Approximately 30 new jobs may be coming to Schenectady County when BBX Corporation and Cutting Edge Wood Flooring move into the Small Business Center at Rotterdam Corporate Park located on Route 7.
These two firms are the first to move into the center, which was launched by the Galesi Group, owners of the Corporate Park, in cooperation with Empire State Development, Schenectady County and the Town of Rotterdam.
It’s a good first step. We determined that there was a gap in the market for small and medium-sized businesses, said David Buicko, chief operating officer of the Galesi Group `It’s tough for someone looking for 10-to-11,000 square feet [to find] that space.`
Buicko said the announcement of new tenants is evidence that, despite a difficult economy, small businesses continue to grow.
`When they need room for expansion, we have the ideal facility in Rotterdam to meet their needs,` said Buicko in a written statement.
BBX is headquartered in Lockport. The firm provides short- and long-haul logistics and materials, handling services to a wide range of businesses. At the Rotterdam Corporate Park, BBX will establish a regional truck terminal with approximately 20 employees providing transportation and logistics services to a number of area customers.
`The small business center at the Rotterdam Corporate Park provides the perfect solution to our facility needs,` said Robert Lewis, President of BBX Transportation in a written statement. `Given the park’s excellent proximity to the Thruway and its ability to accommodate our unique needs, the decision to locate here was simple.`
Cutting Edge Wood and Flooring’s services include all phases of wood flooring, including refinishing and installation. The company also specializes in furniture repair and restoration, as well as customized trim work. Cutting Edge Wood Flooring will initially locate seven jobs at the Small Business Center. There are plans to double the workforce within the next few years.
`As a small business owner, it is extremely encouraging to see the state, county and town all work together to develop a facility for growing companies. We are excited about the growth potential that our new facility is going to allow us to realize,` said Rick Frederick, president and owner of Cutting Edge Wood Flooring in a written statement.
Over the summer, Empire State Development, Schenectady County and the Town of Rotterdam cut the ribbon on the Galesi Group’s new Small Business Center at the Rotterdam Corporate Park.
`We’re taking an existing building and we made it customized for small businesses, so hopefully this will be the first of many announcements like this,` said Buicko.
The renovation project included dividing a 270,000-square-foot building into 24 sections, each consisting of approximately 11,000 square feet. Each section has a storefront entrance that opens into an office and/or showroom, which can be built to meet the specific needs of prospective tenants. Economic assistance for the project was made available from the Empire State Development’s New York Restore Program and National Grid. The Town of Rotterdam provided administrative support.
`The county’s economic development team is pleased to be working with the Galesi Group to recruit tenants to the small business center. In addition to these first two leases, we have considerable interest from other fast growing firms. We look forward to positive results for this project in 2009,` said Susan E. Savage, chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature in a written statement.
Rotterdam Supervisor Steve Tommasone said he is optimistic that the small business center will make for a positive addition to the Town of Rotterdam.
`The town is confident of the success of the Small Business Center. These first two tenants will be a great addition to Rotterdam, and we look forward to many more to come as we fill up this great new facility at the Rotterdam Corporate Park,` said Tommasone.
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