Albany – often referred to as New York state’s “Tech Valley” – may soon no longer be the only upstate city getting a tech boost in the coming years according to a report in City & State New York.
The so called Syracuse Surge was proposed in Gov. Cuomo’s new economic development initiative, part of his State of the State speech. Cuomo, who provided scant details, said the new development will focus on “a series of tech-related priorities” identified by Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and the state’s Regional Economic Development Council.
According to the proposal, the initial focus will be on the near South Side of Syracuse, according to Walsh and several people briefed on the plan. Key proposals reportedly include:
- Renovate the long-vacant Central High School, popularly known as Central Tech, into a countywide high school focused on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.) Most of the students would come from within the Syracuse district, but students from suburban districts also would be accepted.
- Expand the size and program offerings of the SUNY Educational Opportunity Center, which provides adult vocational training.
- Expand the Technology Garden business incubator at the corner of Harrison and Warren streets, which houses startup companies focused on drone technology and other emerging industries.