Supporting infrastructure is a critical path item for advancing tech-based economic development opportunities. The 17M Corridor from Middletown to Goshen has long been an area of interest for economic development – on April 30th the Mid Hudson News reported that Orange County and the 17M municipalities are working on a concept to combine water services to activate 17M. County Executive Steve Neuhaus said, “We want to combine it and use Middletown’s existing infrastructure and let’s look at some of the capabilities that are available in the Indigot Reservoir that I signed an agreement with Middletown a few years ago, and let’s see if it can provide water, for example, on that 17M corridor where you have Middletown leading into Wawayanda and Goshen.” The 17M corridor is home to companies such as Milmar Foods and the soon-to-be-delivered kosher wine and grape juice manufacturing facility for Royal Wine/Kedem.

Conor Eckert, Vice President of Business Attraction at the Orange County Partnership said, “The 17M corridor has a handful of solid site selection attributes – highway proximity, labor draw, existing ecosystems, but the fatal flaw has been the lack of public infrastructure.” The Hudson Valley is seeing an unprecedented number of manufacturers look toward the region for site selection opportunities, but infrastructure is key for securing these significant investments.

Maureen Halahan, President and CEO of the Orange County Partnership said, “The extension of infrastructure down the corridor could be a game changer for the county and the region. We applaud the forward-thinking leadership of County Executive Neuhaus, Goshen Town Supervisor Joe Betro, Wawayanda Supervisor Denise Quinn, and City of Middletown Mayor Joe Destefano.”