More Than $51M in Fast NY Grants for Upstate

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that more than $51 million has been awarded to improve five locations under the Focused Attraction of Shovel-Ready Tracts New York grant program. FAST NY is designed to prepare and develop sites across the state to jumpstart New York’s shovel-readiness and increase its attractiveness to large employers and high-tech manufacturing companies. The program, administered by Empire State Development, helps to diversify New York State’s economy by supporting site improvements that encourage new investments to grow businesses and create jobs. Since its inception, FAST NY has awarded more than $283 million to 34 sites located throughout Upstate New York. Governor Hochul secured an additional $100 million in the FY26 Budget to expand the FAST NY program and build on its successes.

“Through FAST NY, we’re able to promote manufacturing and bring in good-paying jobs to communities throughout New York State,” Governor Hochul said. “Companies like Micron, Edwards Vacuum, Chobani and fairlife want to come to New York because we have the hardest working individuals, and having shovel-ready sites makes New York State an international competitor for world-class companies to expand their operations here.”

Round 6 Awardees:

• Oneida County – $32.36 million: This infrastructure improvement project will allow for utility infrastructure work including roadway improvements, water, sewer, and gas capacity improvements, and general site work at the Triangle Site, located at Griffiss International Airport on the Griffiss Business & Technology Park Steven J. DiMeo Campus in the City of Rome. The grant will support utility extensions to the site perimeter for future connections, building on a previous FAST NY grant award with enhanced capacity and redundancy at both the original Triangle Site as well as the adjacent 160-acre Mohawk Glen parcel. These upgrades will allow the site to accommodate Chobani, as well as future development for another 160 shovel ready acres for further development.
• Webster Community Coalition for Economic Development, Inc. – $9.8 million: This infrastructure improvement project will allow for road dedication needed for subdivision of the property, road reconstruction and extension, multimodal connections, sanitary sewer upgrades to extend capacity, and electrical master planning at the Northeast Area for Technology (NEAT) site in the Town of Webster, in Monroe County. These improvements will provide upgrades to the Xerox Campus and immediately surrounding properties. The project offers nearly 300 acres of developable property, in addition to more than one million square feet of industrial space, to be developed for advanced manufacturing. This project will maximize the potential and facilitate the transformation of this former brownfield property and enhance its attractiveness to key industries.
• Oswego County Industrial Development Agency – $8.1 million: This infrastructure improvement project will allow for utility infrastructure work – including roadway improvements, water and sewer capacity improvements, power and gas capacity improvements, and telecommunications service extensions — at the L. Michael Treadwell Oswego County Industrial Park in the Town of Schroeppel. The grant will support road extensions, construction of a new electrical substation and extension of associated power, and extension of all other utilities to the site. These improvements will provide 25 acres over four available sites, as well as 135 additional acres for development. Located eight miles from Micron, this will be a premier location for semiconductor supply chain businesses.
• Broome County Industrial Development Agency – $500,000: This pre-development project expands the scope of work underway at the Broome Technology Park in the Town of Union and will advance utility design, easements and alignments, and transportation access. Work will also include a NYISO study, water and wastewater engineering, and design components for sustainability in energy, waste, and social aspects. The project will create a 600-acre sustainability-focused corporate park designed to attract a wide spectrum of advanced industries, including power electronics, energy storage, semiconductor supply chain companies, life sciences and agricultural processing. This site was previously awarded a $500,000 FAST NY grant, and the scope of this project goes beyond that of the previous award.
• Greene County – $400,000: This pre-development project will allow for shovel-ready advancement of the Hudson River Commerce Park in the Town of Catskill, including a final GEIS and findings statement with priority on preliminary engineering studies. The project will expedite the site’s shovel-readiness and improve speed to market for regional advanced manufacturing projects. Studies will be prioritized to identify any red flags that would prevent future development of an initial conceptual site master plan, including water and wastewater, energy, wetlands, and transportation access. The site provides unique assets including proximity to the New York State Thruway, access to the Hudson River via a deep-water port, private rail siding and significant developable acreage.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “With Governor Hochul's support, New York State continues to build for the future by partnering with local agencies to create and grow the number of shovel-ready sites throughout Upstate New York. By investing in the infrastructure that supports high-tech industries, we are building an ecosystem that promotes sustainable economic growth and helps to create good paying jobs for New Yorkers.”

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. said, “Being able to look to FAST NY enabled Oneida County to confidently offer Chobani a shovel ready side, which we know was a critical consideration in selecting Rome for its $1 billion expansion, and now the Triangle site can be fully developed in the future. The Chobani project alone represents one of the largest private investments in our county’s history and will have a profound impact on our workforce and economy for generations to come. Oneida County’s efforts over the last four years paved the way for non-aeronautical development at Griffiss’ Triangle site and we are proud to partner in making this transformative opportunity a reality.”

MVREDC Co-Chair Larry Gilroy said, “The region and the state worked hard to earn Chobani's confidence, yet action speaks louder than words: already the approval process is quickly advancing, and NYS has again shown its commitment with Governor Hochul's announcement of FAST NY funding of $32.6 million for infrastructure that will make this Billion Dollar project a reality.”

MV EDGE President Shawna Papale said, “Governor Hochul's commitment to economic development has driven significant growth in the Mohawk Valley. Her leadership was pivotal in securing Chobani's $1.2 billion facility in Rome, which began construction in April. Strategic investments, including $51 million in FAST NY grants, have supported critical infrastructure and job creation. These efforts are positioning the region as a leading hub for advanced manufacturing and agribusiness.”

New York State Economic Development Council Executive Director Ryan M. Silva said, “The NYSEDC is proud to have worked alongside our partners in state government on the creation and implementation of the FAST NY Program. I commend Governor Hochul for approving these investments into essential projects across the state. It is critical to strengthen New York’s infrastructure to bolster business, attract new investment, and to protect the environment, and these investments announced today will do just that.”

Chobani Chief Impact Officer Nishant Roy said, “Chobani is New York made and with this investment in Rome, we’re building an ecosystem of farmers, partners, and communities that will drive the natural food movement forward in the United States. This was an easy investment to make because of the leadership of Governor Hochul, Oneida County, and the local community, and because of the region’s rich history of innovation and resilience.”

State Senator Sean Ryan said, "FAST NY is the kind of smart investment that strengthens our economy for the long term. By preparing shovel-ready sites across Upstate New York, we’re attracting high-tech manufacturers and other growing industries that will create stable, family-sustaining jobs."

First announced in February 2022, FAST NY helps to diversify New York State’s economy while generating new investments for businesses, communities and job creation. Following an initial commitment of $200 million, Governor Hochul subsequently secured an additional $100 million for FAST NY in both the FY25 and FY26 State Budgets.

FAST NY grants are awarded for pre-development activities and infrastructure investments to develop sites that will attract many eligible industries — including high-tech manufacturing, semiconductors, clean-tech renewable energy, life sciences, agribusiness, optics, transportation equipment, materials processing, industrial machinery manufacturing and other advanced manufacturing. These sites can also be used for interstate distribution and logistics. For more information, or to apply for a FAST NY grant, visit esd.ny.gov/fast-ny.