Senator Martins Announces Regional Economic Development Awards for Seventh Senate District

Awards Going to Winthrop Hospital and Town of Hempstead For Belmont Area Revitalization

Senator Jack M. Martins announced that projects in the Seventh Senate District that will create jobs will receive critically important state funds through the second round of Regional Economic Development Council awards.

Senator Martins is pleased to report that Winthrop-University Hospital will be receiving $1 million to support the construction of an $80 million, 94,000 square foot Winthrop Research Institute in the Village of Mineola that will focus on childhood diabetes and obesity. In addition, the Town of Hempstead Department of Planning and Economic Development will be receiving $500,000 to provide infrastructure improvements to support an adjacent commercial redevelopment in the urban renewal area of the Elmont-Belmont Park area.

“This is tremendous news because these projects will strengthen our economy and help create and retain jobs,” Senator Martins said. “Our community leaders serving on the regional economic development council have worked hard to put together an economic development strategy that takes advantage of the tremendous resources, skills and talent in our area. I applaud Governor Cuomo and Lieutenant Governor Duffy for this successful initiative that is spurring job growth and building a stronger economy for the future.”

“Winthrop-University Hospital is very pleased with this award. It will help defray construction costs of the Winthrop Research Institute, which will not only drive significant medical research, but also promote future job and employment training opportunities in Mineola and the surrounding area,” said John F. Collins, President & CEO of Winthrop-University Hospital. “We are especially grateful to Senator Jack Martins for his active support of these projects through his participation in the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council.”

Senator Martins also pushed for economic development in Elmont, working with town officials and community members. “Hempstead Town has been working hard with Senator Jack Martins to deliver on the promise of downtown revitalization in the heart of Elmont’s business district,” said Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray. “I want to thank Senator Jack Martins and Governor Andrew Cuomo for their leadership in the area of economic development. Drawing upon the $500,000 Regional Economic Development Council Award, Councilman Ed Ambrosino and I will work to make Elmont’s commercial corridor more vibrant, attractive and successful.”

In addition to funding for Elmont revitalization and the Winthrop Research Institute, additional funding awarded in the Seventh Senate District included $22,061 to the Winthrop-University Hospital Association for health information management training as well as $77,939 for telemetry competency training; $200,000 to the JM Haley Corporation in Westbury for machinery and equipment as well as $91,000 to Nassau Candy Distributors in Hicksville for the purpose of training workers.

“I have been proud to work with people from every part of the district including leaders in business, education, local governments, economic development and planning and others, to develop a list of job creation projects that achieve our goals of creating jobs and building a strong foundation for future growth,” Senator Martins said.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said, "For the second year in a row, the Regional Councils have been on the forefront of rebuilding New York State's economy. For too many years, top-down economic development policies have failed communities across the state and not truly invested in the unique resources and strengths of each of New York's regions. Now a new, bottom-up approach is in place that brings local communities together to chart their own economic destiny. The second round of Regional Economic Development Council awards will deliver funding for critical projects and investments in communities across our state, helping put New Yorkers back to work and rebuilding our economy."

Statewide, a total of $738 million was awarded for 725 economic development projects in every region of New York State.