From Brownfield to Business Hub: A New Chapter for Griffiss

Tim Fitzgerald, Senior Vice President of Economic Development, speaks during the Sept. 21 steel topping ceremony at Griffiss Business and Technology Park.

EDGE was proud to be part of the steel topping ceremony for the new MetLife building, located on the site formerly known as the “Parachute Shop.”

A steel topping, or “topping-off,” ceremony is a construction tradition in which the final steel beam of a building is painted white and signed by those involved in the project. It also provides an opportunity to recognize and thank the construction crews, organizations, and community partners who helped make the project a reality. EDGE is proud to be one of those partners.

The original structure was built in 1958 and operated as a parachute shop until 1993, when it closed as part of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. The building was demolished within the past year to make way for an impressive new 102,000-square-foot, three-story facility that will become home to MetLife.

To see this brownfield site transformed from an underutilized property at the Griffiss Business and Technology Park into a modern facility that will support a thriving company is nothing short of remarkable. This transformation represents exactly what Mohawk Valley EDGE stands for: growth, investment, and a stronger Mohawk Valley.

Congratulations to MetLife, Bonacio, the City of Rome, GLDC, OCIDA, and all the elected officials and community partners who contributed to making this project possible. We are proud to celebrate this milestone and look forward to seeing another outstanding addition to the Griffiss Business and Technology Park take shape.