Telling Town of Cobleskill leaders that they need to think economic development from the time they get up in morning till the time they go to bed, Prime Properties’ Jack Kelley made his second local visit Monday to talk about possibilities for the former Guilford Mills.
Schoharie County supervisors have hired Coldwell Banker’s Commercial Prime Properties to market what’s now being called the Cobleskill Industrial Park.
In February, Mr. Kelley gave them a glowing review of the 460,000 square-foot property.
Monday, he was in Cobleskill to talk about progress he’s made so far and next Tuesday, he’ll do the same thing for the Village of Cobleskill.
Mr. Kelley said he’s been working closely with County Economic Developer Jody Zakrevsky not only to sell the property, which has been vacant for eight years, but to bring someone in with “meaningful, good quality jobs.”
With that in mind, Mr. Kelley has been meeting with contractors and others who know the property and the building and he stressed that both are “shovel-ready.”
Mr. Kelley ran through a list of the types of businesses that would best fit the site.
Among them: Technology-based wood products, computer and electronics, agricultural and food processing, and university-based research and development.
Mr. Kelley said the former textile plant is well-situated and water and sewer is sufficient, though electric and roads may need to be “tweaked.”
But, “This building is as ready as any site I’ve ever seen,” he added.
Still, Mr. Kelley pointed out, “We may have to leverage the tax base for a couple of years to entice someone to come.”
Options for the site include selling it to one company that would provide jobs and put the property back on the tax rolls or breaking it up as “accelerator” space—typically the next step after a business incubator.
“I don’t think any idea is a silly idea,” Mr. Kelley said, “but some are more sensible than others.”