Ray Gillen, the commissioner of economic development and planning for Schenectady County, informed county lawmakers of the investment during Monday’s Committee on Economic Development and Planning meeting, where he urged lawmakers to move forward with selling a 1-acre parcel in the county-owned business park needed to address stormwater runoff for a proposed 65,000-square-foot manufacturing facility currently under review.
Gillen did not reveal the name of the company because a final lease agreement is still not in place, but noted a “very exciting, dynamic, fast-growing technology company” has an option in place for the facility.
“The company is a technology firm that plays in the area of power, defense and aerospace, so they’re a great fit to the Airport Business Park,” he told lawmakers. “These are high-paid manufacturing technology jobs and they’re employment — they’re at the top of the pay scale.”
The LSI Development Group has proposed plans to construct a 24,000-square-foot building and 65,000-square-foot facility on 3.6 acres of land located at 20 and 22 Airport Road, respectively. The proposal can be traced back to 2022, when county lawmakers approved selling the land to the developer as part of a 6.3-acre deal worth $614,000.
County lawmakers also approved selling a separate 2.68-acre parcel at 27 Airport Road along Route 50. Mid-State Industries, a Schenectady-based construction firm, is in the early stages of constructing a 16,800-square-foot headquarters on that property.
Brett Steenburgh, a site engineer representing LSI, told town planners last month that he could not reveal the tenant of the proposed building at 22 Airport Road, but said the company does not deal with noxious fumes.
“I can tell you it’s more of a technological and metallurgical facility, not one that’s going to be creating noxious odors or toxic runoff,” he said.
As part of the latest land acquisition, the county would sell the company an additional 1-acre to accommodate stormwater runoff for $10,000. The parcel is currently used for drainage and not a buildable lot, Gillen said.
Supervisor Chris Koetzle said he was aware of the proposed development but did not have information on the proposed technology company.
“We’re excited about it,” he said. “It’s a great addition to the town.”
News of the technology firm’s interest in Glenville is the latest development in a yearslong effort to turn a portion of the Schenectady County Airport into a thriving business park, which has led to millions in new investment and hundreds of jobs.
In recent years, the C2 Design Group has moved into the park, which is also home to Richmor Aviation, SuperPower, DSM and a Naval Operations Support Center. The Schenectady County Airport is also home to the Stratton Air National Guard Base.
