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Livingston County acquires former prison from state

Livingston County News

GROVELAND — The former Livingston Correctional Facility has a new owner.

New York State has completed the transfer of the closed prison to the Livingston County Industrial Development Agency, which will look to redevelop the 170-acre site.

The transfer was completed Feb. 6 at no cost to the county.

Livingston County Economic Development Director William Bacon said the IDA is excited about the opportunities that exist for the former prison, which was closed by the state in 2019.

“The potential for the adaptive reuse of the buildings on this campus and the proximity to major highway access make this an enviable location for any business,” Bacon said. “When you combine that with a diverse, regional workforce whose commitment to this area helps to drive low turnover and a dedicated employee base, there is an obvious formula for success.”

The Livingston County IDA will develop the site, which includes available agricultural acreage, for commercial and industrial use.

The state does have a 10-year reverter on the site, meaning if the IDA fails to generate economic activity on the site within 10 years of the transfer date, the state can take possession of the site.

Bacon said the county had been discussing ownership of the facility with the state for three years. Livingston County Economic Development formally submitted a proposal to take ownership of the site on Oct. 12, 2022, to EmpireState Development, the Office of General Services and the state Comptroller’s Office.

The transfer process took about 15 months, due in large part to this being the first transfer of its kind, according to ESD.

The transfer marks the first to be completed of a site studied by the state’s Prison Redevelopment Commission for economic development purposes.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news release the transaction is the first step “toward transforming the former LivingstonCorrectional Facility into a hub for opportunity, growth, and economic activity.”

The deed transferred about 170 total acres to the IDA. Included are 80 acres that make up the literal footprint of the Correctional Facility campus, including parking lots. Additional acreage includes surrounding agricultural land that is leased for farming.

With the transfer complete, Livingston County can begin developing the site towards its goals of growing job creation, increasing economic activity in the southern end of Livingston County, and bringing the site back on the tax rolls.