SIIA Convenes North Shore Development Briefing to Connect Local Businesses to Infrastructure Opportunity

The Staten Island Industrial Alliance (SIIA) recently brought together industry leaders, small businesses, and community organizations for its North Shore Development & Regional Opportunities briefing, focused on helping Staten Island stakeholders better understand and prepare for the next phase of infrastructure investment.

Held at the Noble Maritime Collection and presented by Northfield Bank, the event convened key partners including the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to outline a multi-year development pipeline shaping Staten Island’s North Shore. The discussion highlighted where investment is accelerating across maritime, energy, commercial, and industrial sectors, including emerging opportunities within the green economy.

Designed as both a briefing and a working session, the event intentionally connected experienced operators with newer, smaller businesses and community-based nonprofits to strengthen connections across the ecosystem.

A central theme of the conversation was the growing trade succession challenge. As many long-standing trade businesses begin to phase out, there is a risk that critical knowledge and capacity will be lost at a time when demand for infrastructure development is increasing.

“At a moment when investment is accelerating, we also have to be intentional about who is prepared to participate,” said Nadia Adam, Executive Director of SIIA. “There is a real opportunity to support the next generation of businesses in the trades, both by helping existing businesses scale and by giving new entrants the clarity they need to get started.”

To help address this gap, SIIA is encouraging businesses and organizations to take a more structured approach to readiness, including engaging with tools that support understanding of procurement, compliance, and participation requirements tied to major projects.

“With many small trade businesses phasing out, there’s a clear need to bridge the gap,” Adam added. “LocalContent.com/NYC empowers new, smaller businesses to scale while giving existing businesses a clear way to navigate this emerging sector.”

SIIA Board Member of Salmon Real Estate, Christine DeHart emphasized the broader community impact of supporting local participation in development.

“Our small construction businesses are the backbone of Staten Island, and they should be part of building its future,” DeHart said. “When we open doors for local companies to compete and succeed, we’re not just supporting business growth. We’re strengthening neighborhoods, creating jobs, and ensuring that development truly reflects and benefits our community.”

Vincent Innocente of Northfield Bank highlighted the importance of supporting small businesses as they grow and take advantage of new opportunities.Northfield Bank continues to play a key role in supporting Staten Island’s small business ecosystem through access to capital and long-standing community partnerships.

“Northfield Bank has been part of our local community for 140 years, and we are proud to offer banking and lending solutions to our small businesses to help them grow,” said Innocente, VP Business Development Officer at Northfield Bank.

As a next step, SIIA is encouraging businesses and organizations to assess their readiness and begin preparing for upcoming opportunities tied to Staten Island’s industrial and green economy.

As part of this effort, SIIA is working in partnership with LocalContent.com, which served as the Compliance and Risk Intelligence Partner for the briefing. Through this collaboration, stakeholders are being connected to tools and resources that help them better understand procurement processes, compliance requirements, and how to align with local hiring, supplier, and community benefit expectations tied to major infrastructure projects.

SIIA encourages all businesses, contractors, and organizations to take the Local Content Readiness Score to better understand where they stand and what steps are needed to compete for upcoming opportunities.

Businesses can access the Local Content Readiness Score at localcontent.com/readiness-score, while workers and community organizations can participate in the Infrastructure Investment Survey at localcontent.com/survey.

“LocalContent.com/NYC is not a directory. It is not a job board. It is intelligence infrastructure,” said Tenicka Chaney, Senior Director at LocalContent.com. “Every business, job seeker, and community organization that completes the platform knows exactly where they stand, what they qualify for, what to do next, and who to trust to work within their community.”

As investment continues to expand across Staten Island’s North Shore, SIIA will continue to convene stakeholders, provide guidance, and build pathways that ensure local businesses and communities are positioned to benefit from long-term growth.

Photo Credit- Yehia Sadek
Sadek Photography
Independent Photojournalist