Массена, Нью-Йорк: Экономика, история и современность

Town of Massena, New York
the village located within this town

The modern town's economy is centered on power production, the commerce of the St. Lawrence Seaway, and an Alcoa Aluminum plant, the world's longest continually operating aluminum facility. Alcoa employs over 600 people at its facilities in Massena. Massena's economy has suffered for the past few decades due to the decline of American manufacturing and the automotive industry. The New York Power Authority now operates a hydroelectric power generating dam, the St. Lawrence FDR Power Project, on the St. Lawrence River adjacent to Massena. Curran Renewable Energy manufactures wood pellet fuel and mulch in the town. Massena is also home to the Eisenhower and Snell Locks, part of the St. Lawrence Seaway which allows ships and vessels to pass through the St. Lawrence River and on to the Great Lakes. While on November 2, 2015, Alcoa announced the idling of the smelter at its "Alcoa West" plant, the facility remained open through negotiations with New York State, and 400 jobs were saved until 2019. The Forgings and Extrusions facilities at Alcoa West were unaffected. The changes resulted in the loss of 487 jobs. It was estimated in 2013 that nearly 30% of Massena residents live below the poverty line. St. Lawrence County's poverty rate is higher than both the state and federal rates and ranks the 5th highest in New York State.

By 2012 industrial employment had declined and there were 10,357 people in the town, down from 16,021 in 1970. As of the census The town had until 1961 been the terminus for New York Central Railroad (NYC) sleeping car passenger service on its St. Lawrence Division; the last sleepers came in from the NYC's Iroquois and the outgoing sleeper fed into the New York Special. The final run of regular local trains into the town was in 1964.

Massena was a location featured in Me, Myself & Irene, released in 2000, starring Jim Carrey and Renée Zellweger. Massena was a location featured in the film Frozen River. For Ellen, released in 2012, was filmed in Massena and the surrounding area.