TechCity holds Hudson Valley Green Real Estate Development Conference; Sullivan of Scenic Hudson is keynote

Two hundred of the region's most influential and prominent professionals in government, real estate, finance, and emerging technologies gathered to discuss the future of green real estate development in the Hudson Valley at a major Green Real Estate Development Conference at TechCity. This conference opened up discussions geared to developing insights and strategies to attract versatile green development to the region. Keynote speaker Ned Sullivan, president of Scenic Hudson, Inc., said that the Hudson Valley already possesses many attributes, from its picturesque location mid-way between N.Y.C. and Albany, to its rich history of environmentalism, to its highly trained workforce and visionary business and government leaders that make the region ideally suited to be a model for sustainable development. He also said that the re-use of existing buildings and facilities in the model of TechCity was another promising way to foster green development. Currently, the 2.5 million s/f property is undergoing a transformation which includes the re-use of former industrial buildings, and the installation of clean energy systems including solar panels and green roofs on the property's existing large-area, flat roofs. "The Hudson Valley can be at the forefront of green sustainability, and TechCity is committed to being a central part of that," said Alan Ginsberg, chairman of TechCity Properties. "By working synergistically with our local and national government agencies and embracing entrepreneurial businesses involved in the renewable energy and sustainability fields, we can set a model for development that will prove invaluable in the coming years." Ginsberg said, "This conference helped bring together like-minded individuals from a variety of industries and got the conversation started. We anticipate the ideas formulated today will be the blueprinfor development in the future." A special presentation by Adolph Everett, a regional leader of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "green team" helped explain the variety of services and EPA experts that are available to help property owners "go green" to minimize the environmental impact of their project and reduce energy costs. Other distinguished panelists included Sadie McKeown, seniorVP and director, The Community Preservation Corp. (CPC); Lance Matteson, president, Ulster County Development Corp.; Vince Cozzolino, president & CEO, The Solar Energy Consortium; Patrice Courtney Strong, coordinator, Mid-Hudson Energy Smart/NYSERDA; and Michael Divney, partner, Divney Tung Schwalbe; among others. Panels for the conference included Residential Development, Economic Development, Finance, Architecture & Design, and Commercial and Industrial Development. Topics included, "How to make the deals to build green," "Attracting tenants, money and resources," "Expanding green development opportunities," and "Economic incentives for green developers."