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Agency Mission
The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) is currently doing business as the
Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC). The mission of the UDC is to
promote economic and real estate development by providing financial assistance
to local governments, businesses and not-for-profit corporations engaged in
economic development activities. In addition, the corporation is engaged in
housing portfolio maintenance and provides State facility financing for the
construction and modernization of State correctional facilities, as well as
other special projects.
Year-to-Year Change
On an All Funds basis, the Executive proposes a decrease in Aid to Localities
appropriations of $21,054,000, or 13 percent. This decrease is primarily the
result of $23,021,000 in Community Projects funds, the elimination of
$40,833,000 in non-recurring funding, and the addition of $36,500,000 for the
Centers of Excellence, $5,100,000 for Niagara Falls Redevelopment and
$1,200,000 to assist the Lobster Fisheries of the Long Island Sound.
Legislative Changes
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Elimination of the Executive's Base Redevelopment appropriation.
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$(6,000,000) ATL/GEN
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The Assembly rejects the Executive's appropriation for military base
redevelopment.
Legislative Proposals
The Assembly rejects the Executive's proposal to reduce the Community
Enhancement Facilities Assistance Program (CEFAP) bonding authority by
$81,000,000.
The Assembly's proposed New York State Economic Development Commission
will serve as the umbrella organization for economic development activities
in New York State, including grant and loan responsibilities currently being
administered by the Urban Development Corporation.
The Assembly maintains support for the following initiatives:
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-- Jobs Now
-- Economic Development Fund
-- Harlem/South Bronx Federal Empowerment Zone
-- Long Island Sound Lobster Fisheries
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$42,000,000
$37,000,000
$10,000,000
$1,200,000
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The Assembly provides support for the following programs:
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1) Urban and Community Development Program
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$5,000,000
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This program establishes a source of State technical assistance and capital
for the start-up of "micro-enterprise" businesses and provides funding for
program activities in economically distressed and highly distressed areas.
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2) Minority and Women Business Development and Lending
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$6,000,000
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This Assembly-initiated program provides vital financial assistance and
technical assistance to minority and women-owned business enterprises. This
funding will also provide $1,000,000 for a Minority Contractor Loan Loss
Reserve Fund.
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3) Niagara Falls Redevelopment
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$6,100,000
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The Assembly provides an additional $1,000,000 for redevelopment efforts
for the city of Niagara Falls.
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4) Griffiss Air Force Base Redevelopment
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$3,000,000
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Funding to support infrastructure and other improvements associated with
cooperative State/Federal efforts on the former Griffiss Air Force Base.
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5) Niagara Falls Air Force Base Redevelopment
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$500,000
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Funding to support infrastructure and other improvements associated with
cooperative State/Federal efforts at the Niagara Falls Air Force Base.
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6) Economic Development Initiatives
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$10,000,000
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The Assembly provides funding for services and expenses for economic
development, community outreach and neighborhood development projects.
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7) Community Development Financial Institutions
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$3,000,000
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Funding will be used to increase the capacity of community development
credit unions to make "micro-enterprise" and neighborhood development loans
and provides funding for program activities in economically distressed and
highly distressed areas.
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8) Downtown Development Initiative Fund
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$3,500,000
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This program, initiated by the Assembly last year, is a catalyst for the
revitalization of downtown areas and has promoted economic activity in highly
distressed communities. The Assembly Plan would expand the program to include
workforce initiatives and neighborhood-based marketing and promotional
activities.
High Technology/Biotechnology
In order to regain the State's competitive edge in these increasingly
critical sectors, New York State must invest in the personnel and facilities
necessary to attract a substantially larger proportion of federal research
dollars, help commercialize technologies spawned by research, and nurture the
growth of emerging high technology, biomedical and biotechnology companies.
The Assembly Jobs Agenda provides more than $524,000,000 over a five year
period for high technology and biotechnology through the following initiatives:
Biotechnology and Biomedicine
One of the largest and most important biomedical research complexes in the
world is the network of health care and academic institutions located
throughout New York State. Biomedical research and biotechnology development
is one of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy and New York is
home to some of the most prestigious academic research institutions in the
world. Over the past two decades, however, while the National Institutes of
Health and the National Science Foundation budgets have increased dramatically,
New York's share has decreased sharply. To return New York to its preeminent
position the Assembly proposes support for the following programs:
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New York State Biomedical Research Fund
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$10,000,000
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This fund will provide support for the recruitment of new researchers and
investigators at our leading research institutions and medical schools.
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New York State Biotechnology Development Fund
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$10,000,000
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This fund will provide State support for equipment necessary for
institution-based and regional or statewide shared core facilities for
basic research and large-scale, collaborative, leading edge biomedical
research projects.
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New York State Biotechnology Commercialization Capital Fund
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$25,000,000
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This fund would provide for investments in applied and commercial research
facilities and the development of incubator space to commercialize
biomedical/biotechnology innovations and nurture start-up companies.
Proposals would be subject to a peer review process conducted by an
independent panel of scientists appointed by the New York State Economic
Development Commission. Projects eligible for funding could include, but
not be limited to: East River Science Park Project/NYU School of Medicine;
New York Presbyterian/Cornell Medical School/ Columbia Medical School; Mount
Sinai School of Medicine - Institute for Transnational Research; Columbia
University Audubon Research Park; and the Rochester Institute of Technology
Center for Biotechnology Education and Training. The Assembly anticipates
that other projects from research institutions across the State will also be
submitted.
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SUNY Downstate Medical Center Advanced Biotechnology Incubator Facility
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$6,200,000
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The Assembly recommends $6,200,000 for the establishment of a biotechnology
incubator including multi-functional laboratories, and office and core
support space.
The Assembly provides a $125 million five year commitment for the
Biotechnology Commercialization Capital Fund.
Centers of Excellence
Centers of Excellence are university-based collaborations of research and
academic institutions, industry associations, and private sector
technology-based companies whose purpose is to conduct basic and applied
research, develop and commercialize new technologies, and roll-out new
products. The Assembly proposes to create five Centers of Excellence to
stimulate regional economies and create well-paying jobs in the new economy.
Centers of Excellence would focus on the following technologies:
Bioinformatics, Photonics and Optoelectronics, Nanoelectronics, Information
Technology, and Environmental Technology. The Assembly provides a five
year $318,200,000 commitment for the Centers of Excellence. First year
support includes:
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The Buffalo Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics
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$34,100,000
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The University of Buffalo Center for Computational Research is working
with Roswell Park, the Hauptman Research Institute, Praxair, Advanced
Refractory Technologies and others in collaborative efforts to foster
academic and industrial partnerships in bioinformatics.
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The Rochester Center of Excellence in Photonics
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$34,100,000
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The Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of Rochester,
Alfred University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will collaborate
with companies like Kodak and Corning to attract significant amounts of
federal and private sector dollars to conduct cutting edge research.
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The Albany Center of Excellence in Nanoelectronics
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$34,100,000
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This Center will focus on the nanoelectronics industry including the
collaboration of the University of Albany and IBM in the establishment of a
computer chip workforce development facility.
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The Metropolitan Area Center of Excellence in Software and Information Technology
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$34,100,000
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The Assembly proposes to have CUNY, NYU, Polytechnic, Columbia and Stony
Brook collaborate with the New York Software Industry Association and several
corporate partners, including telecommunications, media, and financial services
firms, to chart the future growth of the software industry.
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The Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental Quality Systems
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$7,000,000
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The Assembly proposes to have Syracuse University, the Metropolitan
Development Association, the New York State Environmental Technology Institute
at Rome, SUNY Upstate Medical University, the SUNY College of Environmental
Science and Forestry, the University at Albany, and other institutions and
corporate partners such as Carrier, Welch Allyn, Telergy and Niagara Mohawk
will collaborate in the development of environmental technologies to create
integrated systems that cost effectively improve environmental quality and
human health and performance. This proposal fully funds the New York Indoor
Environmental Quality Center.
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CUNY Incubator/Accelerator Plan
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$11,000,000
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CUNY in collaboration with the New York City Partnership will support four
incubators and five accelerators located at or near CUNY campuses. Incubator
facilities will be located at LaGuardia C.C. (Queens), College of Staten Island,
Hostos College (Bronx) and Borough of Manhattan C.C. (Harlem).
Accelerators will be owned by New York City Investment Fund (NYCIF), CUNY,
and a group of venture capitalists. They will be located at Borough of
Manhattan C.C. (Harlem) - Telemedia, Hunter College (Manhattan) - Biotechnology,
Baruch College (Manhattan) - Financial Services, New York Technical College
(Brooklyn) - Telecommunications in partnership with Polytechnic, University
CAT, and City College (Manhattan) - Software/Photonics in partnership with
City College.
The Assembly provides a $55 million five-year commitment in support of the
CUNY Incubator/Accelerator Plan.
Workforce Agenda
The 2001-02 Assembly Jobs Agenda includes a strong commitment to the skills
needs of New York employers by providing funding for workforce development
activities including programs for career orientation for students, expansion
of certified apprenticeship programs, internships, business-school partnerships,
contract course activity at community colleges, and changes to the Strategic
Training Alliance Program that would improve the delivery of training to small
businesses and industry clusters.
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Apprenticeship
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$5,000,0000
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The Assembly proposes funding for ancillary and related supplementary
instruction for registered apprenticeship programs increasing the State's
share of the cost of instruction for enrolled apprentices and allowing for
expansion. Funding will also be made available for outreach activity providing
information on apprenticeship opportunities to high school graduates and linking
the building and construction trades with local vocational schools.
The Assembly also proposes an internship program for post-secondary and
graduate students that would provide students with an opportunity to gain work
experience in high tech occupations. In addition, colleges and universities
will receive funding to develop intensive pre-internship workshops to prepare
students for conditions that they will encounter in a work environment.
The Assembly provides funding for school to work activities that would bring
secondary schools and businesses together in a program that offers students
information on occupations and career opportunities through mentoring, work
experience, curriculum support, and summer teacher placements.
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"Bringing Them Back Home/Growing Our Own"
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$1,000,000
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The Assembly proposes funding a web site that links prospective job seekers,
including State residents attending schools out of state, with New York
businesses looking for job candidates. Additional funding is provided for a
comprehensive program at secondary and post-secondary schools, colleges, and
universities that would make parents, students, and teachers aware of career
opportunities.
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Community Training Centers
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$1,000,000
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The Assembly proposes funding for technology training centers operated by
community based organizations that would provide individuals, particularly
women and minority group members, with access to training for high-tech
occupations.
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