Question of the Month: What makes Greater Binghamton such a good place to do business?

While the United States economy has shown solid growth over the past few months, many economists predict that instability will be the norm for years to come. In these uncertain times, we believe Greater Binghamton is a great place to build your business. Our location is perfect - within easy reach of 60% of the North American population; we are between two of the most important metroplexes in the world: Boston-Washington and Toronto-Montreal. Greater Binghamton is positioned along the critical north/south Interstate 81 corridor about half way between Syracuse and Scranton. Our airport offers regular flights to major hubs including Philadelphia, Detroit and Washington D.C. Shortline/Coach USA and Greyhound provide more than eight convenient daily roundtrip buses from our new $15 million transportation center to midtown Manhattan. In Greater Binghamton, you will find one of the most creative economies in the United States. The recently released 2011 Milken Institute Best Performing Cities ranks Binghamton #1 for our number of high tech clusters over the national average. Our patents per capita, high tech clusters and research capacity rank up there with Cambridge, Austin, and San Jose. WIRED, one of the leading innovation and technology magazines, says Binghamton is an "emerging epicenter" for high tech growth. We feature strong clusters in aerospace, software, advanced manufacturing, communications, simulation, food production and distribution. In Binghamton, your company will join a variety of household name companies including Lockheed Martin, Gannett, IBM, Frito Lay, L-3 Communications, Endicott Interconnect and BAE Systems. We'd love to show you the Charles Street Business Park. Charles Street is a unique 32 acre state-of-the-art urban industrial park on the city's west side. The Park is anchored by Emerson Network Power's 40,000 s/f Binghamton headquarters. Charles St. is in a Federal HUBZone creating many potential advantages for businesses that locate there. Please call me or visit www.bcida.com for more information. Businesses that locate in Binghamton get the advantage of working with 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. Last fall, the university opened a $36 million science building with a combination of the latest lab space and classrooms. Binghamton is investing more than $500 million in new residences and other improvements to the campus. The university's growth has added momentum to the revitalization of our downtown. This summer, Newman Development Group, a national leader in commercial retail and student housing real estate, will open Twin River Commons, a $20 million student housing community at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers. Twin River Commons features apartments for 373 students with spectacular views of the rivers. Alfred Weissman Real Estate, a commercial real estate investor, owner and developer, is converting 20 Hawley St. into student housing. The Binghamton landmark former bank and office building will be home to more than 200 students. Weissman Real Estate has also taken over and renovated the Riverwalk Hotel in downtown Binghamton. The company announced recently the hotel will become a Doubletree by Hilton. Price Chopper, a medium-sized supermarket chain based in Schenectady, has opened two stores in Greater Binghamton over the past year. The Chenango Bridge store, located between interstates 81 and 88 is 60,000 s/f. The second store which opened earlier this month is 52,000 s/f near a previous location in the city. In Binghamton, the people who work for you will have access to 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, is the reigning Calder Cup champion. Dick's Sporting Goods, which was founded in Binghamton in 1948, announced it was extending its title sponsorship of our Champion's Tour tournament another 3 years. The Dick's Open is among the most popular events on the tour. According to U.S. News and World Report, Binghamton is among the most affordable places to retire in the United States. And we were thrilled when the Farmers Insurance Group named Binghamton the 8th safest place to live among communities its size in the United States. 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. Spring and summer are a great time to visit. Patrick Doyle is the director, business development at Broome County IDA, Binghamton, N.Y.