New York State Department of Labor Labor Statistics

Southern Tier Region, Expansions and Contractions

Disclaimer: The information in this file was extracted from statewide newspaper clippings by Labor Department staff. The New York State Department of Labor is not responsible for the accuracy of these statistics unless they are direct quotes from the Department of Labor.

Expansions, Openings and Recalls

New this Month

In a long-awaited announcement, Corning Inc. said it will spend $250 million to expand its diesel facility in Erwin (Steuben County) by 94,000 square feet. The plant makes large ceramic substrates and filters for heavy-duty diesel engines. The three-year project is expected to create 250 jobs, if market demand grows as expected. The plan also includes an investment in new heavy-duty diesel finishing operations at Corning’s subsidiary in China, a project that represents the company’s first major diesel capacity investment in Asia.   (Article Date:   April 26, 2013)

Empire Pipeline has proposed a $43 million, 18-mile natural gas pipeline that would run through part of Steuben County. The company has submitted its plans to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and is in the preliminary phases of the project. The owners of properties along the proposed route have been notified. Empire Pipeline would begin negotiating right-of-way and compensation with landowners and conduct environmental and engineering studies during the summer of 2013. If the project is approved, work could begin in 2014. In 2011, Empire built a 16-mile pipeline, called the Tioga County Extension, that brings Marcellus Shale gas produced in Pennsylvania north into the company’s pipeline network that connects the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Corning areas.   (Article Date:   April 23, 2013)

Nationwide Credit Inc. will expand its Vestal (Broome County) call center by 300 positions this year. The company currently employs about 400 people at its Vestal center, where it provides third-party call center and customer support. The company has already begun hiring for the expansion.   (Article Date:   April 17, 2013)

New last Month

Lockheed Martin in Owego (Tioga County) received a $13.5 million U.S. Navy contract extension for helicopter avionics systems. The deal extends a previously awarded contract for the upgrade of data and software systems on MH-60R helicopters, a ship-based submarine hunting aircraft that dispatches sonar buoys into the sea to detect enemy boats. The upgrade will improve the helicopter’s ability to transmit data from its sensors. The work is expected to be completed in June 2015. Approximately 4,000 employees work at the Owego location.   (Article Date:  April 9, 2013)

Delaware County will receive a $3.8 million disaster aid package from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to help with flood recovery efforts, particularly at Amphenol Aerospace, in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Lee. The federal funding will help the Delaware County IDA begin work on a new flood-proof site for high-tech companies, including Amphenol, in Sidney. This is the first step for the relocation of Amphenol to a site out of the local flood plain. The redevelopment project could save 1,000 jobs.   (Article Date:  April 3, 2013)

Dorms are coming to Broome Community College. County legislators approved the development of a 336-bed student housing unit. The $18.2 million project calls for the construction of a four-story, 180,000-square-foot dormitory. Groundbreaking on the L-shaped structure, which will include 80 to 85 apartment units, is expected to begin in the next few months. The project is expected to be completed in time for the 2014-2015 academic year.   (Article Date:  March 21, 2013)

Previously Reported

Tioga County economic development officials have given the green light to tax breaks for a proposed $52 million expansion at the Tioga Downs Racino, including $5.2 million in tax abatements. The expansion includes a 135-room, six-story hotel, an 85,743-square-foot events center, and a three-story parking garage. Tioga Downs would add 70 employees to its work force and $2.1 million to its payroll within two years of the project’s expected completion date of May 31, 2014.   (Article Date:  March 6, 2013)

A building boom is under way in Tompkins County with 71 new projects that could be finished within two years. The projects could add more than $250 million to county’s assessment rolls by 2015, and add $1.7 million in tax receipts to its coffers. Local governments will also benefit from a boost in property taxes, including school districts, towns and the City of Ithaca.   (Article Date:  March 5, 2013)   Here’s a snapshot of the big projects planned or now under construction:

• Four hotel projects with about 450 rooms
• 27 apartment projects with about 2,100 new units
• 18 mixed-residential-and-commercial projects
• 516 building lots for residences

There may soon be room for 500 more college students at the apartment complex in University Plaza in Vestal (Broome County) where a local development firm is planning to cash in on Binghamton University’s recent growth. Newman Development Group, the private Vestal-based firm behind the project, recently unveiled its plan for the Metroplex at UP. The project would also make upgrades to the plaza, adding parking, landscaping and other building improvements in addition to the new apartments. Although the project must still go through the site plan review process and gain approval from the town, Newman hopes to start construction in the summer of 2014 and begin renting out the units in the fall 2015 semester.  (Article Date:  February 13, 2013)

Corning Community College is moving forward with about $20 million worth of upgrades to its campus in Corning (Steuben County). The work will include renovations to the college’s library, commons and gymnasium, and a new turf athletic field. The projects represent the final phase of a five-year, $100 million facilities master plan launched by CCC in 2008. The State University of New York will pay for approximately half of the upcoming $20.7 million worth of capital projects, and CCC will cover the rest by taking out loans and seeking private donations. The Development Foundation is planning a fundraising campaign.  (Article Date:  February 1, 2013)

Binghamton University will spend at least $184 million over the next five years on multiple construction and renovation projects in and around its Vestal (Broome County) campus. Among the projects: a $37 million Center of Excellence, which is nearing the end of the first construction phase; a $70 million Smart Energy Research and Development facility, currently in the planning stage; and a $21 million project to renovate two former dormitories into office and other space, which is expected to begin in early 2013. BU also plans to add classrooms, offices, food service facilities and laboratories.  (Article Date:  January 24, 2013)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded approximately $19.7 million to the Binghamton City School District (Broome County) to replace MacArthur Elementary School. Several feet of flood-water inundated the school in September 2011. Since then, MacArthur’s students have been attending class in two former Catholic schools. The FEMA funding will cover approximately 75% of the project, with New York State picking up the remaining 25% of eligible costs. The new school was originally anticipated to open in late 2014 or the start of the school year in 2015, but it’s currently unknown how the delays will impact the opening date.   (Article Date:   December 21, 2012)

Site preparation work is scheduled to begin in April 2013 at Watkins Glen High School (Schuyler County), the launch of the school district’s $24.6 million renovation project. Plans call for additions to the high school cafeteria and north wing, where the library will be expanded and five new classrooms and new district offices built. One big project, the conversion of the older swimming pool into a gymnasium for middle school students, will begin in February 2014 and should be finished by the start of the 2014-15 school year. Other work in both buildings will include extensive improvements to the auditoriums, roof repairs and replacement, lighting upgrades, expansion of wireless access, expansion of security camera systems, window replacement, new boilers and plumbing upgrades.   (Article Date:   December 17, 2012)

Shovels are beginning to move earth on a $280 million natural gas pipeline construction project in eastern Broome County. Construction began late last month on New York’s section of the Bluestone Pipeline, a 44-mile conduit that will carry natural gas produced in northern Pennsylvania to the Millennium Pipeline, which will take it to energy markets on the east coast. The company was required to provide the Town of Sanford (Broome County) with a $1 million bond before starting construction to ensure any damage to town roads will be repaired. The pipeline is also expected to have a positive effect on Sanford’s assessed property values. The Laser pipeline, similar in length, added $29.8 million to the Town of Windsor’s (Broome County) tax base.   (Article Date:   November 5, 2012)

According to a recent report, Binghamton University (Broome County) contributes nearly a billion dollars per year to the local economy. During the 2010-2011 school year, BU was directly responsible for $622 million in spending, which led to a total economic impact of $965 million. The university employs nearly 5,000 and helps support an additional 5,500 jobs in the region. The university expects its spending to increase by 10-15% per year over the next several years.   (Article Date:   October 28, 2012)

The former New York State Inebriate Asylum in Binghamton (Broome County) will be transferred to SUNY Upstate Medical University, and will be turned into a medical and health professional education center that will have clinical and classroom space. The building was originally built in 1858, and is on the grounds of the Greater Binghamton Health Center. SUNY Upstate Medical University announced plans in 2008 to re-purpose the building. The first phase of the restoration, which includes all of the exterior work, was funded in the 2008-09 fiscal year by the SUNY system’s capital budget for $12 million.   (Article Date:   September 24, 2012)

Pennsylvania-based Guthrie Healthcare System held a groundbreaking for a new $4 million clinic being built in Southport (Chemung County). The 13,000-square-foot will replace the Guthrie office in Pine City. The current building is outdated and too small to fit the needs of today’s health care industry. It will house 24 exam rooms and up-to-date medical technologies, including an electronic medical records system that allows for coordinated care across the entire Guthrie system. The new building should open in mid-2013.   (Article Date:   September 10, 2012)

State and local officials recently unveiled plans for a $22 million High-Technology Job Creation Incubator in the City of Binghamton (Broome County). Facility officials expect it to help make the vital link between research at local academic institutions and the resources needed to develop new companies and long-term careers in the region. The proposed facility would open its doors in 2015. Funding would come from $2 million already pledged by the Broome County IDA, and an application for $13 million in state funding through the Southern Tier REDC.   (Article Date:   August 16, 2012)

Binghamton University’s NYSUNY 2020 challenge grant, which includes the development of a $70 million Smart Energy Center that will help revitalize the Southern Tier economy and create more than 840 university and private sector jobs, has been approved. Under the plan, Binghamton University will hire new researchers and faculty, expand its academic offerings and facilities, foster public/private research partnerships, and expand technology development in high-tech fields. In addition to creating the Smart Energy Center, new tuition revenue will allow Binghamton University to increase enrollment by 2,000 students from 2012 to 2016 and hire 150 new faculty members.   (Article Date:   August 8, 2012)

A $1.3 billion contract between Wendy’s restaurants and Willow Run Foods Inc. is expected to bring up to 75 new jobs to the facility in Kirkwood (Broome County). The five-year contract includes service to nearly 500 Wendy’s restaurants throughout the Northeast. Willow Run will provide the restaurant’s food, as well as its paper and cleaning products. The company will immediately begin hiring up to 75 employees, including truck drivers, warehouse workers and office personnel.   (Article Date:   July 24, 2012)

The Corning-Painted Post School District in Corning (Steuben County) broke ground on a $97.4 million facilities project. The three-year project includes the expansion and renovation of the East High campus into the new 338,476-square-foot high school, which will open in the fall of 2014 as well as the renovation of the current West High into a combined middle school for about 1,150 students, featuring new classrooms, science labs and computer rooms, along with a new cafeteria.   (Article Date:   June 25, 2012)

Flood damage caused by Tropical Storm Lee forced one of Broome County's largest nursing homes to abandon its property. However, they have announced plans for a fresh start. The Vestal Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center will build a new facility with the help of a grant worth more than $9 million from the state's Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law (HEAL NY). The new facility will be constructed in Vestal (Broome County) and will include a 160-bed nursing facility, a 40-bed assisted living facility, and an adult day health care facility. Currently, the nursing home is renting a unit at Willow Point in Vestal and two wings at the Greater Binghamton Health Center in Binghamton.   (Article Date:   June 22, 2012)

Schuyler Hospital in Montour Falls (Schuyler County) received a $6.45 million grant through New York State’s Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law (HEAL NY). Statewide, $301.1 million in HEAL NY grants will help 40 hospitals and nursing homes improve primary and community-based care, eliminate excess bed capacity, and reduce over-reliance on inpatient care in hospitals and nursing homes. Schuyler’s money will be used to improve and expand surgery, radiology, technology infrastructure, orthopedics, equipment, and pre- and post-care in the next 18 months. (Article Date:    June 22, 2012)

The Corning Museum of Glass is planning a $64 million expansion that will include one of the world's largest facilities for glassblowing demonstrations. It's scheduled for completion in 2014. The expansion's preliminary design calls for a new North Wing, featuring light-filled galleries for the museum's collection of contemporary works in glass. The museum's new glassmaking space will be able to accommodate 500 people and offer 360-degree views of the process. The museum attracts some 400,000 visitors annually.   (Article Date:   June 1, 2012)

Norwich Pharmaceuticals Inc. signed a contract with the state to move forward with significant facility upgrades. The company received a $2 million from the Southern Tier’s Regional Economic Development Council. The project will make the company an even stronger competitor in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. The upgrades have the potential to create and retain 361 good-paying jobs, while spurring local economic growth by paying over $214 million in payroll over the next 10 years. The total project cost is nearly $40 million.   (Article Date:   May 30, 2012)

A $3.1 million campaign for a new expanded emergency department at Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital in Bath (Steuben County) is underway. The private campaign has raised $2.1 million to date. The goal for the public phase of the campaign is $980,000. Improvements funded by the campaign include expanding the footprint of the Emergency Department by 66 percent. (Article Date:    March 28, 2012)

Railcar manufacturer CAF USA in Elmira Heights (Chemung County) has begun to add staff as work commences on the company’s $298 million contract with Amtrak. The local workforce is expected to grow to 350 at the peak of production.   (Article Date:   January 30, 2012)

TTA Systems, a railcar manufacturer in Hornell (Steuben County), applied for a state community block grant.    The grant would bring in $450,000 for new machinery at TTA's Hornell location and would lead to 30 new jobs in 2012-2013.    (Article Date:   August 22, 2011)

Closings and Contractions

New this Month

St. James Mercy Hospital in Hornell (Steuben County) announced layoffs equivalent to 50 full-time employees. The layoffs, which will affect both clinical and non-clinical staff, are due to significant declines in patient volumes, as well as reduced state and federal reimbursements. With the staffing cutbacks, SJMH will employ the equivalent of 546 workers.   (Article Date:   May 7, 2013)

Electronic product manufacturer Endicott Interconnect (EIT) disclosed in court papers that it has shed hundreds of employees in recent months and may file for bankruptcy due to a lawsuit over its corporate jet. EIT now has approximately 605 employees. The privately-held company, which was estimated to have employed 1,100 workers as of late 2012, has been one of Broome County’s most significant employers since acquiring former IBM Corp. operations in Endicott in 2002. But since October 2012, EIT executives have declined to answer questions from the local media about workforce reductions.   (Article Date:   April 25, 2013)

New last Month

The Belden plant in Horseheads (Chemung County) will close by the end of 2013, with at least 123 employees losing their jobs. The plant - which makes coaxial connectors, amplifiers and splitters for the cable television industry - employs 173 workers. However, 50 workers have been offered jobs at a Belden plant in the Syracuse area.   (Article Date:  April 9, 2013)

A 21st Century Insurance call center in Vestal (Broome County) that employs 225 people will be shuttered in March 2014; just two months shy of the lease expiration. Employees were recently told of the pending closure. About 170 of the 225 customer support personnel will be offered jobs at other call centers around the country. An unspecified number may continue “if they are eligible” in the company’s “Work at Home” program, where they can remain in the region and work remotely for the company. Farmers Insurance of Los Angeles acquired 21st Century from AIG for $1.9 billion in 2009, and has been combining the two companies since. AIG opened the insurance service center in a 69,000-square foot space in 1999. The insurance company’s lease expires on May 31, 2014.   (Article Date:  April 4, 2013)

Previously Reported

The region’s school districts continue to be impacted by budget shortfalls. Recent layoff announcements include:

• Binghamton City School District (Broome County) - 54.9 position cuts to close a $5.3 million budget gap for the 2013-14 school year.   (Article Date: March 19, 2013)
• Elmira City School District (Chemung County) – 47 workforce reductions included within $4.7 million in recommended budget cuts.   (Article Date: March 19, 2013)
• Vestal Central School District (Broome County) – 19 possible layoffs to close a $2 million budget gap.   (Article Date: March 14, 2013)
• Maine Endwell School District (Broome County) – Nearly 80 equivalent staff positions to bridge a $4.9 million budget gap.   (Article Date: March 14, 2013)
• Corning-Painted Post School District (Steuben County) – 116 jobs are on the line to address a $6.6 million budget deficit.   (Article Date: March 14, 2013)

Local defense companies could soon feel the effects of the federal government's recent $85 billion in spending cuts. BAE Systems whose corporate headquarters are in Endicott (Broome County), says the effects of the budget cuts could be devastating. The company said it could lose about 4,000 jobs nationwide, which is about 10 percent of its workforce. BAE has not said how many of the job cuts would take place in Endicott, but it has said that it will notify any potentially impacted employees in advance of any action.   (Article Date: March 4, 2013)

The Philips Lighting plant in Bath (Steuben County) will close by the end of 2013, putting approximately 280 people out of work. It wasn’t immediately clear when layoffs will begin, but the company told employees that the plant will close by the end of 2013. The closure is the result of decreased demand for the lighting technology manufactured at the Bath plant. The lighting produced in Bath uses high-intensity discharge technology, which has fallen behind LED lighting technology. LED lighting lasts longer, is more energy efficient and can easily be integrated into other systems. Philips will work with local and state officials to pursue new employment and training opportunities for workers affected by the plant closure. Of the 280 people who will lose their jobs, approximately 215 are union employees. The closure announcement comes on the heels of another surprising and devastating plant closure in the region. In late September 2012, Sikorsky announced it would close its helicopter facilities in Big Flats. At the time, the company said it would cease operations there by the end of the year, and 575 people would lose their jobs. Also recently, Corning Inc. laid off 100 hourly workers at its diesel facilities in the Corning area, citing reduced demand. The union said it hoped the layoffs would only be temporary. (Article Date: December 5, 2012)

Labor Disputes

New this month

Nothing to report.

New last Month

Nothing to report.

Previously Reported

Nothing to report.

 

 

This report contains information derived from media releases throughout the Southern Tier Region. Information sources include, but are not limited to:

• Action News (WBNG TV)
• FOX 40 (WICZ TV)
• Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin
• News Channel 34 (WIVT/WBGH TV)
• The Canisteo Valley News
• The Cooperstown Crier
• The Cornell Daily Sun
• The Corning Leader
• The Daily Star (Otsego County)
• The Elmira Star Gazette
• The Evening Sun (Chenango County)
• The Greater Binghamton Business Journal
• The Hornell Evening Tribune
• The Ithaca Journal
• The Ithaca Times
• The Lansing Star
• The Observer, Review & Express
• The Odessa File (Schuyler County)
• The Steuben Courier
• YNN News - Binghamton/Oneonta
• YNN News - Elmira/Corning
• YNN News - Ithaca/Cortland
• WENY TV News