The Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) has decided to provide up to $75,000 for the Long Island High Technology Incubator Project at the Briarcliffe College Bethpage campus, State Assemblyman Marc Herbst (R-Hicksville) recently reported.

However, the money is just a small part of what is needed to realize the full potential of the center, which when completed, is expected to provide office space for up to 20 growing Long Island small businesses.

"The $75,000 is really kind of seed money for the planning," said Richard Turan, president of Briarcliffe College, noting that he expects the entire cost of the completion of the Briarcliffe incubator to be $500,000. He added that he hopes the State Legislature allocates more money so that all Long Island incubators, including the one at Briarcliffe, get finished.

Eight new business incubators have been proposed on Long Island. The plan was initiated by the Long Island Association (LIA), the Island's largest business group. Lobbying by the LIA and the heads of schools which would house the incubators have been key to the progress of the project, according to Herbst.

Those who support the development of the incubators have cited the success of the one at the State University of New York (SUNY) Stony Brook. In a letter to Governor George Pataki signed in November by a majority of the members of the New York State Assembly - including Herbst, who represents part of Bethpage and Assemblyman Steven Labriola (R-Massapequa), who represents Farmingdale - it was noted that the Stony Brook incubator has created an estimated 1,000 well-paying new jobs that have helped offset Long Island's loss of manufacturing jobs over the past decade. The Stony Brook incubator focuses on retaining biotechnology companies on Long Island by providing them with resources to grow.

The letter to the governor asked for his support of the incubators, and a copy of it went to ESDC Commissioner Charles Gargano. It noted that the total cost for all eight projects combined is $95.4 million, of which the state share would be $30 million.

Long Island has only one of 38 incubators state-wide. "The state has not stepped forward on Long Island," said Turan. "We feel we've been shortchanged."

Although there is currently a surplus in the state budget, he said, "They have to decide where they're going to put this money, and everybody wants it."

Turan added that many companies are interested in participating in the Briarcliffe incubator.

Turan noted that Briarcliffe, which plans to develop a software-focused incubator, is working closely with other Long Island High Technology Incubators, such as the one at SUNY Stony Brook. "It's a real cooperative effort," he said.

Although he said that he wants the state to allocate more money, Turan expressed gratitude to the ESDC for allocating the $75,000, which will fund such planning aspects as architectural design, drawings, and permits. "It's a good first step," he said. "They did the right thing, and now we're a little more optimistic than we were before, and now we're really hoping that the state steps up to the plate and really funds this."

The incubator at Briarcliffe is located in the college's main building, and therefore its infrastructure is complete, but it is not fully furnished and currently only has a few tenants. When finished, it is expected to provide up to 20 growing businesses with office space at below-market rates, and access to shared high technology resources, such as telephone and computer equipment.

Explaining his belief in the need for business incubators on Long Island, Herbst said, "We're no longer a defense industry, and we have to try to generate new industries."