JOHNSTOWN - Construction has begun for CG Roxane's new 176,757-square-foot springwater bottling plant in the town.
Fulton County Planning Director James Mraz informed the Fulton County Center for Regional Growth Board of Directors on Thursday of the good economic development news for the area.
"The CG Roxane project is under construction, finally," Mraz said.
The San Francisco-based company first said in late 2010 it was considering building a new water-bottling facility in the town of Ephratah. But after about a year, the company decided land in the town of Johnstown was more suitable for its project.
Mraz said the initial construction has consisted of some site work on a 72-acre parcel at 325 Watershed Road in the town. Initial construction of the building itself is on the horizon.
"The physical building is supposed to arrive in early August," said Mraz, who also is executive director of the Fulton County Industrial Development Agency. "That's certainly a positive development."
CG Roxane is investing more than $25 million and plans for the facility to produce more than a million bottles of Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water per day. The company has a contract for village of Canajoharie water and is considering purchasing Johnstown city water as well. CG Roxane is rebuilding Old Sweet Road to town of Johnstown standards to provide easier access from Route 29.
The company initially plans to hire 33 people and would hire more than a dozen more when it expands with a proposed second phase that would include a 65,545-square-foot addition of warehouse space.
Mraz also reported to the CRG board on redevelopment of the former Tryon Youth Detention Center in Perth into what would be called the Tryon Technology Park and Incubator Center.
He said a "marketing strategy" will be developed for the park. He said the IDA is waiting for the state to deed over the property to it. He said the state is asking the IDA to handle the state Environmental Quality Review Act process for the project.
"We have to get started with that now," Mraz said.
The Tryon project is a proposed $3.1 million county capital project for 2013. The Fulton County Board of Supervisors earlier this month approved a $132,217 contract with a C.T. Male Associates of Latham firm for engineering services.
Officials say the Tryon site comprises 517 acres of land and about 40 existing buildings.
There is also existing municipal water and sewer infrastructure, as well as natural gas and electric utilities. Officials say the new project will create new jobs and expand the local tax base.
The IDA wants to market the Tryon land and buildings to existing and new businesses. The existing access road into the campus would be deeded to the county to own, operate and maintain it as a county road. The proposed $3.14 million cost for the capital plan is broken down by $2 million in revenue from a state grant, coupled with a $1.14 million county share.
The county share includes engineering and design, construction costs and costs associated with repaving County Highway 107.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.