SUMMARY BACKGROUND
Summary description of the current economic development situation of the Southern Tier West region of New York State (Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany Counties), comprised of the northern-most counties in the federally designated Appalachia region. The region’s economic situation is consistent with this designation.
Built Environment Assets (i.e., infrastructure and other man made assets) and Issues
Most of the region’s population centers (cities and villages) are served by some combination of water, sewer, telecommunications/broadband, natural gas, electricity, steam, transportation modes, etc. Certain communities have issues with utility infrastructure service capacity and maintenance, which in some instance can constrain business development.
Telecommunications and broadband infrastructure are significant and essential drivers of economic development in the region and also with respect to improving and maintaining global competitiveness. There are deficiencies in the regional broadband infrastructure and service levels.
Electricity is available throughout the region, but natural gas service is not available in the more rural areas of the region. New York State’s energy costs historically have exceeded those of other states.
The region’s distance from metropolitan centers, primary passenger airports, and global ports requires an efficient and high quality inter-regional passenger and freight transportation system. The region’s large geographic size and low population density also requires an efficient intra-regional passenger and freight transportation system. The region is served by two interstate highways, a network of federal, state and local highways, two Class 1 rail lines and three short line rail lines, one airport with scheduled passenger service, several general aviation airports, and an evolving mobility management (public transportation) infrastructure. There have been ongoing improvements to the region’s highway, freight railroad, air, and mobility
management infrastructure; continuing deficiencies need to be addressed through appropriate planning and investment, so as to effectively serve residents and the existing institutional and business communities, and to catalyze additional economic development. Additionally, the ongoing expense of transportation system maintenance is an issue.
Educated and skilled people and high-growth companies are mobile and can locate virtually anywhere. Other things equal (e.g., economic opportunity, presence of family, access to cultural amenities, etc.), they often choose to locate in regions that value connected, safe, convenient and healthy places to live, work, and do business. Connectivity requires basic infrastructure (e.g., strategic transportation links and information technology connections), but it also requires networks among people, that is, “civic spaces” in both the physical environment sense and the non-physical environment sense. There is an opportunity in the region for additional development of both enhanced connective infrastructure and networks.
Many communities in the region have downtown centers that continue to be idyllic small town environments for living and working. However, many communities are experiencing threats to their downtown business districts, including urban sprawl and the migration of downtown retail and service business out of downtown business districts, the entry of “big box” and other non-locally-owned competitors into local marketplace, and online commerce. Consistent with smart growth principles, the region needs to concentrate economic and community development initiatives toward preserving and enhancing the vitality and centrality of these downtown centers.
There has been a trend toward increased levels of planning at the community and county level in recent years. This process is extremely important, as it creates a shared local consensus about direction and strategies and can provide a list of priority strategic initiatives for achieving the goals of the comprehensive plan.
The region’s crime rate is low relative to that of more urban areas. However, there are public safety concerns, due to higher levels of drug use and associated crime, and higher incidence of gang activity.
Median housing prices are significantly lower than State and national median housing prices. The region has a more stable housing market than the State and nation as a whole. However, some factors indicating some weakness in the region’s housing market include low relative median housing prices, a historically slower relative housing turnover rate, an aging housing stock (older than State and national housing stocks), and lower relative new housing construction rates. Also, many residents spend more than 35%+ of their income on housing costs.