High-Tech Innovation Hot-Spot Proposed for Binghamton, Corning & Ithaca

The Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council is looking at establishing a sort of development-triangle with points in Binghamton, Ithaca and Corning to help spark new business in the region.

The group is proposing pairing the colleges and universities in the three communities and their high-tech research divisions with start-up businesses.

The plans are part of Governor Andrew Cuomo's Start-Up N.Y. proposal to give new businesses locating in areas around participating colleges freedom from taxes.

One of the points of the triangle is to be the new business incubator operated by Binghamton University in Downtown Binghamton.  Other sites would be at Cornell University and the Ceramics Corridor Innovation in Corning, home of Corning Glass.

The Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council met recently at Binghamton University.

The proposal for a regional high-tech research innovation hot-spot must be submitted to New York State by September 24.

Officials say the communities opted to bond together to make a proposal rather than submit individual plans to compete for the five projects that will be approved for state funding.