Officials look to get new Wadsworth Center
EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. » Rensselaer County officials said they hope state officials will pick Rensselaer County as the site for the new Wadsworth Center.
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin recently said he believes the University at Albany site in East Greenbush is the best location for the new research center.
The University at Albany School of Public Health is located at One University Place in East Greenbush.
The state is planning to construct a new, $750 million Wadsworth Center for research. The Wadsworth Center is known for its cutting- edge research and serves as a national biodefense lab and testing lab for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
An independent report ranks the University at Albany East Campus high on a list of potential sites.
“The UAlbany site in East Greenbush is ideal. The UAlbany campus in our county has the space, proximity and access to services needed for the new Wadsworth laboratory,” said McLaughlin. “Rensselaer County is excited about the opportunity to locate the outstanding, highly respected Wadsworth labs to the UAlbany campus in East Greenbush and pledges our full support and cooperation to make this a reality,”
In his first State of the County address in March, after taking office on Jan. 1, McLaughlin cited a number of recent economic development successes in the county.
The Regeneron facility, located near the UAlbany campus in East Greenbush, has added several hundred jobs in recent years.
“The UAlbany site has been a great part of Rensselaer County, and the Wadsworth lab would be an outstanding addition. Rensselaer County has a lot of momentum and recent success, and we are working to continue that forward progress,” said McLaughlin. “Rensselaer County has a great tradition of innovation and accomplishment. The Wadsworth labs would fit in great with that history and record of success.”
Newly elected Assemblyman Jake Ashby, R- Castleton, agreed that the East Greenbush site would be a good fit for the new research center.
“I am strongly in support of making this project a reality in our district. I completely agree with the University at Albany that the Rensselaer County Health Sciences campus in East Greenbush is the optimal spot for this project. This facility will provide the opportunity for unprecedented growth for health and science in New York state. The 107th Assembly District would be honored to be the home of the Wadsworth Center and to help continue the growth of the already-phenomenal UAlbany East Campus” said Ashby.
Local leaders, including East Greenbush Town Supervisor Jack Conway, share Ashby’s and McLaughlin’s vision to bring Wadsworth to East Greenbush.
“We’re very excited at the possibility of bringing this outstanding project to the town of East Greenbush. We urge decision-makers to take a close look at the East Greenbush site and we look forward to discussing the many advantages of a move to East Greenbush,” said Conway.