The Hyundai Corporation has taken a first look at Schoharie’s Highbridge site as a possible location for a rail car manufacturing facility.
Hyundai is looking to move into New York State, Schoharie County Industrial Development Agency Executive Director Jim Halios said Thursday; the Schoharie site at I-88 Exit 23 is one of 20-22 places Hyundai said they’re looking at.
Mr. Halios characterized the hour-long visit as “very preliminary” but said “They seemed interested. We’ll see what happens. It’s good to see some movement on that site.”
In June of 2022, Schenectady developer Highbridge Development got Planning Board approval for a 540,000-square foot warehouse off the 48-acre site for an undetermined tenant, gas station and fast food restaurant.
They’ve yet to find a tenant and the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals permits have been extended to June 2025.
Meanwhile, both the Town of Schoharie and Schoharie County have been working to make the site shovel-ready and seeking grants that would extend sewer and water to it from the Schoharie Business Park—and beyond.
Cobleskill Supervisor Werner Hampel, who chairs supervisors’ Economic Development Committee and was there for the site visit with Hyundai, said it went well.
They’re looking at multiple sites and “anything” would be at least five years away, he said, “but it’s good to see we’re in the mix and getting some attention. I think it went well.”
It’s unclear what the investment would be or how many jobs the facility could mean, but it would be manufacturing—not logistics or a warehouse, he said.
Schoharie Supervisor Ben Oevering said he’s “100 percent” behind Hyundai’s interest in the site—though he realizes it’s very much a longshot—and the jobs it would create.
“It all starts somewhere,” he said. “Jobs, housing…it’s all part of that too and with the work we’ve been doing not only on extending water and sewer but also our Comprehensive Plan and after that, updating our Zoning Code, I think we’re in a good place.”
Mr. Halios said this is one of the first times Empire State Development—which sent Hyundai their way—has reached out with a potential developer.
Hyundai said in March it planned to build its first plant in the United States in 16 years after getting an order worth $658 million to build 182 high-speed railcars for the City of Los Angeles.
Candidates for the facility include Los Angeles County.
And while it’s not Hyundai, on September 9, high-speed railcar manufacturer Brightline West announced it would be building a 300,000 square-foot manufacturing plant in Horseheads in Chemung County.
Operations there are expected to begin in 2026.
The facility is expected to mean about 300 high-paying union jobs.