SCHUMER LAUNCHES PUSH TO SECURE FED FUNDS TO BUILD NEW HQ FOR MAJOR LIGHTING COMPANY IN NEWBURGH, CREATE & RETAIN AT LEAST 230 JOBS – HUDSON VALLEY LIGHTING IS READY TO EXPAND & MOVE TO PERMANENT HOME AT OLD INDUSTRIAL SITE, BUT CITY NEEDS FED FUNDS TO MAKE KEY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
Hudson Valley Lighting, One of Region’s Largest Employers & A
Nationally Known Brand, Is Interested in Expanding & Moving Into New
Facility In Newburgh – Before Move Can Happen & Jobs Can Be
Created, City Needs to Make Key Sewer & Water Infrastructure Improvements
Schumer Urges Feds To Provide Funding Newburgh Needs To Make Critical
Improvements & Make New HV Lighting HQ A Reality – Project Would
Also Open Up Space For Two Other Major Corporations At Site & Potentially
Hundreds More Jobs; Would Be A Tremendous Lift For Newburgh & Entire
Orange County Economy
Schumer: A New HQ For HV Lighting Would Bring Jobs, Jobs, Jobs to Orange County
Today, at the City of Newburgh Public Works Department, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer urged the federal Economic Development Agency (EDA) to provide the City of Newburgh with federal funding to undertake critical infrastructure upgrades at an old industrial site that could soon become the permanent headquarters of Hudson Valley Lighting, a local company that is already one of the area’s top employers and is looking to expand. Hudson Valley Lighting is currently leasing space in the city, but would like to build a new, permanent home at 5 Scobie Drive in Newburgh. However, the Scobie Drive location is a post-industrial brownfield site that needs key water and sewer infrastructure improvements before the company can move in. The City of Newburgh has applied for funding from the EDA to help pay for these infrastructure improvements and Schumer announced that he is pushing the EDA to fund this right away. If these key infrastructure improvements are made, Hudson Valley Lighting plans to create at least 50 new jobs and retain another 180. In addition, the project would open up space for two more companies at the site, potentially leading to the creation of hundreds of more jobs.
“The City of Newburgh has historically been one of the Hudson Valley’s largest industrial hubs, but the city and region have lost thousands of manufacturing jobs over the past few decades,” said Schumer. “There is still a desperate need to bring back these good-paying manufacturing jobs, and that is why this project is so important. Making critical water and sewer infrastructure improvements at 5 Scobie Drive – and enabling Hudson Valley Lighting to have a new, permanent home at the site –has the potential to eventually create and retain at least 230 manufacturing jobs, but the project needs federal funding before these job numbers can become a reality. That is why I am calling on the federal EDA to swiftly approve Newburgh’s application for funding. This project has the potential to bring jobs to Newburgh, and become a gateway for future economic development and increased employment in Orange County.”
Schumer was joined by local elected and economic development officials, including Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus, City of Newburgh Mayor Judy Kennedy; Newburgh City Manager Michael Ciaravino; Patricia Pomeroy, Executive Director of the Hudson Valley Regional Council; Laurence Gottlieb, President and CEO of Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation; and Maureen Halahan, President and CEO of Orange County Partnership.
“The City of Newburgh thanks Senator Schumer for the support of our Economic Development Assistance Program Grant,” said Michael Ciaravino, Newburgh City Manager. “This investment will have both environmental and economic benefits for our City by creating more jobs, improving the City’s infrastructure, and leveraging private and public resources.”
“We strongly support and applaud Senator Schumer for recognizing the City of Newburgh is undergoing an economic revival, and so providing Hudson Valley Lighting – a major local employer – with a new permanent home from which to expand their operations is vital to continuing the City’s positive momentum,” said Laurence Gottlieb, President and CEO of the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation.
Schumer explained that building a new headquarters for Hudson Valley Lighting in the City of Newburgh will not be possible if the City is unable to make crucial upgrades and renovations to its sewer and water infrastructure system at the site. If the City were to secure funds from the EDA for this work, the financial burden of improving the water and sewer system at 5 Scobie Drive would be taken off of taxpayers. Schumer explained that in addition to 5 Scobie Drive, this project would also help reduce the development costs of the adjacent parcels, making them more marketable as well. This will not only pave the way for Hudson Valley Lighting to expand, but will open up space for two more companies at the former brownfield sites.
This investment by the EDA would turn a formerly contaminated landfill into a modern, environmentally-friendly, tax-paying, manufacturing, assembly, warehouse, and distribution center that will serve as a gateway project to future economic development. This project would create short- and long-term living wage jobs for Orange County residents. Currently, the Hudson Valley Lighting average wage is approximately $44,000 annually. This project would ensure 180 jobs stay in Newburgh and would create 50 new ones. Schumer said that this infrastructure investment would also create between 30 and 60 temporary, well-paying construction jobs in addition to the potential creation of many more jobs at Hudson Valley Lighting as it continues to grow. The project may also create additional jobs if the adjacent industrial land is developed by companies looking to utilize the new space in the area as well.
The City of Newburgh has applied for an EDA grant of roughly $3 million to fund water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure improvements. Schumer said that this is a worthwhile investment for a project that could reap exponential financial benefits. The Scobie Drive site would eventually be remediated and redeveloped into a 140,000-plus square foot facility at a total cost of $10 million.
Schumer explained that the Hudson Valley region has lost almost 20,000 jobs since 2000 and the City of Newburgh has a need for manufacturing jobs that pay a living wage, so this expansion would be excellent news. Currently, Hudson Valley Lighting, including its affiliates, is the largest non-institutional employer in the area. The majority of its work force comes from Newburgh, and because the owners of Hudson Valley Lighting hold strong ties to Newburgh, the company is intent on keeping its facility and resulting jobs in Orange County so long as it is feasible.
Hudson Valley Lighting is a growing business that has increased its profits by more than 10 percent each year for the past 5 years, and is now looking to expand. In addition, the new facility will allow Hudson Valley Lighting and its affiliates—USAI Lighting and Sonneman—to expand their existing capabilities and integrate state-of-the-art design, production, and distribution systems. USAI and Sonneman are also lighting companies currently located in the Newburgh area that employ a significant number of Newburgh residents. Securing the federal funding for this project will ensure Hudson Valley Lighting, its employee base, and its tax revenue will prosper in Newburgh for generations to come.
Schumer’s letter to the Economic Development Agency (EDA) in support of Newburgh’s application is included below:
Dear Assistant Secretary Williams:
I write to urge you to provide the City of Newburgh, New York with funding to undertake critical infrastructure upgrades at an old industrial site that could soon become the permanent headquarters of Hudson Valley Lighting. Hudson Valley Lighting is a growing business that is already one of the area’s top employers, and is looking for new ways to expand in the region. If these key infrastructure improvements are made, Hudson Valley Lighting plans to create at least 50 new jobs and retain another 180 in the City of Newburgh. The project would also create space for two more companies at the site, opening the door for the creation of hundreds more jobs in Hudson Valley.
Hudson Valley Lighting is currently leasing space in Newburgh, but would like to build a new, permanent home at 5 Scobie Drive. The Scobie Drive location, however, is a post-industrial brownfield site that needs key water and sewer infrastructure improvements before the company can move in. If the City of Newburgh is able to secure a $2,997,967 grant from the EDA for this project, the financial burden of improving the water and sewer system would be taken off of local taxpayers. This worthwhile investment by the EDA would turn a formerly contaminated landfill into a modern manufacturing, assembly, warehouse, and distribution center that would serve as a gateway project for future economic development for Orange County.
The City of Newburgh has historically been one of Hudson Valley’s largest industrial hubs, but the city and region have lost thousands of manufacturing jobs over the last few decades. There is a desperate need to bring back these good-paying manufacturing jobs, and this project at Scobie Drive signifies a step in the right direction. Securing the funding for this project will ensure that Hudson Valley Lighting and other similar local employers will prosper in Newburgh for generations to come.
Thank you for your consideration. For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me or my Hudson Valley office.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator