Brian Sharp

@SharpRoc

The Rochester-Finger Lakes region is among 12 communities nationwide to receive a "manufacturing community" designation, opening the door to a billion-dollar pool of federal funds and potential new jobs.

Securing the designation as part of the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership Program was one of the priorities of Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren's new administration.

The announcement came Wednesday. Sen. Chuck Schumer informed Warren, and later called the two-year designation "an absolute game changer that will boost Rochester's advanced manufacturers to new heights."

Nationally, 70 communities submitted applications highlighting their qualities in six areas: workforce and training, supplier network, research and development, infrastructure and site development, trade and international investment and access to capital. Locally, the focus will be on precision manufacturing and optics, imaging and photonics — loosely defined as the science of harnessing light to transmit data and images, or to power machines and devices.

"Really what we were charged to do is tell our story, highlight our strengths and paint a vision," said Delmonize Smith, the city's commissioner for neighborhood and business development.

The Rochester Regional Photonics Cluster, a local industry trade association, estimates there are more than 75 optics, photonics and imaging companies in the area, employing 17,000 people and totaling more than $3 billion in annual sales.

Designated communities (there will be a second round later this year) do not receive a direct award but rather a federal liaison to help navigate the projected $1.3 billion in federal economic development funding available in the coming year. Warren likened it to "concierge service" and said the next step is to decide what to go after first.

"Ultimately, it will mean jobs, and opportunities to provide the correct (job) training," the mayor said during a news conference at City Hall.

How much of the $1.3 billion the region already taps into was not immediately known. The designation can be promoted locally, and will be highlighted at the federal level to attract outside investment. Federal agencies can use the community plans to make their own targeted investments.

"This is smart government," U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker said during a conference call Wednesday afternoon. "It cuts waste and gives us a better bang for our taxpayer dollar."

While the city is out front, this is a partnership that includes area colleges, workforce and economic development agencies and associations and financiers.

While not granting preferential treatment or added weight to grant applications, the designation shows that the region already has demonstrated the coordination to leverage additional funding and support to maximize any public investment, officials said.

"This is a bottoms-up initiative," said Jay Williams, U.S. assistant secretary of commerce for economic development. "The idea is not to have the federal government dictate to communities what they should be doing on the ground. ... We will be following their lead."

The designation and the dollars it could bring is good news for local manufacturers, Eastman Business Park, and workers seeking the skills to fill available manufacturing jobs, Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said in a joint statement.

"We're excited by the potential to accelerate the substantial momentum in making the EBP an engine for regional economic development, and look forward to working with our partners in this effort," Brad Kruchten, president of Eastman Kodak's Graphics, Entertainment & Commercial Films business, said in a statement.

Despite the downsizing of Kodak, Xerox and Bausch + Lomb, manufacturing remains dominant in the local economy, employing 20 percent of the workforce across the nine-county Finger Lakes region. That compares to 6 percent statewide and 10 percent nationally.

"This is what Rochester was made for," the mayor said, and explained that the designation is a first step in getting the outside work to "look at us as a place to lead once again."

BDSHARP@DemocratandChronicle.com

Twitter.com/sharproc