The developer removes plans for the Luther Forest project
MALTA – Scannell Properties is giving up its attempt to develop land at the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Saratoga County which was seen as a potential location for an Amazon store.
Scannell’s plan faced significant hurdles as the Indiana-based company needed the city to modify the regulations for the areas governing the technology park, which is home to the headquarters for chipmaker GlobalFoundries and its factory Fab 8.
Although GlobalFoundries is the only company ever to be found in the 1,400-acre Luther Forest technology park, there has been reluctance from the city about changing the zoning to Luther Forest at a time when GlobalFoundries is looking to expand. with a second factory. Other chip companies have expressed interest in building new manufacturing sites in New York state, as well.
Luther Forest received tens of millions of dollars in support of state infrastructure to build the campus as a semiconductor-focused property that would eventually be home to several chip factories, potentially built by several companies.
Scannell had hoped that some of the land could be set aside for other types of industries, although he never revealed his plans. The company is well known in the Capital Region and elsewhere for developing sites for Amazon, including an Amazon store built in Schodack. Scannell has a deal of choice to buy the Golf Club Stadium, which runs between Schenectady and Rotterdam. The company says it has no sound ground plan but people living in the most residential area have raised traffic concerns that could lead to a major project.
Scannell was typically very vigilant about his projects, especially those for Amazon because of the online retailer’s desire for secrecy.
Scannell had an option to buy nearly 250 acres in Luther Forest, but decided to move away recently due to the existing areas in Luther Forest, which requires companies in the park to make some disclosures to the city if they are located there. .
Peter Struzzi, a broker and managing director with Pyramid Brokerage Co., the company that was marketing the site for Scannell, said none of the companies he spoke to were comfortable with zoning. Luther Forest, laying down strict controls on tractor-trailer. traffic and requires “economic and environmental audits” of tenants from the cities of Malta and Stillwater where the park is located.
“No company we were working with would submit to the operation of their internal business being reviewed by local politicians,” Struzzi said.