Gov. Andrew Cuomo visited the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park at Farmingdale State College Friday as part of his Long Island Regional Economic Development Council tour of growing facilities and companies in the Nassau-Suffolk region.
Cuomo was greeted by Farmingdale State College President W. Hubert Keen and accompanied by local officials and business leaders, including Sen. Charles Fuschillo, R-Merrick, Assemb. Bob Sweeney, D-Lindenhurst, and Long Island Association President Kevin Law.
The group was given a tour by David Epstein, Vice President for Research at OSI Pharmaceuticals/Astellas, which occupies the two buildings at the bioscience park.
“The fact that the Governor visited our campus demonstrates that he understands the value Farmingdale brings to the region in terms of education and the research enterprise at the bioscience park,” Keen said. “He is quite aware of the importance of integrating academics with business, so that we can prepare students with the skills they need to find good jobs and, in doing so, provide fledging bioscience company with a well-equipped work force that will make them successful and profitable. That’s exactly what we do here at Farmingdale.”
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Astellas/OSI centered its operation on Long Island last year after the Governor signed legislation – proposed by Fuschillo and Sweeney – to allow the company to expand on the Farmingdale campus, saving more than 100 jobs.
In addition, it is expected that 1.5 jobs will be created for every job at the bioscience park, resulting in 337 additional jobs and a potential additional $13.5 million in economic impact. A total of 787 total direct and indirect jobs are expected within the decade.
The company is most noted for its efforts to develop pharmaceuticals to fight cancer.
Cuomo also made stops at Farmingdale-based music manufacturer D’Addario and Company and at Cold Spring Harbor Lab's Woodbury campus.
"New York no longer has a one size fits all approach to economic development, and now we are seeing the benefits of this new way of thinking throughout the state," Cuomo said. "As you can see on Long Island, the regional council has developed a plan that fits its region best and that plan is creating jobs, growing the economy and transforming neighborhoods."
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