BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA -- The former St. Lawrence Centre Mall, rebranded as the St. Lawrence Industrial Complex, may soon be home to Natural Insulation Products.

The Italian company that produces "Thindown," the only fabric made entirely from down, may soon be moving in after the Northern New York Power Proceeds Allocation Board recommended $1.2 million in funding for the company to set up shop in the former mall.

According to the company, "THINDOWN offers all the outstanding natural advantages of down such as lightness, warmth, wicking, breathability, and absolute thermal insulation in the thinnest possible profile. Thanks to the exclusive processing of NIPI R40, the fabric is characterized by a uniform distribution of down that enables the absence of horizontal stitching sections and prevents the passage of cold and leakage of down. Thanks to its versatility THINDOWN, like any other fabric, facilitates all variety of personalization, widening the use of down to 365 days a year."

NYPA economic developer Patricia Wilson said  the recommendation to allocate $1,209,000 will be part of the 12th round of the Northern New York Economic Develop Fund allocations.

As part of the agreement, she said Natural Insulation Products America Inc. would spend more than $6 million on the project.

"Natural Insulation Products plans to establish commercial scale production in the St. Lawrence Industrial Complex, formerly the St. Lawrence Centre mall, in order to better pursue the North American market,” she said.

The company has already completed its proof of concept stage and successful market entry from its pilot plant in Italy, she said.

According to Wilson, Natural Insulation Products are hoping to pursue the North American market by establishing a foothold in Massena.

The allocated funds would be used to purchase the highly specialized machinery to make their products, which will be used in the fashion, military and outdoor clothing market, Wilson said.

Other criteria that make the company a great fit include the planned creation of 45 full-time head of household jobs in the first five years of operation, along with the requirement of a light industrial space, Wilson said.

Wilson also said locating in a disadvantaged community, offering training for under and unemployed persons, as well as a goal of transitioning Fort Drums soldiers to the civilian workforce are also big factors in supporting the application.

According to the proposal, Natural Insulation Products will have a local economic impact of $30.7 million in the first five years based on the company's projections.

Officials say the company's plans also line up well with the Industrial Development Agency's priorities.

According to Wilson, the company also cited the opportunity to promote international trade as a primary reason to locate in the new St. Lawrence Industrial Complex.

Board members say they were excited by the notion of reusing the former mall with such an interesting project.

“It's been very sad to see the mall like that. It’s a very interesting project. I commend you for the work bringing this forward. I really like the idea that we’re going to do something with the mall,' Board Member Robert McNeil said.

Wilson commented that it was "a great reuse of the facility.

Though company representatives were unable to be at the recent board meeting, Wilson said they were very excited to have the opportunity to establish operations in the north country.

The next step for the project will be for the NYPA Board of Trustees to review the recommendation at the next trustees meeting. Approval could come as early as the July board meeting, officials say.

Funds to this and other similar projects come from the market sale of unutilized hydropower from the New York Power Authority's St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project with the goal of spurring economic development.

Those funds are then set aside for projects that are solicited and recommended for funding by the Norther New York Power Proceeds Allocation Board. Once approved by the NNYPPA board, the projects move to the NYPA Board of Trustees for final approval.