$190 million Homeland Security Center of Excellence to be built....

Breaking News

Homeland security hub planned

By Jean Paul Vellotti

Thursday, March 9, 2006 03:31 PM EST

Regus

BETHPAGE – Long Island’s safety increased Thursday with the announcement of a $190 million Homeland Security Center of Excellence to be built adjacent to Northrop Grumman Corp. on current U.S. Navy property. The five acres of land in Bethpage, which is ready for development, will be transferred to Nassau County.

Under a grant secured through Long Island’s New York State Senate Delegation, $21.1 million was allotted to construct a 65,000 square foot New York State Applied Science Center of Excellence in Homeland Security facility. The center will serve as an incubator of science and research for projects with a focus on security and is expected to employ 290 research workers. It is also expected that an additional 7,350 positions will be created indirectly throughout the state, for a total of 9,800 jobs over ten years. A date for the groundbreaking was not announced.

The Long Island Forum for Technology will serve as operator of the building. President of LIFT, Ken Morrelly, said that the center has a very real potential to help make the region, state and county safer from a terrorist event.

Senator Dean G. Skelos (R-Rockville Center) led the effort to secure funding. “This center will establish Long Island as a national leader in Homeland Security research,” Skelos said during the press conference at Grumman. “It will have a significant impact on the Long Island regional economy and state economy. It’s location within an Empire Zone of Nassau will be attractive to companies looking to locate here.”

Skelos also said that one of the goals of the center will be to bring science projects out into the competitive market. He envisions the MTA and Port Authority as key purchasers of technology developed at the center.

Nationwide, it is estimated that over $100 billion will be spent annually on Homeland Security projects, according to Skelos.

Northrop Grumman, who is making cash and in-kind investments of $15 million towards the project, will become the anchor tenant. An additional 20 other corporate spaces are available. Tenants at the center will be able to take advantage of research and development from other state centers of excellence, including Stony Brook University, Cold Spring Harbor Labs and Brookhaven National Lab.