The state budget expected to pass includes the transfer of 45 acres of vacant land at the St. Lawrence County Psychiatric Center to the City of Ogdensburg.

Sen. Patricia Ritchie, who represents the several St. Lawrence County town’s including Morristown, Canton, Oswegatchie and Lisbon, as well as the City of Ogdensburg says the transfer is part of a broad plan to redevelop unused parcels at the site to create jobs.

“Hundreds of acres of prime real estate are sitting unused for decades at the Psych Center, and could be transformed to help stimulate our economy and create jobs,” Senator Ritchie said. “By authorizing this transfer, we are taking the first step to realizing the dream of returning this vacant land to the community, getting it back on the tax rolls and into productive reuse.”

The parcel, which abuts State Highway 37, between the OBPA industrial park and the Children and Youth Facility, is one of four eyed by the city for redevelopment.

City officials have presented a plan to reclaim a total of 160 acres of the psych center campus and market it for commercial, industrial and residential development.

Ritchie says the plan would create hundreds of new construction and permanent jobs, if successful.

The state budget gives the city up to one year to complete the transfer from the state.

“For decades, as the state withdrew from land and building at the Psych Center campus, this land has remained tied up under Albany’s control, unavailable to the local community or for redevelopment that can help grow the North Country’s economy,” Sen. Ritchie said.

Ritchie says she will continue to work with local and state officials to win the transfer of the remaining three parcels, including frontage along the St. Lawrence River that would be ideal for residential development.