Thursday’s announcement by Governor Cuomo of a path forward for photonics in Rochester represents a signal victory for our City, the Finger Lakes region and New York State.
No one deserves more credit for this wise and balanced approach to the future of photonics in Rochester than Governor Cuomo. He has been committed to our region through regional economic development and to our City’s destiny in photonics in a way that no political leader in my lifetime has ever been. His determination to take charge of this situation deserves the greatest praise.
Critically, we now have an effective governance system, led by the Governor. Given New York State’s $250 million commitment to photonics and Governor Cuomo’s determination that Rochester be the headquarters of this national effort, the new governance system is both appropriate and should be deeply confidence inspiring.
Consistent with the recommendations of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council for the past four years, Eastman Business Park will be the key site for advanced photonics manufacturing. This is the most important location announcement made Thursday. But a few short years ago, there was uncertainty whether Eastman Business Park would survive as a hub of economic development. The location of photonics manufacturing there will be a pivotal step in the Park’s road to revitalization.
The compromise on the location of headquarters activity, with administrative offices in Legacy Tower and the innovation center for workforce development, business incubation, and co-location of companies in the Sibley Building, will further strengthen downtown Rochester’s revival. In the upcoming submission of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council’s Upstate Revitalization Plan, downtown Rochester’s Innovation Zone is highlighted because of the presence in or near the Sibley Building of major incubation commitments by the University of Rochester and RIT. The location of the photonics incubation and workforce development activities in Sibley will critically fortify Main Street and the Sibley Building as the locations where the revitalization of downtown Rochester begins. It is now decisively accelerating.
Let me also express my deep gratitude to our region’s strongest advocate, Assembly Majority Leader Joe Morelle, who worked with the Regional Economic Development Council, and particularly closely with Danny Wegman and me as co-chairs of the Council, to articulate why these outcomes were so important to the future economy of Rochester.
And let me also recognize Representative Louise Slaughter and Senator Chuck Schumer who were fervent in Washington in advocating the need for a photonics manufacturing innovation hub to be a key part of President Obama’s plan to accelerate development of a 21st century economy for our nation.
At decisive moments, virtually every key leader in Rochester articulated support for this type of approach to the future of photonics. It is because of this broad consensus on this and other issues that the Regional Economic Development Council will entitle its Upstate Revitalization Plan, “United for Success.” Together as a community we are ready for the 21st century. We have the talent, the ambition and the energy to develop one of our nation’s great knowledge economies. Together we will succeed.