Empire State Development (ESD) today announced that New York State has designated four undeveloped parcels at Sterling Business Park in Orchard Park as “shovel ready,” ensuring the site’s readiness for development as a multi-tenant medical, business and technology park. The four parcels, comprising the 23.9 available acres, have satisfied the requirements for New York State Shovel Ready Certification and have been pre-qualified for development, meaning that businesses will be able to locate there without delay. Companies will still need to obtain permits to operate that will be based on their individual needs and circumstances, but they can be assured there are no wetlands, endangered species, historic artifacts or other concerns that might delay a project. Utilities, including electricity, gas, water, sewer and fiber, are also available to the site.
“New York State’s Shovel Ready program provides valuable enticements to businesses, as well as job opportunities for local residents,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky. “By gaining this certification for the Sterling Business Park, the potential to attract developers and business interest to Orchard Park is increased substantially, while the time to complete any project is significantly reduced.”
“We expect that this Shovel Ready designation will be the catalyst to spur more development within the park as buyers will have the confidence that their projects can be approved in a timely manner,” said Orchard Park Commerce Center President Jeff Steinwachs.
The 23.9 acres of undeveloped property is part of a larger, 100-acre business park that is already home to several commercial businesses. The available parcels range from 1.6 to 11.5 acres. The properties are located adjacent to U.S. Route 219 and are minutes from the New York State Thruway, Buffalo Niagara International Airport and City of Buffalo. The site may be eligible for New York Power Authority (NYPA) low-cost hydroelectric power allocation and Western New York power proceeds allocations, which businesses will have to apply for separately. Current occupants of the Sterling Business Park include medical, office and light industrial uses.
Sales for the shovel ready parcels are being handled by Richard J. Schechter, Associate Real Estate Broker at Pyramid Brokerage Company. For more information on these parcels at Sterling Business Park, contact Richard Schechter at 716-852-7500, ext. 102 or 716-316-4040 (cell), or Jeff Steinwachs at 941-383-0148.
Shovel Ready Certification is administered by Empire State Development, the state’s lead economic development organization. The program is an ongoing component of the Build Now-NY program. The state does not provide funding for Shovel Ready applications, but does coordinate the review of each application with all relevant state and federal agencies. In this case, as part of the process, the site was evaluated by representatives of ESD, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Department of Transportation, New York State Office of Historic Preservation, New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets and the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers. Each of these agencies has looked at the potential for development at this location and resolved any concerns in advance of a project.
Click here for more information on New York State’s Shovel Ready program.
Contact:
Laura Magee (ESD) | [email protected] | 716-846-8239 | 1-800-260-7313
Richard Schechter (Pyramid Brokerage) | [email protected] | 716-852-7500 | 716-316-4040 (cell)