Hudson Valley Region, February 2011
Firm Expansions and Contractions
This briefing is intended to provide information on firm-specific hiring and layoff announcements in the Hudson Valley. Information in this report is derived from press releases, newspapers, business journals, newsletters, and other public sources. It does not include all expansions and contractions in the region – only those for which public information has been obtained. An attempt is made to present only current information – events that have recently occurred or will in the near future.
Business Expansions
New this Month
Dutchess County - Nothing to report.
Orange County - Nothing to report.
Putnam County - Nothing to report.
Rockland County - Nothing to report.
Sullivan County
Empire Resorts is proposing a $400 million project that includes three hotels and a water park at the Monticello Casino & Raceway. They propose to first build a $100 million, 200-room hotel, and then two themed 200-room hotels. The first phase is expected to create 750 temporary union construction jobs and 225 to 250 permanent jobs when completed.
Ulster County - Nothing to report.
Westchester County - Nothing to report.
New Last Month
Dutchess County - Nothing to report.
Orange County
Takasago International Corporation recently purchased the former Manhattan Beer Distributors building in Harriman and plan to use it for its manufacturing and warehousing operations. The $13.5 million investment over five years will translate into 75 jobs initially and 100 more jobs in the near future.
Putnam County - Nothing to report.
Rockland County
After an expensive facelift at nearly $15 million, the former Holiday Inn in Suffern will reopen as The Crowne Plaza. No job numbers were available.
Sullivan County - Nothing to report.
Ulster County
Romeo Buick GMC has purchased the local Chevrolet franchise and is expanding on Ulster Avenue in Lake Katrine. The new dealership will have a Buick GMC showroom and a complete Chevrolet dealership with service, parts, accessories and a business office.
Westchester County
Dannon, the yogurt giant, plan to relocate their Research and Development department from Texas to White Plains. The company will hire 50 to 60 new employees for positions in R&D, sales and finance.
Dick's Sporting Goods will open a 55,000 square-foot store in White Plains. The new store is scheduled to open sometime in April 2011.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Center, a renowned New York City cancer hospital is seeking permission from the State Department of Health to build a free-standing outpatient center in Harrison. If the state approved the project, construction would begin in spring 2012 and the center would open in early 2015. Initially, 140 people, including physicians, would work at the hospital.
Raymour & Flanigan Furniture plans to open a 58,000 square-foot store in Westchester County. The store is scheduled to open at the former Fortunoff location in White Plains. No job numbers were available.
Business Contractions
New this Month
Dutchess County
Crush Fitness will close its fitness and tanning center located in LaGrangeville by February 28, 2011, and lay off 31 employees.
Orange County
Omnicare Inc., a Lagrange-based pharmaceutical provider announced plans to lay off 48 employees in the coming months. Forty-one employees will be let go by March 11th and seven more on April 29th.
Putnam County
Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. a California-based generic drug maker will close its Carmel manufacturing facilities by the end March 2011 and lay off the last 20 employees who remained at the site. At one time Watson was Putnam County’s second largest employer with an estimated workforce of about 600 people. The reductions began in 2008 as the company began consolidating its operations in the United States and in India.
Rockland County
Xerox Corporation announced plans to close its supply distribution center in Suffern in May 2011, laying off 36 employees.
Sullivan County
The U.S. Department of the Interior rejected the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans' application for approval to build a resort casino in Sullivan County. The Department of Interior notified the tribe that it would not approve the compact, a needed first step in a process that could have led to final approval for the casino in Bridgeville.
Ulster County
St. Cabrini Home, Inc. announced plans to close its facility in West Park on February 28, 2011. The residential treatment center employs about 69 people.
Westchester County
A&P will close five supermarkets in Westchester and Putnam counties as part of the company’s bankruptcy reorganization. Supermarkets in Greenburgh, New Rochelle, Port Chester and Carmel are among the 32 stores that the company will close under its Chapter11 filing. The five local stores will close around April 15.
Borders bookstores announced plans to close its Eastchester store by the end of April 2011. The closure of the Eastchester store will affect 38 people.
New Last Month
Dutchess County - Nothing to report.
Orange County - Nothing to report.
Putnam County - Nothing to report.
Rockland County - Nothing to report.
Sullivan County - Nothing to report.
Ulster County
Dyno Nobel, a manufacturer of explosives will reduced its workforce at the Port Ewen plant by about 40 employees, with 29 of those layoffs coming in mid-February.
Precision Flow, a company that makes equipment for the solar and other high-tech industries will reduce its workforce by 50 people.
Westchester County
St. Anthony of Padua is one of nine local catholic schools that the Archdiocese of New York will close in June 2011 because of funding issues. The Archdiocese will close eight schools in Westchester County and one in Putnam. The local schools that will close at the end of the school year are: Christ the King, St. Mary's, St. Bartholomew all in Yonkers; St. Anthony of Padua in West Harrison; St. Joseph in Croton Falls; Sacred Heart School for the Arts, and Sts. Peter and Paul in Mount Vernon; St. John the Evangelist in Mahopac. No job numbers were announced.
Strikes and Labor Disputes
Nothing to report.