Delhi News Bureau

DELHI — The Catskill e-Center received $450,000 in state funding Monday to develop a business incubator on the site of the old Agway on Main Street, according to state Sen. John J. Bonacic, R/C-Mount Hope.

"The creation of the Catskill e-Center represents a new opportunity to attract private sector investment to Delaware County," Bonacic said. "I am pleased to have been able to secure this funding to launch the business incubator project."

In September, the e-Center received a $73,250 matching funds grant under the state's $1.5 million "Wired Buildings" high-tech economic development program, and more than $200,000 in private funding has also been committed to the project. Officials are seeking additional funding through the Catskill Watershed Corp.

The e-Center will focus on assisting with the development of small start-up businesses, creating jobs, and will have a continuing education component, said Glenn Nealis, Delaware County economic/industrial development director.

On Monday, a sketch of the proposed e-Center was unveiled. Bonacic said a 2.7-acre lot is being purchased for the project. He added that up to three 10,000-square-foot buildings could be constructed on the site, but just one will be built initially.

The cost of acquiring the property, construction and operation of the center will be $1 million over the next two years, Bonacic said.

Catskill e-Center is partnering with the State University College of Technology at Delhi, the Catskill Watershed Corp., area businesses and the Telecenter in Oneonta.

Nealis and Krystine Hilton, executive director of the Telecenter — which is owned by Wilber National Bank and operated by Hartwick College — will be co-executive directors of the Catskill e-Center.

Delhi Tech President Candace S. Vancko said: "This is a terrific way to attract businesses to our area. The combination of first-class space and SUNY-Delhi as a resource for expertise, training and student projects is a winning combination."

Harpersfield Supervisor James Eisel, county board chairman, said: "We have to have economic development if we want our community to grow. This will help small businesses grow and expand and then move on to allow room for new businesses."

Businesses starting out in the new e-Center will be expected to move to a new, self-financed location after a two-year, start-up term.

The e-Center board of directors will include Peter Curran from Catskill Online; Tim Townsend from Delaware National Bank; Jim Thompson, director of the county IDA; and Arthur Rasmussen, a retired business executive from Walton. The board is expected to expand and will include Delhi Tech representatives, county representatives and locally elected officials.

Hilton said the two centers working together on projects, work-force development, certification and training will help develop Delhi into a viable community through technology.

Scott Clark of Clark Cos. in Delhi will construct the building.

"It will be up and running by next summer and if not, blame Scott Clark," Bonacic said.

Nealis said the demolition of the old Agway building is scheduled to begin next month, and construction on the new building will begin in early spring.

"I am optimistic that we will be in the building by June, but Scott Clark thinks it will be a little later in the summer," Nealis said.

He said the project was initially slated for the McCall Building on Main Street in Delhi, but it was decided that building is better suited for a retail enterprise, because of its location in the downtown shopping district.

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Patricia Breakey can be reached at (607) 746-2894 or at stardelhi@stny.rr.com.