BelGioioso Cheese to expand operations near Elmira, Capital Region

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CAMPBELL, N.Y. — A Green Bay, Wisconsin–based cheesemaker plans to spend more than $23 million at its facilities in Campbell in Steuben County and in Glenville in Schenectady County. BelGioioso Cheese, Inc. will upgrade and expand operations, committing to creating at least 30 new jobs between the two sites, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul […]

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CAMPBELL, N.Y. — A Green Bay, Wisconsin–based cheesemaker plans to spend more than $23 million at its facilities in Campbell in Steuben County and in Glenville in Schenectady County.

BelGioioso Cheese, Inc. will upgrade and expand operations, committing to creating at least 30 new jobs between the two sites, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Nov. 20.

In addition to the direct job-creation goals, the expansion will use an additional 100 million pounds of milk from New York State’s dairy farmers. Empire State Development has agreed to support the project with up to $1.5 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs program tax credits, Hochul’s office said.

In 2021, BelGioioso Cheese purchased the Polly-O brand and its plant in Campbell, northwest of Elmira. The Campbell facility was constructed in 1938 and as part of this project is undergoing upgrades to its existing infrastructure, including the addition of product lines to allow continued growth.

The Steuben County Industrial Development Agency is also providing assistance for the project. Now underway, the upgrades at both facilities are expected to be completed by late 2027.

“The Polly-O brand has a long and meaningful history in New York, and the Auricchio family has been dedicated to traditional cheesemaking for generations. The quality of milk produced in New York and the strong support from State and local partners make it possible for us to continue growing our operations here,” Timothy Cronin, general manager of Polly-O, said in the state’s announcement. “We look forward to expanding our facilities, adding jobs, and strengthening our long-standing relationships with New York dairy farmers so we can honor both the BelGioioso and Polly-O cheesemaking traditions for generations to come.”

Founded in 1979, BelGioioso Cheese operates 11 plants that make more than 30 varieties of Italian cheeses.

BelGioioso brands took home seven medals at the dairy competition held at the 2025 State Fair, Hochul’s office noted. They included three first place gold medals for Polly-O low moisture whole milk string cheese; Polly-O New York style impastata; and Cappiello natural hickory smoked fresh mozzarella.

Work starts on redevelopment of former school in Eastwood

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Manufacturing & Engineering, Nonprofits, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Crews have begun work on the redevelopment of the former William Howard Taft School, located in the Eastwood neighborhood of Syracuse. Skinner Properties, located at 2649 James St. in Syracuse, is handling the effort. The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) on Nov. 12 announced a $4.5 million construction loan for Skinner Properties as

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Crews have begun work on the redevelopment of the former William Howard Taft School, located in the Eastwood neighborhood of Syracuse.

Skinner Properties, located at 2649 James St. in Syracuse, is handling the effort. The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) on Nov. 12 announced a $4.5 million construction loan for Skinner Properties as it pursues the project.

When completed, the more-than-century old, three-story building will become a 28-unit multifamily rental property offering a mix of six one-bedroom and 22 two-bedroom apartments.

Built in 1907 and closed in 1964, the Taft School has been an Eastwood fixture for generations, CPC said. In 2023, Skinner Properties purchased the building from American Legion Post 1276, which had occupied the property since the 1970s.

“We’re proud to support the transformation of the former William Howard Taft School into quality housing for the Eastwood community,” Jaime Tuozzolo, SVP and regional director of the CPC, said in the announcement. “This project is a great example of how thoughtful development projects can breathe new life into historic buildings while addressing the need to grow our housing stock and revitalize our community. We thank Skinner Properties, the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, and all of our partners for their collaboration and commitment to this important work.”

CPC will also provide a commitment for permanent financing in addition to its construction loan. The project also received a $140,000 grant from the Onondaga County Housing Initiative Program (O-CHIP). O-CHIP was created to incentivize private-sector investment in housing development across Onondaga County to help close funding gaps and stimulate new construction of market-rate, senior, affordable, and mixed-income housing.

“This building has been part of the Eastwood neighborhood for over a century, and we’re excited to give it a new purpose that meets the needs of today’s residents,” Stephen Skinner, owner of Skinner Properties, said. “We’re grateful for CPC’s support and for the County’s investment through O-CHIP, which helps make this redevelopment possible.”

Craig Polhamus, of Fayetteville, is serving as the project architect. GMB Consulting Engineer, PC, of Camillus, is the project engineer.

Based in New York City, CPC is a nonprofit, multifamily finance company that was founded in 1974 to provide financial and technical resources to stabilize and revitalize communities. CPC has a Central New York office at 315 N. Clinton St. in Syracuse.

East Adams Neighborhood Transformation Plan work proceeds

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Manufacturing & Engineering, New York News, Nonprofits, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — East Adams Phase I is a $102 million affordable and mixed-income housing development that will create 132 modern, energy-efficient homes in the

Work continues on Dana Lyon Apartments project in Bath

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BATH, N.Y. — Pike Construction Services says its crews are making major headway in renovating and transforming the former Dana Lyon Elementary School building in the village of Bath (Steuben County) into the Dana Lyon Apartments. It’s a nearly 50-unit, mixed-use development that will include affordable and supportive housing. In a Dec. 3 Facebook post,

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It’s a nearly 50-unit, mixed-use development that will include affordable and supportive housing.

In a Dec. 3 Facebook post, titled “Exciting progress at the Dana Lyon Apartments,” the Rochester–based construction company said, “This former school is well on its way to becoming beautiful new homes. Sidewalks and binder are in place for winter, most windows are installed, and exterior masonry restoration is nearly done. Playground features and permanent fencing are also wrapping up before the cold hits.”

Pike continued, “Inside, finishes are moving fast — first apartments are almost ready for final walkthroughs! Still on track for a Summer 2026 opening.”

Project background

In November 2024, the office of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced it had awarded Providence Housing Development Corporation $1.9 million to develop eight units of permanent supportive housing in Bath for individuals with serious mental illness or substance-use disorder who have experienced homelessness.

Part of a larger project, the Dana Lyon Apartments involves the preservation and adaptive reuse of the elementary school building. It will offer on-site laundry facilities, service office space, a management office, exercise room, community room, playground and outdoor greenspace, per the announcement. The completed project will also feature commercial space that will be leased for the operation of a community arts center. Support services will be provided by Catholic Charities Steuben/Livingston on site and through other community organizations via linkage agreements, the governor’s office said.

Pike Construction Services offers pre-construction, construction, design-build, self-perform, development, and facility services, according to its website. The firm has additional offices in Albany, Utica, Syracuse, Buffalo, as well as Orlando, Florida, according to its website.

Pyramid Management Group secures loans for Albany properties

Banks & Credit Unions, Construction, Design & Real Estate, Insurance & Financial Services, New York News, Sponsored Content, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The owner and operator of Destiny USA in Syracuse says it has secured a new five-year, $193 million CMBS (commercial mortgage-backed security)

COR secures four new tenants for former Price Chopper site in Clay

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CLAY, N.Y. — COR Development expects it will be the fall of 2026 when four new retail tenants will move into the space that was previously occupied by a Price Chopper store along Route 31 in the town of Clay. The project will turn the former Price Chopper building into a multi-tenant retail operation that

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KeyCorp pays 4th quarter 2025 dividend in mid-December

Banks & Credit Unions, Insurance & Financial Services, New York News, Small Business, Subscriber Only

KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) — parent company of KeyBank, the No. 3 bank ranked by deposit market share in the 16-county Central New York region — has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 20.5 cents per share of its common stock for the fourth quarter of this year. The dividend is payable on Dec. 15, to

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Adirondack Bank moves Little Falls branch to new location

Banks & Credit Unions, Construction, Design & Real Estate, Insurance & Financial Services, Mohawk Valley, New York News, Subscriber Only

LITTLE FALLS, N.Y. — Adirondack Bank on Dec. 8 formally opened the doors to its new Little Falls branch at 699 E. Main St., located at the corner across from Eastern Park and the Little Falls Public Library. It replaces the bank’s previous Little Falls branch, located about one-third of a mile down the road

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SUNY Oswego’s Nwosu serves on board of national association for state schools

Education & Training, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, New York News, Nonprofits, North Country, Subscriber Only

OSWEGO, N.Y. — The leader of an area SUNY school is now serving on the board of directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). SUNY Oswego President Peter Nwosu was one of five educational leaders elected to the AASCU board on Nov. 17 during the organization’s annual conference for presidents and

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New York corn production projected to have declined 20 percent this year

Energy, Environment & Sustainability, New York News, Small Business, Subscriber Only

New York farms are estimated to have produced just over 74.9 million bushels of corn for grain in 2025, down 20 percent from nearly 93.8 million bushels last year. That is according to a USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop-production forecast made on Nov. 1. The total yield per acre in the Empire State

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