At the July membership meeting of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, four panelists from different sectors discussed what drew people to live, study, work, and do business in the county.
Michael Torelli, special assistant to Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, moderated the discussion.
“It is a topic that we have run for many years, and I’d like to say why not Orange County—the growth of this county has been exponential, especially through the pandemic,” Chamber President Heather Bell-Meyer told The Epoch Times.
With its proximity to New York City, the county has long been an attractive destination for people who work in the city yet yearn for a better quality of life at a lower cost.
Realtor Nancy Curasi said the diverse lifestyles offered by the county, in the small cities, suburban towns, or rural hamlets, was a big selling point.
“They can live in a townhouse or a condo and not have to worry about mowing the lawn and shoveling the driveway, or they can have larger properties with a pool and a fire pit,” Ms. Curasi said at the July 13 event at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets.
“People want choices, and Orange County has that,” she said.
A relatively new trend noticed by county workforce development board assistant director Kristina Patsalos is that more people in nearby counties are commuting to Orange County for work.
Health care and hospitality are among the fastest-growing job sectors in the county, Ms. Patsalos said.
In terms of the film industry, a growing local crew base is a big help in attracting more productions to the county, according to tourism department film specialist Nora Martinez.
Support from local businesses through discounted services also helps, she said.
With easy access to interstate highways and major markets such as New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and North Jersey, the county has long attracted businesses such as distribution centers.
Recently, Conor Eckert, vice president of business attractions at Orange County Partnership, has been attempting to lure employers with advanced jobs in life sciences and semiconductors.
At the event, he pointed to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in Westchester County, Pfizer in Rockland County, and Onsemi, a semiconductor manufacturer with operations in Dutchess County.
“We are centrally located in the heart of this dynamic regional ecosystem,” Mr. Eckert said. “When a company is looking to relocate to a new site, they often look at what is in an hour radius of that site.”
Marilyn Torley, assistant provost of academic affairs at the Middletown-based Fei Tian College, said a large part of her student body is from outside of the United States and that they enjoyed exploring Orange County.
“There is no place like here if you want to learn the history of the United States and if you want to experience a beautiful connection to nature,” she said. “I can’t say enough about everything that is offered within the community and also on campus.”
