Welcome to the Adirondack Park: 102 Communities Open for Business

The Adirondack Park is more than just a vacation destination. Over 3,600 businesses call the Park home with firms ranging in size from large manufacturers and resource extraction operations to local retailers and restaurants. Major business sectors in the region include manufacturing, construction, forestry, agriculture, and tourism but the area's unique quality of life attracts a diversity of firms in all segments of the economy.

View a profile of the Park’s Economy: ADIRONDACK PARK ECONOMIC PROFILE

Lifestyle - Why Live Near the Park When you Can Live in the Park?

Whether you are searching for a bustling micropolis or a quaint village setting, the Adirondack Park offers the quality of life and business location you are looking for. Your employees will enjoy skiing the Park's six ski resorts (and numerous community ski hills), paddling over 2,800 pristine lakes and ponds, hiking the 46 Adirondack High Peaks, strolling the Park's 135 hamlets, and taking in the region's rural beauty.

"When we decided to relocate, we considered quality of life as one of the most important factors. If our employees are not happy when they get to work their performance is affected. Moving to the Adirondack Park was one of the best business decisions we could have made, especially with the greatly improved infrastructure, internet access, and services the Adirondack Park has to offer. I would encourage any business looking for a place to start up or relocate to consider the Adirondack Park." -Dan Wilt, Owner, Wilt Industries Inc. Lake Pleasant, NY.

Access - Get you and your Products to the Largest Markets

The Adirondack Park is convenient to some of the world's largest markets including New York City, Montreal, and Boston. Interstate 87 runs through the Park connecting the region's enterprises to Montreal and Albany in just over two hours and to New York City in five. International airports in Plattsburgh, Syracuse and Albany provide further access to global centers. Shipping goods to markets is easy too. Canadian Pacific freight rail lines, combined with deepwater ports in Montreal and Albany, make exporting opportune and expedient.

Talent and Innovation - Leaders in the 21st Century

Cutting edge research and product commercialization is occurring across the Adirondacks. Five major educational institutions have facilities in the Park and hundreds of thousands of students attend colleges within an hour of the Blue Line. Tap into an existing network of established professionals and future leaders. If the person you are looking for isn't already here, the region's high quality of life makes talent recruitment easy and exciting.

"Whether they have a love for the outdoors or their children dream of becoming the next Olympic Ski Jumper, the Adirondack Park offers a wide range of opportunities that are an asset when it comes to recruiting. Just recently, I spoke with a candidate and asked him why he was interested in Adirondack Health. He indicated he was an avid skier and that put his interest over the top.  The Adirondacks give us a competitive advantage like no other." - Chandler Ralph, President & CEO, Adirondack Health

Business Climate - A New New York is Driving Growth

Since 2011, over $853 million in State financing has been directed to the greater Adirondack region through Governor Cuomo's Regional Economic Development initiative. Thanks to this funding, a modern broadband network has been established across the region, a new $35 million biotechnology research partnership has been developed, and numerous small businesses have received the financial assistance necessary to expand.

Additional initiatives, including the State's Innovation Hot Spots and the START-UP NY programs, are connecting academia with private enterprise to establish a new culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. For more information on State incentives visit New York State Empire State Development.

"The overwhelming interest from start-up and existing business owners for angel investment has far exceeded our expectations. I firmly believe that we are on our way to creating a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region." - Melinda Little, Coordinator, Point Positive, Inc., Saranac Lake, NY. Point Positive is an angel investor group investing in scalable early stage ventures in the Adirondack Region.

"We started Adworkshop in 1977 with an incredible passion to live and work in the Adirondacks. Today we employ over thirty-two marketing professionals, are a certified women-owned company, and do business all over the world. The scenic beauty of this area and the collaborative nature of businesses in the Park are key reasons we continue to enjoy our location here." -Adele Connors, Founder and CEO, Adworkshop, Lake Placid, NY

Economic Services Unit

The Agency’s Economic Services Unit provides technical services for existing and prospective businesses as well as important business planning information related to the requirements of the Adirondack Park Agency Act. The Unit also works as a resource for State and local economic developers regarding the Agency’s planning and regulatory program responsibilities. Economic services are closely coordinated with all other program activities of the Agency.

The Economic Services Unit is staffed by the Agency’s Special Assistant for Economic Affairs who provides expertise in real estate market and financial feasibility analysis, economic and fiscal impact analysis, economic development planning, and organizational development to permit review and local government services. The Special Assistant also serves as liaison to State and local economic development organizations and the region’s business community. To contact the Economic Services Unit, contact Dan Kelleher, Special Assistant for Economic Affairs by phone at 518-891-4050.

Adirondack Park Agency Highlights Successful Entrepreneurial Efforts

The Adirondack Park Agency has undertaken a public awareness initiative to inform the general public about successful entrepreneurs that are building businesses, expanding economic opportunities and strengthening communities inside the Adirondack Park.

The following links lead to video presentations from the Agency's Economic Affairs Committee meetings. Please be patient while video loads. Videos will be positioned at beginning of presentation during Agency meeting.

Development Authority of the North Country-Park Broadband Expansion (click Agenda Item 36 in video viewer)

Lake Placid Pub and Brewery-Running a Small Business in the Park (click Agenda Item 39 in video viewer)

Essex Pallet & Pellet – Presentation by owner Colleen Lemza. (June 2013)

Wood Pellet Boiler Heating Systems – Presentations by Dan Bower and Lee Daunais (Saranac Lake Central School District) and Dave Dungate of ACT Bioenergy. (February 2013)

Sootbusters, LLC – Presentation by owner Ursula Vaillancourt

For a summary of the presentations, please see the Agency's press release

“It is policy of the Adirondack Park Agency to support economic development activities that allow the balanced objectives of 801 of the APA Act to be met. The Agency will support the creation and retention of jobs within the region in ways that are consistent with its statutory responsibilities with the understanding that economic improvement and stability are vital parts of a collective effort to protect and enhance quality-of-life within the Park.” -Adirondack Park Agency Economic Development Policy

Fast Facts

Developing a Business in the Adirondack Park - Commonly Asked Questions

Business Parks Permitted by the Adirondack Park Agency