There will be new jobs and opportunities for students at Farmingdale State College thanks to recently passed legislation that will allow for to a 40-acre expansion of the biotechnology facility Broad Hollow Science Park (BHSP) at the school.
Authored by Assemblymember Robert Sweeney and State Senator Charles Fuschillo, Jr., the bill is expected to create a total of 787 direct and indirect jobs.
“At a time when over 116,000 Long Islanders are unemployed, this is a measure that would lead to hundreds of new jobs for local residents and tens of millions of dollars in new revenue for our economy,” said Fuschillo.
The science park sits on the Farmingdale State campus and is devoted to supporting the development of biotech start-up and early-stage companies and is the research headquarters of OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a biotechnology company primarily focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of molecular targeted therapies.
BHSP has helped build Long Island’s bio-tech industry, said Fuschillo and this legislation helps Long Island take one step closer to becoming a leader of the biotechnology industry, added Sweeney.
BHSP offers internships to students in the college’s bioscience degree program and also provides money for scholarships at the school.
“The synergies between the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park and the campus have enhanced greatly the exponential growth of our bioscience program, added to the research achievements of our faculty and students and provided scholarships that enable meaningful opportunities for the next generation of scientists,” said Hubert Keen, the college’s president.
The bill still needs Governor Andrew Cuomo’s signature to become law after passing in both houses of the New York State Legislature.
