University of Rochester & Affiliates - New York State Economic Impact 2019

The University of Rochester (UR) engaged CGR to assess the economic and fiscal impact of the University and its affiliates on the State of New York during 2019. This report is the eighth in a series of reports exploring the impact of the University since 2006. Total employment—both direct and...

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Remote Worker Programs - Comparative Evaluation

Remote work has increased rapidly in recent years, largely in response to improvement in internet communications and a mindset shift from employers. This trend has been magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced workers and companies to quickly adopt new sets of remote practices. In response to this shift, remote...

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Boosting Hispanic/Latino Entrepreneurship and Economic Mobility - Data to Support Request for Funding

CGR was engaged by the Ibero-American Action League to compile and analyze data to support the organization’s application for funding to support entrepreneurship and workforce development for the Hispanic/Latino population in four Upstate New York cities: Rochester, Buffalo, Albany and Amsterdam. Our team gathered data from the U.S. Census Bureau,...

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Scan of Workforce Development Efforts - Greater Rochester Region

CGR was engaged by the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce in late 2019 to conduct a scan of workforce development efforts in the Rochester region in order to inform local talent and economic development initiatives. Even though this report was completed in the first weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak, and...

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Estimating the Economic Impact of a New T-Mobile Customer Experience Center in Nassau County, New York

In November 2019, T-Mobile US and Sprint Corporation announced plans to locate the fourth of five New T-Mobile Customer Experience Centers in Nassau County, New York, pending a proposed merger of T-Mobile US and Sprint Corporation. CGR was selected on a sole source basis to conduct. This project is expected...

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Review and Analysis of Proposed 2020 Budget - Rockland County, New York

CGR conducted a comprehensive review of the County Executive’s 2020 Budget at the behest of the County Legislature. CGR identified several areas where assumptions could be adjusted to either reduce property taxes or to expand other programs. However, in whole we found that the county executive presented a balanced...

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Bloomsburg University - Economic and Community Impact

Bloomsburg University is central to the Bloomsburg MSA economy. Employing 1,070 FTEs directly, it is the second largest employer in the region after Geisinger Health System. Using detailed data provided by Bloomsburg University, CGR estimated the impact of BU employee, operational, construction and student spending on the local and...

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The Difference a Diploma Makes - Impact Assessment for an Excel Center High School in Monroe County

CGR was engaged by Goodwill of the Finger Lakes to assess the potential benefits of a tuition-free high school and career acceleration center that would serve adults who dropped out and now wish to complete their education. Specifically, Goodwill is proposing a demonstration project for an Excel Center, a model...

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University of Rochester & Affiliates - 2017 NYS Economic Impact

The University of Rochester (UR), employs nearly 31,000 people, is the largest private employer in Upstate New York and NY's 5th largest private employer. Looking at the University’s entire economic footprint, CGR estimates that the direct and spillover impact of the University’s employee wages and spending, purchases, capital investments, and...

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Prevailing Waste - New York's Costly Public Works Pay Mandate

The cost of publicly funded construction projects in New York is inflated up to 25 percent by the state's outdated "prevailing wage" mandate, which requires contractors to pay workers the amounts required by union collective bargaining agreements. The Empire Center for State Policy Report was coauthored by E.J. McMahon, research...

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University of Rochester & Affiliates: 2015 NYS Economic Impact

The University of Rochester (UR), which employs nearly 29,000 people, is NY's 6th largest private employer. Looking at the University’s entire economic footprint, CGR estimates that the direct and spillover impact of the University’s employee wages and spending, purchases, capital investments, and visitor and student spending, is responsible for about...

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Region I Voluntary Providers to the Developmentally Disabled: Economic and Fiscal Impact

Engaged by the Developmental Disability Alliance of Western New York (DDAWNY), CGR estimates that nearly 30,000 workers, receiving compensation exceeding $700 million, are employed by Western NY agencies servicing persons with disabilities. Spillover impacts push the estimated total to nearly 39,000 jobs and $1.2 billion in payroll. The proposed minimum...

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Westwood Country Club Redevelopment - Economic and Fiscal Impact

CGR was engaged by Mensch Capital Partners to estimate the economic and fiscal impact of the proposed Westwood Country Club redevelopment in the Town of Amherst, NY. The developer proposes investing over $238 million to redevelop the site that currently houses the Westwood Country Club. This report details CGR's...

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The University of Rochester Economic Impact

As the 8th largest private employer in New York State, the University of Rochester (UR) is not only the largest regional employer, but the catalyst for over 50,000 jobs overall. In the two years since our previous study, it has continued to expand its influence by establishing affiliations with...

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Rochester Area Skill Needs Assessment and Business Climate Survey - May, 2014

Monroe Community College engaged CGR to support a survey of the workforce skill needs of the business firms in the Rochester metro area. In addition to training needs, the survey also explored business climate questions and the extent of the “skills gap”—i.e. the number of positions that remain unfilled due...

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West Central Educational Service Center - Assessment of a Merger

Educational service centers in rural Ohio sought CGR’s assistance to explore merger. Changes in Ohio state law have changed the competitive climate for what were originally county-level entities. Created to serve individual county school districts, the state eliminated their exclusive franchise. Smaller ESCs have struggled to be responsive to member...

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Rochester Area Skill Needs Assessment and Business Climate Survey

Monroe Community College engaged CGR to support a survey of the workforce skill needs of the business firms in the Rochester metro area. In addition to training needs, the survey also explored business climate questions and the extent of the “skills gap”—i.e. the number of positions that remain unfilled due...

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What Makes the Horseshoe Golden? Why Greater Toronto Outperforms Central & Western NYS

Separate by water and an international border, Canada’s Golden Horseshoe region has been growing steadily for decades while Upstate New York languishes. What explains this stark difference in economic outcomes? Although many less measurable factors are surely at play here, the Golden Horseshoe’s formula combines an attractive immigration...

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Economic Impact of the University of Rochester: Measuring the Regional Stimulus Provided by New York State's Seventh Largest Private Employer

The University of Rochester (UR), which employs more than 23,000 people, is NY's 7th largest private employer. In 2011, UR continued to expand, adding infrastructure and driving research-related dollars to the Rochester region even as the local, state and national economies struggled to regain their footing. CGR...

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Regional Economic Impact of the Corning Museum of Glass

The Corning Museum of Glass is a unique resource and provides a significant stimulus for the economy of NY’s Finger Lakes region. In 2011 the museum generated more than 750 jobs, resulting in more than $32 million in labor income. CGR analysis found nearly 10% of tourism jobs...

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Economic Impact of Independent Colleges and Universities

New York's higher education sector - including world-renowned Columbia, New York and Cornell universities - has long been acknowledged as a center of scholarship and culture. Now higher education is being recognized for having an economic impact as well. CGR was engaged by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities...

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Economic Impact of University of Rochester and its Affiliates

An analysis of the University of Rochester and its affiliates (UR) shows the economic impact on the 5-county Rochester NY region is substantial, and today UR is not only the #1 regional employer but also NY's #6 employer. Other key findings for 2009: wages paid totaled nearly $1.25 billion, and...

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Fiscal Impact of Land Uses: Town of Amherst, NY

CGR was engaged by the Buffalo Niagara Builders Association to explore the fiscal consequences of new construction in the Town of Amherst, NY. The project entailed constructing a spreadsheet model that measures the impact on tax levies and tax rates of commercial and new home construction on the Town of...

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Public vs. Private Sector Employee Benefits: A Summary Analysis of School and Local Government Union Contracts in Monroe County

CGR provides an analysis of employee health costs, paid time off and other fringe benefits for local government and school employees in Monroe County NY. We find taxpayers are funding health and paid time off benefits that typically exceed national averages. In some cases, the disparities are significant....

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The Economic Impact of the New York State Mining and Construction Industry

The mining industry in New York is large and diverse, encompassing a range of commodities that support highway construction and repair, new housing, ice control, landscaping and other commercial activities. The NYS mining and construction materials industry was responsible for generating $1.2 to $1.3 billion in wages and 28,000 to...

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Fiscal Impact of Land Development Alternatives: Town of Aurora

The Town of Aurora in Erie County includes the historically significant Village of East Aurora, which features scenic views, natural resources, and a thriving tourism industry. In hopes of preserving the character, charm and economic viability of the village, town leaders engaged CGR to study how restricting residential development in...

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Economic Impact of State University of New York: Downstate Medical Center - Contributions to the Brooklyn Community

CGR was engaged by SUNY Downstate Medical Center (SUNY-DMC) to estimate the economic impact of SUNY-DMC on Brooklyn, the surrounding areas and New York State. Direct effects are for Brooklyn, NYC, and NYS; Indirect and induced effects are based on the five boroughs of NYC, plus Nassau, Westchester, Rockland, Union,...

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Fiscal Impact Analysis & Economic Development Plan for the City of Gahanna, Ohio

For the Columbus, Ohio suburb of Gahanna, CGR developed an interactive model that forecasts the net property and income tax revenue for alternative development scenarios. The model also estimates the impact of tax abatements of variable length and magnitude, adjusting for offsetting payments to school districts. With this tool, the City can “test” the...

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Job Creation and New York State IDAs: A Response to the Jobs with Justice Report

Industrial development agencies (IDAs), the primary economic development entities in most NY communities, turned to CGR for independent analysis related to two key issues. First, proposals before the NY Legislature would require projects funded by IDAs to pay construction workers prevailing, instead of market, wage. Second, a 2007 report by...

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Economic Impact of the University of Rochester Medical Center's Strategic Plan

CGR estimates the economic and fiscal impact of the new 5-year strategic plan of the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) on the economy of the Rochester NY region. We estimate URMC’s $300 million in planned construction projects will generate almost $270 million in construction-related wages involving 7,000 local jobs...

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Prevailing Wage in New York State: The Impact on Project Cost and Competitiveness

Industrial development agencies (IDAs), the primary economic development entities in most NY communities, turned to CGR for independent analysis related to two key issues. First, proposals before the NY Legislature would require projects funded by IDAs to pay construction workers prevailing, instead of market, wage. Second, a 2007 report by...

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Proposed Natural Gas Expansion Into Franklin County, NY: Economic and Fiscal Impacts

In 2007, CGR completed an analysis of the economic and fiscal impacts of the proposed gas line extension by St. Lawrence Gas Company Inc. into Franklin County NY.

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Growing the Economy in the Greater Rochester Region; Drawing on the Competencies of the Finger Lakes

Finger Lakes Wired, one of the first 13 federally designated “Wired” regions in the country funded by the U.S. Department of Labor to support economic development and transform regional economies, engaged CGR to identify key competencies in its 9-county region and recommend strategies to capitalize on them.

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Costs and Benefits of Noble Chateaugay and Bellmont Windparks: Issues for County of Franklin IDA's Consideration

New York’s Franklin County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) asked CGR to conduct an economic impact study of an 86-tower wind farm project proposed for two towns. CGR assessed the number of jobs the construction phase will generate (332 jobs, direct and spillover), construction-related job earnings ($16 million) and the number...

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Policy Alternatives Supporting Deployment of Broadband Services in Rural Areas of New York State

Late in 2006, CGR was approached by Empire State Development and asked to compile information that had been gathered by a state agency taskforce on rural access to broadband Internet. With the support of the taskforce, CGR prepared a report that described the current state of broadband access, explored the...

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Economic Impact of CIMS Sustainability Institute

A new Sustainability Institute focused on sustainable design and manufacturing, fuel cell research, and renewable energy research has been proposed for Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). The institute would be part of RIT’s Center for Integrated Manufacturing Systems (CIMS). CGR explored the potential impact of the new institute on the...

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Clinical and Translational Science Award: Economic Impact of Award and Spillover Effects

CGR explored the catalytic effects, both on the University of Rochester Medical Center and the larger community, of URMC's selection by the National Institutes of Health as one of the first 12 Clinical and Translational Science Institutes. The NIH designation, and accompanying grant award, are designed to enable URMC...

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The Benefits of New York State's Preferred Source Legislation: An Economic Analysis

NYS Industries for the Disabled (NYSID) engaged CGR to revisit our 1999 benefit-cost analysis of "preferred source legislation" that encourages state agencies to purchase products from organizations providing employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. CGR weighed the benefit of reduced social service expenditures for NYSID agency clients against the cost...

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The Rochester High Falls District Looking to the Future

After reviewing the City of Rochester’s role in the High Falls area since it was first proposed as an historic district in the 1980s, CGR recommended the City assert High Falls’ success as an office park; end subsidies for the Center at High Falls/Brown’s Race Market complex; begin conversations to...

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Solutions for New York The Economic Significance of Independent Colleges and Universities in New York State

New York's higher education sector - including world-renowned Columbia, New York and Cornell universities - has long been acknowledged as a center of scholarship and culture. Now higher education is being recognized for having an economic impact as well. CGR was engaged by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities...

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The Nonprofit Sector: A Vital Economic Force in the Mid-Hudson Valley

New York's Mid-Hudson Valley is home to nonprofit institutions that enrich the quality of life of residents - including museums, foundations, colleges, hospitals and human service agencies. These same community institutions also contribute to the economic life of the region. The Dyson Foundation reached out to CGR to tally...

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The Geneseo Town Centre An Economic and Fiscal Impact Assessment of the Proposed Lowe's

The exurban community of Geneseo, NY, is caught in a debate between residents who want to maintain neighborhood-scale, locally-owned retail concentrated in a village setting and residents who see benefit in becoming a market center for the surrounding area and welcome larger-scale retail development. CGR was engaged by the town...

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Seneca Niagara Casino: Fiscal & Economic Impact on Niagara Falls, NY

Engaged by Empire State Development Corporation (through its USA Niagara Development subsidiary), CGR assessed the net economic and fiscal impact of the Seneca Niagara Casino on the City of Niagara Falls. CGR identified significant positive economic impact for the Niagara Falls region, although observed that the benefit was limited...

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Wilmot Cancer Center: Economic Impact of Current & Proposed Operation

In preparation for a major capital campaign, URMC engaged CGR to assess the likely economic impact of a dramatic increase in the clinical and research activity stimulated by an expansion of the Wilmot Cancer Center.

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Rochester Downtown Casino: An Economic & Social Impact Assessment

A casino in downtown Rochester was proposed as partial settlement of a land claim from an Oklahoma-based Indian nation, the Seneca-Cayuga of Oklahoma. CGR was engaged by the nation’s representative, the Wilmorite development corporation, to assess the fiscal, economic and social impacts of the casino on the Rochester...

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Cost Trends In Selected Consumer Goods and Necessities-Rochester, NY 2003 Update - June 2003

CGR looked at consumer expenditures for selected energy sources as a proportion of total annual income in eight comparison states.

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Propelling Rochester's 21st Century Economy - The Economic Impact of RIT

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a major contributor to the Rochester and NYS economies. CGR worked closely with RIT staff to gather data from the full array of RIT programs, capturing the impact of RIT purchases, staff and student spending, visitor spending, grant receipts and other financial impacts,...

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Survey of Community Opinions - Town of Mendon Comprehensive Plan Update

CGR developed and administered the first Internet-based survey in Mendon's history, gauging residents' opinions on issues for the Town's comprehensive planning process. The survey revised one last completed by the Town in 1991, and supplements the ongoing review of Mendon's land use development plan. CGR facilitated meetings of...

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Survey of Employer's Skill and Occupational Needs, and Recommendations for Action for the Finger Lakes WIB - February 2003

CGR conducted a labor market information scan and an employer survey to identify information gaps the WIB could then begin to address in its strategic planning process.

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Health & Bioscience as Engine of Economic Growth: Case Studies of Academic Medical Centers & Their Economic Impact

CGR updated prior assessments of the economic impact on Rochester of the URMC expansion, prepared six case studies of the role academic medical centers play in their local economies and assessed the net impact of graduate medical education (GME) on the Rochester area. For the third component, CGR summed...

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Building a New Foundation: The University of Rochester Medical Center in the Regional Economy

CGR updated prior assessments of the economic impact on Rochester of the URMC expansion, prepared six case studies of the role academic medical centers play in their local economies and assessed the net impact of graduate medical education (GME) on the Rochester area. For the third component, CGR summed...

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Net Financial Impact of Graduate Medical Education in Rochester, NY- May 2002

CGR updated prior assessments of the economic impact on Rochester of the URMC expansion, prepared six case studies of the role academic medical centers play in their local economies and assessed the net impact of graduate medical education (GME) on the Rochester area. For the third component, CGR summed...

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Small Business: Big Challenge- A Survey of Small Firms in Upstate New York

CGR assisted the Federal Reserve Bank of NY, Buffalo Branch, in the design and implementation of a survey of small business firms in Upstate NY, identifying key barriers to growth and profitability for this important part of the economy.

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Will NYS Miss the Biotech Train?

CGR's Gleason Center for State Policy explored NYS's financial return from investments in biotech R&D. CGR found that investments in biotech are likely to yield a greater economic impact than investments in physical science research.

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Economic Impact of URMC Strategic Plan: Phase II Expans Initial Impact Project

CGR updated a prior assessment of the impact of the URMC Strategic Plan on the Rochester economy, responding to an expansion of the previous initiative.

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The Economic Impact of New York State's Preferred Source Legislation (New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc.) November 1999

CGR assessed the economic impact of Human Services state agencies to purchase products from NYSID agencies. When reduced social service expenditures was balanced against the cost of the NYSID program, NYS taxpayers benefited.

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The Fiscal Balance Among NYS Regions: NYS Fiscal Years Ended March 31, 1992-March 31, 1997 (GAIN of Metropolitan Rochester and NYC Office of Management and Budget) January 1999

CGR traced the revenue and expenditures of New York's $60 billion budget by region. Jointly funded by New York City and a Rochester group, the report summarizes trends in the geographic dispersion of revenue and expenditure for SFY 1992-1997.

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Athens Generating Project: An Assessment of the Project's Value to the Community and the Owner (Central Hudson Gas and Electric)

CGR assessed the fiscal & economic impacts of a planned gas-fired, 1,080 megawatt merchant power plant near the Hudson River in Greene County. The report provides local officials with guidance for PILOT negotiations with the developer.

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Economic Assessment of Combined Lake Ontario Water Supply & Industrial Cooling

CGR was engaged to evaluate the impact of an environmentally-friendly system for cooling office and manufacturing buildings on new industrial development, local tax revenue and economic vitality in suburban Webster.

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Evaluation of Job Creation Effectiveness of New York State Industrial Development Agencies

Mandated by NYS law, CGR was engaged to evaluate New York's industrial development agencies, assessing their effectiveness and exploring policy issues of concern to the Legislature.

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Non-Homestead Tax Rates and City Competitiveness (Rochester City Council)

The City Council of Rochester engaged CGR to assess the impact of the business/residential tax differential permitted by the Homestead Tax Law on the competitiveness of the city economy.

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