The epoch times

Bill Fioravanti, Executive of Orange County IDA, discusses the Shovel-Ready Initiative.

A New Program to Boost Shovel-Ready Sites in Orange ⁤County

A⁤ new program by the Orange County Industrial⁤ Development Agency (OCIDA) aimed at boosting the number of shovel-ready sites recently‍ concluded its phase one work, ⁣according to Executive Director Bill ⁤Fioravanti.

The ⁣preliminary work, ‌carried⁢ out by Delaware Engineering, led to the⁢ discovery of about a⁣ dozen top sites out of a candidate pool of over a hundred ⁤across the county.

Mr. Fioravanti said ⁤the next step would‌ be⁢ for a select committee to pick one or‍ two sites for ​his ‍agency to buy ⁣and get them ready to lure premium businesses.

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“I’m‍ talking about high-tech projects, such⁢ as chip manufacturing; they need a lot of water, a lot of sewer capacity, and abundant ‍power,” he said.‌ “We will⁢ get the sites ready to accommodate those so that ​businesses⁤ can literally shovel in the⁣ ground within six⁣ to nine months when they come in.”

Money for ⁣the site purchase will come from the agency’s fund balance, currently at around $12 million, mostly from fees paid by businesses granted tax incentives, ‍according to​ Mr. Fioravanti.

The‍ OCIDA has the ‌legal power to grant tax benefits to spur economic⁤ growth and funds its entire operation via applicant fees.

For example, the Legoland developer​ paid the agency‌ about $2 million in closing fees after‍ being granted tens of millions of property tax, sales tax, and mortgage recording tax benefits, Mr. ⁣Fioravanti said.

“We are not ⁤here to stockpile cash, and we want to invest our funds wisely, prudently, and carefully to bring a‌ higher level of economic development to Orange County,” he said, adding‌ that⁣ the shovel-ready initiative investment will be at a level not‌ to jeopardize the ⁤agency’s day-to-day operation.

Bill Fioravanti⁣ at a co-working space in ⁢Newburgh, N.Y., on March 31, 2023. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times)

The initiative, modeled ⁤after the successful case⁣ of Warwick Technology Park, comes at a time when the site inventory in the county is​ low and impedes further economic growth, he said.

It also comes at a time when‌ the economic development agencies in the​ county aim to go beyond ​the warehouse boom ⁣to attract high-tech companies with premium-paying ⁣jobs.

“We ⁣want to attract the best and brightest projects to Orange County. That’s​ what it is ⁢all ​about,” Mr. Fioravanti said.

He⁢ was ‌reluctant to⁤ share specifics about sites⁤ being considered for purchase for ⁣fear of price gouging and that the final selections should be ready⁢ between three and six‌ months.

Mr. ⁣Fioravanti said the select committee will likely consist of four ⁤to five members from the OCIDA board, County ⁣Executive



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