91-Year-Old Evicted for $100 Billion Chip Plant
▼ Summary
– Azalia King, 91, is being forced to leave her New York home after 60 years to make way for a $100 billion Micron chipmaking complex.
– Local authorities used eminent domain to acquire the land, with King’s home being the last remaining residence on the 1,400-acre plot.
– A deal was reached after negotiations, legal threats, and protests, with terms to be finalized in mid-December after an initial $100,000 offer and $10 million counteroffer.
– The project is a national security initiative to boost U.S. chip production, reduce reliance on Asia, and is supported by up to $25 billion in subsidies.
– Micron plans to break ground soon but is behind schedule, with full chip production not expected until 2045, and construction cannot proceed until King vacates.
A 91-year-old woman faces eviction from her longtime home to enable construction of a $100 billion semiconductor manufacturing facility in upstate New York. Azalia King, who has lived on the property since the mid-1960s, represents the final obstacle to a massive Micron chipmaking campus planned for the 1,400-acre site. Local officials have moved to use eminent domain to acquire the land, citing the project’s significant public benefit and national security implications.
After a week of intense negotiations, legal challenges, and community demonstrations, King’s family reached an agreement with Onondaga County for her relocation. County Executive Ryan McMahon confirmed the deal, though specific terms remain confidential pending a vote by the county’s Industrial Development Agency expected in December. Earlier offers from the county reportedly started at $100,000, while the family initially sought $10 million.
McMahon emphasized the difficulty of the situation during a recent press conference, stating, “Both sides recognized the time was now.” He described the chip plant as a national security project that would transform the region for generations, while acknowledging the personal toll of the displacement. “These things are tough. Nobody wanted to be essentially where we were,” he added.
According to King’s attorney, Scott Lickstein, legal action filed against county authorities last week helped accelerate negotiations. Lickstein confirmed the agreement benefits all parties and noted King will remain within the community. Several family members declined to comment on the settlement details.
Micron aims to begin construction at the Clay, New York site north of Syracuse as early as next month, but cannot proceed until King’s property is vacated. The project is already significantly delayed, with full chip production not anticipated until 2045. This development is part of a broader federal initiative launched under the Biden administration to bolster domestic semiconductor production and decrease dependence on Asian manufacturing.
Federal, state, and local subsidies supporting the project could reach approximately $25 billion, according to activists critical of the tax incentives. McMahon previously defended the necessity of acquiring the property, stating, “You can’t accomplish having the historic investment and having that one house stay. Those two things can’t happen together.” The situation highlights the complex balance between large-scale economic development and individual property rights.
(Source: Wired)
