NEW WINDSOR, NY (May 8, 2006) – Commercial real estate development company First Columbia welcomed the general practice law firm Drake, Loeb, Heller, Kennedy, Gogerty, Gaba & Rodd PLLC to 555 Hudson Valley Avenue at the New York International Plaza in the Town of New Windsor.

Drake, Loeb et al., a newly reorganized law firm practicing in commercial and business law, municipal, land use & development, as well as all areas of litigation with almost 200 years combined legal experience, occupies 9,000 square feet of space on the first floor of the 48,000 square foot Class A office building.

“We’re looking forward to being at a convenient location where there is room for the firm to grow,” said Drake, Loeb et al., Partner Richard Drake. “The anticipated completion of the Drury Lane I-84 exit directly into the corporate park in 2007 and close proximity to the Orange County Courthouse will be additional selling points as this firm grows.”

Currently, Drake, Loeb et al. is a firm of nine lawyers and thirteen employees. The firm anticipates rapid growth in the near future and chose the site, which opened in March 2005, because of its ability to accommodate future expansion.

“We’re thrilled that Drake, Loeb et al. has chosen to locate to 555 Hudson Valley Avenue,” said First Columbia Vice President Chris Bette. “Like many other tenants, they show great promise for the future and First Columbia is excited to add another tenant that will help bring more jobs to the area.”

The Drake, Loeb et al., law firm is the fourth tenant to locate its offices to 555 Hudson Valley Avenue. Other tenants include ENAP, Inc., a 38-year-old lumber and building materials cooperative; Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation; and, State Farm Insurance. Seven thousand-square-feet of office space remains available for leasing.

Located adjacent to Stewart International Airport, inside the New York State designated Stewart-Newburgh Empire Zone, New York International Plaza is First Columbia’s premier commercial corporate park. Businesses based in the park include: LSI/Lightron, Inc., Mid-Hudson Family Health, Westchester Cardiology, Hudson Valley Imaging, Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp., Empire State Development, OxyVita, American Petroleum and McGoey, Hauser & Edsall.

The 260-acre master planned corporate campus features more than two million-square-feet of integrated facilities. In addition to office space, the plaza is approved for research and development facilities, hotel and convention space and a data center.

First Columbia is one of the region’s largest real estate developers and part of the Bette Family of Companies, a diversified building organization headquartered in Albany. As a vertically integrated organization, First Columbia provides comprehensive services from site acquisition through permitting, design construction, leasing and financing – all focused on creating value in real estate for their customers.