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Orange County Partnership pitches 'Orange Chip' initiative and industrial pipeline; officials flag power and infrastructure needs
Summary
Maureen Hallahan and Connor Heckert told the committee the Partnership will prioritize advanced manufacturing and semiconductor supply-chain sites in 2025, highlighting large industrial projects coming online and warning that power and other infrastructure are critical constraints for attracting fabs and related suppliers.
Maureen Hallahan, president and CEO of the Orange County Partnership, told the Education and Economic Development Committee on Dec. 9 that the Partnership will focus its 2025 economic-development efforts on advanced manufacturing — notably semiconductors — and on identifying sites that can host semiconductor-related facilities. "Orange County is on the map in the advanced manufacturing and industrial space," Hallahan said, framing the county as connective supply-chain infrastructure between downstate and upstate New York.
Connor Heckert, vice president of business attractions, outlined a development pipeline that he said will move vertical in 2025. He cited the Golden Triangle project — a 535,000-square-foot industrial building being built by Alston Construction and developed by Trammell Crow — and a 416,000-square-foot brownfield redevelopment at 700 South Street in Newburgh with Brookfield Properties that received planning-board approvals. Heckert also identified a site near Stewart Airport (referred to as Matrix) described in the presentation at roughly 595,000 square feet and expected to mobilize earthwork in Q2 2025.
Hallahan and Heckert described state and regional funding that supports the strategy, including the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) program and the Mid Hudson Momentum Fund (a $150 million program to seed workforce and mixed-income housing). Heckert also noted OnRamp, a $200 million New York State fund aimed at seeding workforce centers for advanced manufacturing and semiconductors.
The presentation included examples of potential and existing projects: Project Helix (an international food/pharma-grade manufacturer seeking a New York location, described at about 125,000 sq ft and roughly 70 jobs); Goodness Gardens (a New Hampton-based grower expanding by about 30,000 sq ft with a stated $1,000,000 investment); an American Shoring expansion adding 25,000 sq ft and an estimated 20 jobs; and Project Keepsake, a prospective medical- and food-grade packaging operation with substantial power, water and sewer needs that could bring about 150 skilled manufacturing jobs.
Committee members pressed presenters on utility and infrastructure readiness. Hallahan said many semiconductor and advanced-manufacturing projects require large, reliable electrical service — "you need over 5 megs" and often 65 kV lines and dual service — and urged coordinated prioritization with utilities and local leaders to make sites competitive. She recommended systematic reviews of distribution, transmission and substation infrastructure in collaboration with utility partners.
No formal actions or votes were taken. Presenters asked the committee to prioritize infrastructure planning and said the Partnership will continue site identification, regional coordination and workforce partnerships with institutions including SUNY Orange.
