The following story originally appeared as a “Progress 2016” story in North Country This Week.

In 2015, the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and its affiliated agencies and development partners provided assistance to a number of employers, communities and stakeholders throughout St. Lawrence County.

The IDA and the St. Lawrence County IDA Local Development Corporation (SLCIDA-LDC) worked with the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority and the City of Ogdensburg to assist Ansen Corporation with their expansion to a 40,000 square foot building in Ogdensburg. The new space will allow for the bulk storage of palletized raw material, open manufacturing space, and palletized storage of finished goods.

Hoosier Magnetics received loan financing from the St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency (RVRDA), the North Country Economic Development Fund and the Ogdensburg Growth Fund to help purchase new equipment to replace the Company’s 60-year old Calciner, a major piece of the ferrite powder’s processing where the solid state chemical reaction takes place.

As part of Cives Steel Company’s acquisition of a start-of-the-art robotic plasma cutting system, the IDA provided assistance for the purchase of a Combilift product carrier that will enable the local facility, which employs 130, to more effectively compete with other firms.

Curran Renewable Energy received assistance from the IDA as part of the company’s yard improvement and furnace replacement project. The new furnace will utilize green residual material such as treetops that would normally be left as waste. The company has added two jobs as a result of the project, and currently employs over 30 people, in addition to another 100 jobs at Seaway Timber’s harvesting and trucking operations.

Additionally, the RVRDA offered loan financing to Hozmerica, LLC for an addition that will house a bait and tackle store that currently resides within the restaurant. Relocating the store to the new building will allow expansion to the existing restaurant. The new project is expected to create one new fulltime and one part-time equivalent job within the first three years and retain five full-time in addition to five part-time equivalent jobs.

The Microenterprise Revolving Loan Fund provided loan financing toward equipment, inventory, and working capital for Wrights Tools Sales Rentals and Service, LLC, a Massena-based start-up that will rent tools and equipment for homeowners and contractors for construction projects. This project will result in the creation of one job with a plan for two additional jobs over three years.

The SLCIDA completed Phase I of the rehabilitation project to the Newton Falls Rail Line, with the goal of rejuvenating rail service from Newton Falls to the CSX rail line in Carthage.

The St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency’s Community Development and Environmental Improvement Program benefited a number of St. Lawrence County-based initiatives.

2015 awards included the North Country Children’s Museum RAIL Project; Norwood Village Green Concert Series band shell lighting system; St. Lawrence Power and Equipment Museum equine pavilion construction; St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce purchase and installation of NYSDOT approved signs for the SLC Wine Trail; town of Louisville Community Center building and grounds improvements; town of Massena replacement of the failing portion of the water distribution system; United Helpers Mosaic final phase of its Mosaic Complex renovation project; the village of Canton extension to new water main line infrastructure connection along Route 11; village of Heuvelton development of a localized marketing plan to identify and recommend economic development opportunities for the “Blueway Trail” along the Oswegatchie River; and village of Waddington Bass 2015 Elite Tournament.

For more information contact the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency at 379-9806 or visit www.slcida.com.