{"id":40501,"date":"2025-03-24T07:12:07","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T11:12:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/?p=40501"},"modified":"2025-03-24T07:12:07","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T11:12:07","slug":"warren-county-economic-development-corp-uniquely-positioned-to-drive-growth-in-area","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2025\/03\/warren-county-economic-development-corp-uniquely-positioned-to-drive-growth-in-area\/","title":{"rendered":"Warren County Economic Development Corp. Uniquely Positioned To Drive Growth In Area"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Jim Siplon, president and CEO, EDC Warren County
Courtesy EDC Warren County<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Paul Post<\/p>\n

Jim Siplon came to Glens Falls to help launch a new company, Just Water, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.<\/p>\n

In the process, he fell in love with the area and is now a driving force for its short- and long-term economic health and vitality.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people look at the Adirondack Park as an economic liability,\u201d said Siplon, Warren County Economic Development Corporation president. \u201cI take a contrarian view. We have one foot inside the park and one foot outside. That is a really unique strategic place to be. Look south to Saratoga and the Capital District and we have connections to much bigger things like the chip fab industry. Take the same drive north and you can be on Lake George, skiing at Gore Mountain or atop of one of the 46 High Peaks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a tremendous opportunity,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to figure out how to leverage our location. That\u2019s going to require investment in infrastructure such as broadband, thinking about where we want additional housing, investing in assets that attract new residents and young people because we have an aging population, and taking care of existing businesses. That combination of things is what we\u2019re constantly working on.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span>The non-profit EDC has a nearly $1 million budget derived from local government and membership fees paid by employers from small, one-man firms to Glens Falls Hospital, which has the area\u2019s largest workforce. EDC offers a variety of programs, services and funding to help new firms get started and bolster those already here.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a conduit that opens doors to an even wider array of benefits, such as state grants and tax credits, working in partnership with similar entities such as Capital Regional Economic Development Council, the Center for Economic Growth, Innovate 518, Glens Falls and Warren County Industrial Development Agencies and Warren County Local Development Corporation, which Siplon also leads.<\/p>\n

Among recent high-profile projects, EDC is deeply involved with the current redevelopment of South Street in Glens Falls, where EDC is headquartered in the Empire Theater building. It also did a great deal of behind-the-scenes work, helping AngioDynamics keep some jobs locally, after initially planning to exit Warren County altogether.<\/p>\n

But EDC\u2019s efforts extend throughout the county. It played a vital role in helping Lake George obtain a $10 million state Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant.<\/p>\n

In North Creek, work is expected to begin soon on a $10.1 million wastewater treatment system that will serve the local business district and Gore Mountain\u2019s North Creek Ski Bowl project featuring a new lodge, chairlift and zipline. A hotel is planned for the site as well.<\/p>\n

EDC was a major player in helping secure approvals and funding for the project. \u201cWe worked on that for four years,\u201d Siplon said. \u201cIt\u2019s finally coming to fruition. Without this system, none of the businesses on Main Street could expand or make modifications because they\u2019re too close to the river, and no large-scale hotel could be built. It\u2019s stymied development for that part of our county\u2019s economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once completed, it\u2019s hoped the new treatment system will trigger significant business investment in North Creek.<\/p>\n

The three main pillars of Warren County\u2019s economy are tourism, the service industry led by healthcare, and manufacturing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have the largest hospital between Albany and Montreal, a span of 200 miles,\u201d Siplon said. \u201cWe provide healthcare and specialized services for an area as big as some states. We\u2019re really deeply engaged in the healthcare sector to make sure they\u2019re staying competitive and healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

While some heavy industries such as Glens Falls Cement Company have ceased operations, Siplon believes there\u2019s great, untapped potential for new firms to start up that could play a critical role protecting the area\u2019s valuable natural resources.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of places in the world that are under great stress (fires, drought, rising shorelines),\u201d he said. \u201cNew York is not only known for the beauty of Lake George, but as a climate haven. I look at that and say, \u2018If we could bring 1,000 people here and most of them were involved with water and forestry resources, that would be perfectly aligned with the place. It would enhance what we are\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a concept Siplon calls the \u201creverse marketplace,\u201d EDC has already developed models for environmental business opportunities it believes would have a captive market that no one yet has stepped into yet.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cAnd we\u2019ve already lined up funding if we can find the right people to do them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

For example, there is a great deal of concern about Lake George water quality issues. An enterprising person could make brine available to private contractors and municipalities as an alternative to rock salt.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a need to upgrade ailing septic systems. Another possibility would be developing applications in which milfoil and similar invasive species become ingredients for other products, rather than just destroying them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis kind of innovative programming serves the community and launches new business at same time,\u201d Siplon said.<\/p>\n

He also believes there\u2019s almost unlimited potential for successful new business in the trades such as plumbing, HVAC, electrical and construction. As an example, he pointed out that Gross Electric owner Joseph Gross started out in a garage and now employs hundreds of people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trades are one of the fastest ways for people to develop personal wealth,\u201d Siplon said. \u201cThere\u2019s almost unlimited demand for it and it\u2019s based on your own work ethic and the level of energy that you\u2019re willing to provide. You could immediately go to work and be part of helping our economy grow. Our goal is to introduce people to those choices as well.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Paul Post Jim Siplon came to Glens Falls to help launch a new company, Just Water, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. In the process, he fell in love with the area and is now a driving force for its short- and long-term economic health and vitality. \u201cA lot of people look at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":37251,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economic-development"],"yoast_head":"\r\nWarren County Economic Development Corp. 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