“For better or worse,” said Joe Cotter, head of National Resources, which owns iPark 87, at a short press conference on Monday morning, May 13 at the 200-plus-acre, million-square-foot former IBM campus, “we’re in a long-term relationship.”
Cotter and seven local leaders were given two minutes each to explain their roles in the team creating the county workforce development center at iPark 87. County executive Jen Metzger, BOCES head Jonah Schenker, SUNY Ulster president Alison Buckley, SUNY New Paltz vice-president Michele Halstead, county legislator chair Peter Criswell, Ulster assistant supervisor Clayton Van Kleeck and UCEDA chair Gregory Simpson for the most part stayed within their time limits.
Cotter, who said he had a scheduled meeting with U.S. senator Chuck Schumer the next day, has been attempting to secure major private tenants for the mostly vacant iPark 87. He was hoping to land several before the end of this year, he said.
Meanwhile, with the financial backing of the Orange County Bank and Trust Company, National Resources anticipates beginning building the first phase of 160 of the projected eventual 880 housing units on the south side of the premises.
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