LODI, N.Y. — New York state has formed a commission to look at vacant properties after a slate of prison closures earlier this year.

The closures have had an impact on local businesses. Places like Boundary Breaks Vineyard where it’s the time of year to test the sugar content of its grapes.

“It’s sort of a lot of waiting, and then suddenly a lot of activity.” owner Bruce Murray said. “And from that sugar content, we can tell how close we are to being ready to harvest here.”

Located right off Seneca Lake, Murray has had his vineyard in Seneca County since 2009.

“We all work together. We’re not really competing with each other, the wineries here,” Murray said. “We’re competing against places like France, California and Oregon.”

That's why he was upset when the Willard Drug Treatment Campus closed earlier this year.

“We lost hundreds and hundreds of jobs. It really hollowed out the economy in this part of the economy.” Murray said.

Now the 500-acre property is sitting vacant.

“There are buildings there that have asbestos in them, they’re not safe, they need to be demolished,” Murray said. “There’s some buildings there that are perfectly habitable. It’s a very complex area.”

Just like many former prisons across the state, such as the Butler Correctional Facility in Wayne County, it closed in 2014, and its residents and officials are still fighting to have something done with the property.

“I think it presents a lot of opportunity for some private sector investment and job creation,” Brian Pincelli, Wayne County director of economic development and planning, said. “And in turn, local property tax revenue, sales tax revenue."

But there’s new hope. Gov. Hochul has formed a state commission to look at these former prison sites, which Pincelli says local leaders are assisting with.

“We want to play as active a role as possible with cooperation from the state, their officials and the redevelopment commission to find a re-use for that site,” Pincelli said.

He says these discussions are critical for the entire state.

“That we’re proactively seeking re-use of those facilities including the one here in the county, that’s where you start,” Pincelli said. “If you’re not having those discussions, then things are just sitting in limbo.”

And Bruce believes the state commission is a good first step, though he expects a long road ahead.

“I think it’s the right thing to do, number one. Nobody wants to make a precipitous decision about what to do with these properties.” Murray said.

He thinks with more than a mile of lakefront property, Willard can be used by both the public and private sectors to elevate his community.

“That means a marina, both public and private. I think for any lakefront property there’s an opportunity for lodging, hotel lodging, restaurants, conference centers,” Murray said.

After all, tourism is his business.

“They want to see a more diverse mix of activities and places to stay, places to eat, things to do,” Murray said. “And having an opportunity like Willard to begin to develop that, in a sensible way, is a good sign for the future of this area.”

Spectrum News 1 reached out to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

Officials with the department say they are working with the Office of General Services and Empire State Development to facilitate the re-use of closed facilities.