Schumer Launches Push for Fed HUD to Award Delaware County Economic Development Agency a Grant to Make Facility Upgrades & Attract 600-Job Call Center to Hancock –Agency Will Partner With Business Processing Company ‘Data Control Group’ to Upgrade Becton Dickinson Building
In Letter to HUD Secretary, Schumer Explained That Data Control Group Deciding Between Hancock and Another Site Outside New York; Fed Funding for Renovations Would Incentivize DCG To Bring Call Center To Hancock & Delaware County
Schumer: New Call Center Would Ring In Hundreds of Delaware County Jobs
New York, NY – August 28, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Today, in a letter to Secretary Shaun Donovan, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer urged the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to select an application by the Delaware County Economic Development for funding under the Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG), which would provide federal funds for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Becton Dickinson facility in Hancock, NY. The two stage expansion project, both eligible for CDBG funding, is part of an effort to incentivize the construction of a call center in the area that could bring up to 600 jobs to Delaware County. Currently, the Data Control Group (DCG), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the data processing company Qualfon, is deciding between opening a facility in Hancock, New York and another site outside of New York, and Schumer argued that the CDBG funding would likely put the Hancock location over the top.
“A new call center in the Becton Dickinson facility would go a long way towards healing the wound of the facility’s closing in 2002, and start a new chapter of job growth in Delaware County,” said Schumer. “This federal investment would help sign, seal, and deliver a new call center to Hancock, and ring in hundreds of good-paying jobs and work opportunities for residents in a community that desperately needs them. It would be a shot in the arm for the local economy, and would represent a significant influx of jobs for Delaware County – so I will put on the full court press to secure federal support from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.”
The Delaware County Economic Development proposal would work in conjunction with the Data Control Group to renovate and expand the Becton Dickinson facility in Hancock to accommodate a new call center. If the Hancock site is chosen, the development project will involve two stages of expansion. As part of its initial phase of expansion, the Data Control Group plans to retrofit a portion of the Becton Dickinson facility in an effort that will bring 200 jobs to the area. Additional rehabilitation costs are required in order to revitalize the facility and allow for further expansion, which would help create an additional 300 to 400 jobs. Schumer noted that it is anticipated that eighty percent of the jobs created by this expansion will be made available to individuals with low to moderate incomes, for whom new job opportunities are extremely rare. To ensure that these two phases of expansion are possible, the Delaware County Economic Development proposal is seeking federal funds to help offset the substantial costs that would have to be undertaken by DCG to make the facility into a suitable call center.
The company is currently deciding between two locations for its next call center – one of which is Hancock, New York. Schumer explained that although there is competition for the location of the center, DCG and Qualfon representatives have expressed interest in the New York location, given its proximity to New York City. Schumer argued that, if granted, the CDBG funds would provide a massive incentive for DCG to develop its call center at the New York site, bringing an estimated total of 600 jobs to the region. Schumer also noted that while Qualfon call centers are primarily based overseas, there has been a recent shift towards moving jobs back to the United States, a trend which could be encouraged by the federal investment in an American facility.
Qualfon provides business process outsourcing for major companies like IBM and AT&T, and has recently acquired the Data Control Group (DCG), which already has part of its operations in Delaware County.
A copy of Senator Schumer’s letter appears below.
Dear Secretary Donovan,
I am pleased to write in support of Delaware County Economic Development’s application for funding under the Community Development Block Grant program. Such funding will enable Delaware County Economic Development to incentivize the construction of a call center in Hancock, NY.
The company Data Control Group (DCG), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the data processing company Qualfon, is looking to develop the former Becton Dickinson facility which closed in 2002. The closure resulted in the layoffs of over 700 employees, many of whom since have struggled to find permanent, full time employment in Delaware County. Due to the high amount of renovation required to make the facility suitable for DCG’s development of a call center, Delaware County Economic Development is requesting funding to offset the expenditures undertaken by DCG to create jobs in a region that desperately needs them.
Currently, the Data Control Group is making a significant investment into retro-fitting a portion of the Becton Dickinson Manufacturing building that will create up to 200 jobs. However, the long vacant building presents significant costs for further rehabilitation. Therefore, Delaware County Economic Development is seeking financial assistance to encourage and assist DCG in a secondary expansion that will generate 300 to 400 jobs. It is anticipated that eighty percent of the jobs created by this expansion will be made available to individuals with low to moderate incomes for whom new job opportunities are extremely rare. This expansion presents the potential to dramatically aid in the revitalization of the local economy.
Not only does this present a potential boon to the local and New York state economy, I might add that it presents an opportunity to bring jobs back to the U.S. from overseas. Qualfon currently operates most of its call centers outside the U.S. If the company were to bring jobs to New York State, we would be giving hardworking Americans jobs in an economy where they are very much needed. I applaud Delaware County Economic Development for its foresight and hope its application for funding meets with your approval.
Thank you for your consideration. For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact my Washington D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator
