Shown attending the Syracuse Redevelopment Commission meeting via Zoom on the top row, from left, Dennis Otten, McKibben, Bose and Evans; Lauren Zeugner, Denise Ferrero and Steve Snyder, local attorney. In the second row are Police Chief Jim Layne, Larry Martindale, redevelopment commission, Town Manager Mike Noe, Council President Paul Stoelting, Jim Higgins, Steve Brenneman, owner Aluminum Insights and Larry Miller, owner Legacy Wood Creations. In the third row are Cory Mast, redevelopment commission;  Larry Siege, redevelopment commission president; Vern Landis, town attorney and Paula Kehr-Wicker, clerk-treasurer. In the fourth row are Jeff Goralczyk, redevelopment commission and Niles

By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — In a brief Zoom meeting, the Syracuse Redevelopment Commission passed several resolutions concerning Polywood and approved economic development agreements for two companies moving into the Syracuse Technology  Park during a meeting held Tuesday night, Aug. 18.

Economic Development Agreements were approved for Legacy Wood Creations of Milford. Business owner Andrew Miller said, “I look forward to moving the business to Syracuse … I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do.”

Legacy Wood Creations has extensive expertise in manufacturing and marketing high-end custom cabinetry.

Legacy Wood Creations has agreed to invest $250,000 in the Syracuse Technology Park and hire up to 10 people with a wage, inclusive of benefits, of $15 an hour. The company will be located in lots 4 and 6 in the technology park.

An economic development agreement was also approved for Aluminum Insights, which specializes in the areas of aluminum extrusion process. Steve Brenneman, a company owner, told the commission he was excited to do a start-up in Syracuse. “We really like this industrial park … “We want to be good neighbors,” he said.

The company hopes to invest approximately $7.4 million.

Brenneman explained his company will be bringing in a major piece of state of the art equipment valued at $7 million. The hope is to have two of these machines with three shifts working. Aluminum Insight hopes to hire between 50 and 75 people. As the company gets started with the first machine, approximately 25-30 people will be hired to work two shifts. “It’s a very automated process,” he said. “We look forward to showing people through the facility a year from now.”

According to the economic development agreement, the company anticipates creating 17 jobs the first year, adding an additional 10 jobs in the second year, an additional 19 jobs the third year and 22 jobs the fourth year with a total payroll ranging from $1 million in the first year to over $4 million in the fifth year after completion of the project.

Aluminum Insights will be developing lots 13 and 14 in the technology park. With the two new businesses coming into the Syracuse Technology Park, there are currently only three lots available for development.

For the Polywood expansion project, the redevelopment commission approved a property tax abatement for the company.

A public hearing was also held for a confirmatory resolution for a tax increment finance area for Polywood. Nobody from the public came in through Zoom to speak for or against the establishment of the TIF district and Paula Kehr-Wicker, clerk-treasurer for Syracuse, reported she had not received any emails, phone calls or messages regarding the matter.

After the public hearing was closed, the redevelopment commission approved establishing a TIF district for Polywood.