Amazon Seeks Reduced Benefits Package From OCIDA After Rejection Of Two Larger Requests
Amazon’s commitment to demolish existing underutilized properties at a former quarry in the Village of Slate Hill in Orange County and build a 3.2 million square foot warehouse has not dimmed, despite several setbacks related to the awarding of tax incentives by the Orange County Industrial Development Agency (OCIDA).
In June, the Supreme Court in Orange County tossed the OCIDA’s lawsuit challenging a veto by independent monitor Brian Sanvidge of a 15-year PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) agreement worth about $80 million in tax benefits. That cleared the way for a new negotiation of benefits for the $607 million construction project.
According to the OCIDA, the new request by Amazon includes: (i) a sales tax exemption up to $18,821,250 for amounts expended for the construction of the facility; (ii) a sales tax exemption up to $12,187,500 for amounts expended for the furnishing and equipping of the facility; and, (iii) a partial real property tax abatement estimated to provide approximately $70,478,262 in benefits through a 10-year PILOT.
The ten-year PILOT deviates from the OCIDA’s standard 20-year PILOT with the PILOT’s abatement reduced in years one through four and increasing in later years. The alteration in the timing, according to the OCIDA, would add more than $32 million in additional tax payments compared to the Agency’s standard 20-year PILOT.
The new proposal would provide approximately $69.7 million in incentives as compared to the prior, failed 15-year PILOT that was estimated at approximately $80 million in financial assistance for the project.
Senator James Skoufis, a critic of the OCIDA and a proponent of the state-appointed monitor said, “In recent weeks, we were finally successful in driving Amazon back to the negotiating table. The end result is a major improvement, extracting $30+ million in additional payments from Amazon to our community from what they tried to get away with – and they will pay full property taxes 10 years sooner than Amazon initially sought. This is more money to our school district, local infrastructure, and law enforcement – funding that local taxpayers would’ve had to make up if not for our relentless efforts.”
According to figures supplied by the Orange County IDA, the total incentive package from the 10-year PILOT is $69,707,010.88. The PILOT will generate $11,209,389 in revenue for Minisink Valley School District and $5,431,119 for Ambulance and Fire. Once the PILOT expires, Minisink Valley Schools will receive $7.76 million in Year 11 alone.
According to an economic impact study, the project will create approximately 750 full-time jobs within three years of completion and up to 2,400 local construction jobs. Under New York State law, projects that receives a PILOT from an industrial development agency in Orange County must pay prevailing wage or enter into a Project Labor Agreement with the Hudson Valley Building & Construction Trades Council.
A public hearing was scheduled for September 10th on the new proposal, and a vote by the OCIDA could take place later this month.
Final Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund Awards Announced, Completing $150 Million Regional Housing and Infrastructure Initiative
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the final Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund awards, providing $22 million in additional assistance to three developments — SoLo in the City of Peekskill, One Lafayette in Newburgh, and the Haverstraw Chair Factory in the Village of Haverstraw — previously selected through Round 2 of the program. The new investments will help advance nearly 830 homes while supporting transit-oriented development, downtown revitalization and improved access to existing infrastructure and waterfront areas
“The Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund has helped communities across the region tackle housing shortages, strengthen critical infrastructure and move ambitious development plans forward,” Governor Hochul said. “With these final awards, we are building on that progress and helping deliver thousands of new homes, including nearly 4,000 affordable homes, in communities that have demonstrated their commitment to growing New York’s housing supply.”
With these final awards, the Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund has committed approximately $150 million to 26 projects expected to create or unlock more than 11,000 homes, including nearly 4,000 affordable units. Investments have helped communities address infrastructure barriers, advance large-scale residential development and revitalize downtown and waterfront areas throughout the Mid-Hudson region.
Final Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund Awards
- $3.25 Million for the SoLo Project — City of Peekskill, Westchester County: SoLo will create a mixed-use, transit-oriented and mixed-income community with 231 residential units, including 100 affordable homes, along with four commercial spaces totaling 3,876 square feet. Streetscape and infrastructure upgrades along Louisa Street and South Street will strengthen connections between the waterfront and the rest of the city while providing convenient access to the Peekskill Metro-North station.
- $8.75 Million for One Lafayette — City of Newburgh, Orange County: One Lafayette will create a five-story, approximately 200,000-square-foot development featuring 144 affordable residential units, as well as commercial and retail space. The development will also expand off-street parking, bring new residents and businesses to the neighborhood and contribute to the continued economic and cultural revitalization of the surrounding area.
- $10 Million for the Haverstraw Chair Factory Project — Village of Haverstraw, Rockland County: The Haverstraw Chair Factory project will transform a long-underused former industrial complex along the Hudson River into a mixed-income waterfront community with 450 residential units and approximately 13,000 square feet of retail and community space. The approximately $300 million development will reconnect downtown Haverstraw to the waterfront, expand public access and placemaking opportunities, spur economic activity and provide more than 1,000 homes.
Governor Hochul introduced the $150 million Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund in 2023 as part of her broader strategy to increase New York’s housing supply, improve affordability and support sustainable regional growth.
Fioravanti Joins Regional Food Bank to Spur Growth in Hudson Valley
The Regional Food Bank announces the hiring of Bill Fioravanti as the Executive Vice President of the Hudson Valley and EVP of Food Industry Partnerships & Business Development, to serve as the organization’s top Hudson Valley leader. In this role, Fioravanti will lead the Regional Food Bank’s vision in the Hudson Valley in fundraising, partnerships and community relations.
“I am proud to be joining the Regional Food Bank, and I look forward to creating and strengthening new and existing partnerships in the cause of combatting food insecurity in our communities,” said Fioravanti. “I have watched the Regional Food Bank make significant investments in the Hudson Valley in recent years, and I am thrilled to be joining this team to help address the ever-increasing challenge of food insecurity in our region.”
Fioravanti has more than two decades of leadership experience in the Hudson Valley, most recently as Chief Executive Officer of the Orange County Industrial Development Agency. Prior to leading the IDA, Bill served in leadership roles as Director of Economic Development for Orange County, Director of Business Attraction for Orange County Partnership and Vice President, Membership for Orange County Chamber of Commerce.
“Bill brings a tremendous amount of experience in economic development, government, and non-profit and has been a successful ambassador for the Hudson Valley region for more than 20 years,” said Tom Nardacci, CEO of Regional Food Bank. “Most importantly Bill has a proven track record of collaborating and getting positive results for residents in the Hudson Valley. The Regional Food Bank made a $25 million commitment to the Hudson Valley, last year, with the completion of the Orange County Distribution Center and we have more work to be done to achieve our goal of fair and equitable distribution of resources in the 23-counties we serve. We will continue to make investments in the Hudson Valley which includes this announcement as well as our continued commitment to provide more services and programs to support our neighbors in need.”
The Regional Food Bank serves more than 355,000 meals each month to those in need in 23 counties, from Rockland County in the lower Hudson Valley to the Canadian border. The Regional Food Bank supports a network of more than 1,000 agency partners which include food pantries, soup kitchens, school programs, seniors and veterans, among many others. In 2025, the Regional Food Bank distributed more than 53 million pounds of food.
