Rome 'Brownfield' to become business park

ROME--A 200-acre industrial "brownfield" site in Rome, abandoned 25 years ago, with soon become the home of the East Rome Business Park. Two current East Rome businesses will develop 17 acres at the site, perhaps as early as next spring.

Ed Ratazzi, director of the Rome Industrial Development Corp., explains that the East Rome Business Park (ERBP) project will be developed, in phases, for use by light-manufacturing and assembly, warehousing and distribution companies. Canterbury Press and Pecoran, Cheese Company will expand their operations to the 17-acre core site owned by Utica developer Charles Gaetano.

The 17-acre site, once completed, will feature approximately 200,000 sq. ft. of building space and 440,000 sq. ft. for parking, landscaping, and future expansion. At least 50 new jobs could be created by the expansion of the two businesses.

The ERBP was once the home of General Cable. "There are a number of issues that have to be resolved before we can go ahead," notes Canterbury Press President David Johnson, citing demolition and environmental cleanup.

Demolition is under way, weather permitting, but will break for winter. Meanwhile, Pecoraro will move into an existing building and expects to resume manufacturing in April, said Ratazzi.

Peccaro's plant, currently located on Erie Boulevard will have greater visibility in the new location, espccially because the plant size will more than quadruple, from 11,000 to 47,000 sq. ft.

"We're expanding because we have outgrown our plant," declares company President and owner Caesar Pecoraro. "The move should be completed by next summer. I'm definitely excited. We can't wait, because the move will put us in a central location for the production of milk."

Pecoraro has declined to release production figures. He says that his company makes a variety of soft cheeses--such as ricotta, mozzarella, feta, and string cheese--for the retail market. Once in the new plant, Pecoraro will begin producing a new natural yogurt. Employment now numbers 12 and could rise to a total of 50 next summer.

Pecoraro approached the Rome Industrial Development Corp. (RIDC) about a year ago, inquiring about expansion, but he could not find available property. "We have to meet extremely clean standards, and we require our work to be on one floor because we move our product around on tables with wheel," he explains.

Canterbury Press will add 2,000 square feet adjacent to its current 66,000-square-foot plant on Mill Street, for additional production and storage. However, the expansion won't be completed until 1997 or 1998. Canterbury Press, a commercial printer, had revenues of $7.5 million in 1995.

"We need to increase our capacity for printing by adding larger presses," Johnson states. There are currently 73 employees. He is unsure how much employment will increase.

This property is bordered by the Mohawk River on the west, the New York State Barge Canal on the south, commercial East Dominick Street on the north, and portions of both East Dominick Street and the Barge Canal on the east. Pecoraro will be located between East Dominick Street and the Barge Canal.

Rome will receive a total of about $2 million in block grants for renovation and development. It includes $444,000 in community-development grants and funds from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Rome's representative in the New York State Assembly, RoAnn Destito, says the state has already earmarked approximately $200 million for brownfield cleanup from the $1.75-billion Environmental Bond Act approved by voters in November. Money will be given to communities that will clean up brownfields for reuse, and she hopes to see the funds included in the new state budget.

Saratoga Associates of Saratoga Springs and Re-Tech of Ithaca are among the companies conducting the environmental cleanup.

Ratazzi says Rome will also apply for state funding to build an access road that will open up the middle of the parcel. Gaetano is responsible for private development, so he will also contribute to the demolition costs.

RIDC plans to attract additional tenants to the 17-acre core site through a joint marketing effort with Gaetano.

Rome also has two other industrial and business parks: one in West Rome, which includes K-Mart, Wal-Mart, a Rite-Aid Pharmacy Distribution Center, and a United Parcel Service Center; and the Griffiss Business and Technology Park.

"The Griffiss Park is more high-tech and has offices," explains Ratazzi, "and this is for assembly and light industry, so I don't think they're competing with each other."

Copyright Central New York Business Journal Jan 20, 1997
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