Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday that her ON-RAMP program, a workforce development initiative to add development centers in upstate New York, will include the former College of Saint Rose campus.
Hochul, in Albany on Thursday, said Saint Rose would be one of a number of locations for new centers, joining — among others — Mohawk Valley and Monroe County community colleges.
“This is being developed with industry leaders. We can’t do this in a vacuum,” Hochul said. “We have to ask industry leaders, ‘What do you need? … You’re the ones driving innovation.’”
The ON-RAMP program, which stands for One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships, was launched in September as a $200 million investment managed by Empire State Development. Hochul proposed in her state budget plan last month that four workforce training centers along the Thruway corridor would be added — connecting Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo.
The plan requires approval by the state Legislature.
Saint Rose closed in June 2024. The Pine Hills Land Authority, which is run by Albany County, won the property in an auction late last year.
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said Thursday that using the Saint Rose campus for a workplace development center would reimagine what the campus can be to local and regional residents.
“They tried everything to make it work. Now it’s our turn to make it work,” McCoy said of the college’s board. “We’re going to figure this out and it’s going to be unique. It’s going to be mixed-use here.”