A deal is finally done between Onondaga County and the family of a 91-year old woman who lives on property Micron needs for plans to build a semiconductor chip manufacturing facility. It’s one less hurdle before Micron can begin clearing land in the Town of Clay.
The Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (OCIDA) agreed Thursday to pay $3 million dollars to Azalia King, $450,000 for her to move out of her home, and $2.5 million for 6.5 acres of land she owns across the street. King has lived in her home on Caughdenoy Road for 60 years. OCIDA bought the house from King in 2015, but agreed to let her and her late husband, Glenn, live in the home until they died. He died in 2015. The county tired to cancel that agreement earlier this year and tried to evict her, but her family sued.
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is pleased the deal is done.
"Did we overpay in the grand scheme of things? Absolutely not," McMahon said. "Was it more than we wanted to pay? Sure. But we do have new assets. We do have this historic project going forward."
McMahon said time was not on the county’s side as it negotiated with King.
"You wouldn’t be able to start until essentially November of 2026, which means that the company would not have been able to pour down foundations and start to go vertical, which means they are not eligible for the investment tax credit, which means there's no project," he said.
Micron needs to start clearing trees on the land before March 31 for the project to continue.
"There was no scenario where we could have had Mrs. King living there and Micron happened," McMahon said. "And if we did not come to a settlement, there is no Micron."
Under the agreement, King will leave the home by May 1, 2026. McMahon expects some state permits and a federal record of decision on the project next week which puts Micron on course to begin clearing land that will be home to four semiconductor chip fabs, the biggest private investment in New York State History.
