Autumn may be the best time to consider Binghamton for your business

Autumn may be the best time to consider Binghamton for your business. In our hills and valleys you will find some of the best leaf peeping in the country. And in Binghamton you will find one of the most creative economies in the U.S. Our patents per capita, industry clusters, and research capacity rank up there with Cambridge, Austin, and San Jose. Binghamton's location is perfect-within easy reach of 60% of the North American population including two of the most important metroplexes in the world: Boston-Washington in the U.S. and Toronto-Montreal in Canada. We are along the critical I-81 corridor about half way between Syracuse and Scranton, close to major markets without the traffic and other headaches associated with larger population centers. A recent issue of WIRED Magazine features a map of the "emerging epicenters" for high tech growth. Binghamton is on that map. We have strong clusters in aerospace, software, advanced manufacturing, communications, simulation, food production and distribution. Binghamton is home to many household name companies including Lockheed Martin, Gannett, IBM, Frito Lay, L-3 Communications, Endicott Interconnect and BAE Systems. This year IBM is celebrating its 100th anniversary. One of the most important technology companies on the planet was born in Endicott, near Binghamton. While IBM over the last century has grown into a global powerhouse, the company's roots and spirit of innovation remain in our region. If you are seeking space for a new office or light manufacturing operation, explore the Charles Street Business Park in Binghamton. Charles St. is a 32 acre state-of-the-art urban industrial park on the city's west side. This former brownfield has been readapted into one of the premier technology business parks in the northeast. The site is anchored by Emerson Network Power's 40,000 s/f Binghamton headquarters. People from all over the world visit Emerson to learn about the latest technologies that protect and support business critical systems. Charles St. is in a Federal HUBZone creating many potential advantages for businesses that locate there. Please call me or visit our website for more information. We are home to Binghamton University, a premier global public institution ranked by Kiplinger's Personal Finance as one of the best values in public colleges anywhere. The university features stellar academics, amazing research, and a strong international focus. Binghamton is growing. This fall new residence halls are opening on the east side of campus, part of a $350 million expansion. And the university is about to open a $36 million science building with a combination of the latest lab space and classrooms. The university's growth has added momentum to the revitalization of our downtown. Newman Development Group, a national leader in commercial retail and student housing real estate, is ahead of schedule on the construction of Twin River Commons, a $20 million student housing community at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers. Twin River Commons will feature apartments for 373 students many with spectacular views of the rivers. It will open in August 2012. It is anticipated that over the next 2-3 years more than 800 students will be living downtown. In Greater Binghamton, quality of life means excellent schools, an opera and a symphony, strong minor league baseball and hockey, Division I athletics, and a fast-growing arts scene. The Binghamton Senators, our American Hockey League franchise affiliated with Ottawa, won the Calder Cup in June sending the whole community into a frenzy. According to U.S. News and World Report, Binghamton is among the most affordable places to retire in the U.S. And we were thrilled when the Farmers Insurance Group named Binghamton the 8th safest place to live among communities its size in the U.S. Binghamton's superb transportation system makes it possible to get to the Adirondacks, the Poconos, and the tremendous fly-fishing along the Delaware River in a matter of hours. We have some of the best golf courses in the northeast. In the metropolitan area you can wait hours for a tee time. In Binghamton, its a mere few minutes. And if you like winery tours and tastings we are a short distance from the Finger Lakes, one of the Wine Spectator's emerging wine regions in the world. With the cost of energy on the rise, Binghamton's location, technology and quality of life make more sense than ever. For more on business in our region, visit the BCIDA's website, www.bcida.com which includes a searchable property database, an interactive profile of the area, and links to our incentives and programs. Patrick Doyle is the director, business development at Broome County IDA, Binghamton, N.Y.