The key to an economically vibrant county is a strong central core. That is why it is imperative that we continue to move forward with development projects and initiatives in the City of Syracuse to spur economic development and create new jobs in our area.

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a relocation announcement for O’Brien and Gere, an engineering and project delivery firm. The firm will relocate its corporate headquarters from DeWitt to a targeted investment district in downtown Syracuse.

I was very pleased that Governor Paterson came into town for the announcement, demonstrating his commitment to Syracuse. I believe that he recognizes the need to assist our business community and create new opportunities for our workforce.

O’Brien and Gere will partner with the Pioneer Companies to develop a six-story multi-tenant office building and parking garage at the corner of West Washington and South Franklin Streets. This relocation will help to stimulate the revitalization of the City of Syracuse and it will encourage more businesses to move downtown.

I am also pleased that we are moving forward with the construction of the Center of Excellence, a project I enthusiastically support and was instrumental in securing funding for. The new headquarters, which is being built on the corner of Almond and East Washington Streets, will house a variety of labs and offices that will support research, development and job creation. The Center’s focus is on indoor environmental air quality, water resources management and renewable energy.

In addition to revitalizing our city through economic development projects, it is essential to focus on our neighborhoods. Improving the quality of life in our neighborhoods will not only benefit current residents, it will also help to attract new businesses to our area.

This year the Legislature passed my bill to establish a property tax exemption in the City of Syracuse for the rehabilitation of certain vacant residential structures. This should help to reduce the number of boarded up homes within our city and improve our neighborhoods. It will also be an essential tool in achieving success for the Near West Side Initiative.

These initiatives, along with several others, will contribute to our ongoing revitalization efforts. I am confident that we can rejuvenate our city, which will benefit the entire greater Syracuse area.