BBL readies environmental report on $200M tech park

BYLINE: Richad A. D'Errico

Plans for a proposed $200 million-plus tech park in Bethlehem are expected to advance another step next month when the developer submits its environmental impact review to the town board.

The Vista Tech Park was first announced in 2003 with a $1 million pledge from the Albany County Legislature to help develop the 400-acre site.

If approved, it will have 20 to 30 buildings on it--1.4 million square feet of office space--and as many as 5,000 employees. The project could be valued as much as $300 million.

On May 9, BBL Construction Services LLC will present its 300-page environmental report to the town board. The town will then issue its findings and take public comment.

Taking those issues into account, BBL will then submit a master plan for the town's approval.

One issue that came up during the environmental impact review was what to do with a 1700s clapboard house known as the La Grange home located in the center of the property. Bill Herbert, BBL's project director, said the plan is to keep the home as the centerpiece of the park.

"It's kind of a unique feature to this," Herbert said. "It talks to the history of the area and gives some nice fabric to the amenities of the park."

What makes the park especially attractive is an extension to Route 85 that will connect I-90 and I-87.

Herbert said the plan is to have construction of the park begin by the end of the year when most of the roadwork is done.

George Leveille, Bethlehem's director of economic development and planning, doesn't foresee any snags for BBL's plan.

"It's a very cooperative process," he said. "I don't think there will be any problems there."

Marty DeLaney, president of the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce, said it's the biggest project to happen in the town since she became president 22 years ago.

"It's really going to be a beautiful addition to our community," she said. "Everyone's happy. It's not going to be a congestion problem for traffic [like] if a Wal-Mart opens."

DeLaney said the tech park would have a positive impact for the whole region."

Michael Phillips, the president of the Harriman Research and Technology Park, said he doesn't view Vista as competition.

"We want to complement everybody," he said. "If we bring jobs to the area, everyone wins."

F. Michael Tucker, president and CEO of the Center for Economic Growth Inc., said he anticipates there will be a need for more office space. Tucker was chairman of the Bethlehem Industrial Development Agency when it secured $1 million from Albany County for Vista. Most recently, he headed the Harriman project.

"I think the Vista Technology Park location, the site characteristics, make it an important part of the overall portfolio of available projects," he said.