agencies and systems, such as the New York E-ZPass® system, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, and Worker’s Compensation Board, as well as many U.S. and international businesses that have operations in the state. As part of those services, Conduent provides an omnichannel customer experience including live customer service, interactive voice response and web-mobile services.

Jeff Friedel, Chief People Officer of Conduent said, “We are looking forward to expanding our footprint here in the city. Customer experience is so important to every brand today, and one of our many business services. Rochester has a talented pool of citizens who have the skills necessary to help some of the country’s top Fortune 500 businesses and government clients.”

In order to encourage Conduent to move forward with the expansion project in the Town of Irondequoit, Empire State Development has offered up to $5 million in performance based incentives. Up to $2 million will come through a Finger Lakes Forward Upstate Revitalization Grant; another $3 million will be provided in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits, which are tied to job creation commitments. The company  invested more than $7 million to renovate the space in order to meet the demand of current contracts.

The former Medley Centre opened its doors in 1990 as the Irondequoit Mall and at one time featured four anchor stores Sears, Macy's The Bon-Ton and J. C. Penney.  It closed for good in 2009 except for retailers Macy's and Sears, which respectively closed in 2014 and 2016. In January of 2016, the property was sold at a public auction by Monroe County. In addition to the expansion of Conduent, the Town of Irondequoit is also planning to utilize space inside Skyview on the Ridge to accommodate a new community center.

Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chairs Monroe Community College President Anne Kress and Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Duffy said, “It is incredibly exciting to support the rebirth of the former mall and assist this established business with creating hundreds of new jobs in the region. The Finger Lakes Forward plan is all about generating new opportunities. Conduent’s growth is further evidence that the regionally designed initiative is indeed working.”

State Assembly Majority Leader Joe Morelle said, “Not only will Conduent help to boost our economy through the creation of hundreds of jobs, but its very location here at Skyview on the Ridge – the former Medley Centre – marks the exciting beginning of the revitalization of this long-vacant property. I am grateful to Governor Cuomo and Conduent for their investment in Irondequoit and I look forward to continuing our work together to attract new businesses and jobs to Rochester.”

State Senator Rich Funke said, “I congratulate Conduent on completing the move of their call center to Irondequoit and am pleased to see their commitment to be at SkyView On the Ridge. Conduent retaining 600 jobs in the area and working to expand another 300 is another positive step in strengthening our economy.”

Irondequoit Town Supervisor Dave Seeley said, “On behalf of the residents of Irondequoit, I am happy to welcome Conduent to our community. The significance of  Conduent’s decision to locate in the former Irondequoit Mall cannot be understated, as it has provided the first visible momentum in roughly a decade in the effort to revitalize the area’s largest vacant property. I thank Governor Cuomo and his team for helping bring these hundreds of jobs to our community, thereby strengthening Irondequoit’s economic future.”

For more information about Conduent, click here.

Accelerating Finger Lakes Forward 

Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The State has already invested more than $3.4 billion in the region since 2012 to lay the groundwork for the plan – investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture‎ and food production, and advanced manufacturing. Today, unemployment is down to the lowest levels since before the Great Recession; personal and corporate income taxes are down; and businesses are choosing places like Rochester, Batavia and Canandaigua as a destination to grow and invest in.

Now, the region is accelerating Finger Lakes Forward with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, announced by Governor Cuomo in December 2015. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 8,200 new jobs. More information is available here.​

 

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