CPC and city of Beacon team up for H.V. Main St. Summit

Continuing its Hudson Valley Main St. Summit Series, the Community Preservation Corp. (CPC) teamed up with the city to present a free workshop entitled "Key Main St. Topics in Today's Economy" at the Howland Cultural Center on Main St. Third in a series of summits introduced by CPC last year, the most recent session, which was held April 17, focused on the challenges business owners face in this turbulent economy with an emphasis on marketing and economic development strategies to help retail stay afloat in the city and the surrounding villages. Mayor Steven Gold kicked off the summit with an account of the strides the city has made to become a hub for art aficionados throughout Hudson Valley. He was followed by two local developers, Ron Sauers and Doug Berlin, who began the process of jumpstarting development in the city more than a decade ago by rehabilitating several properties along the then neglected strip of East Main St. and providing quality residential units located atop first-class commercial space. Topics covered at the conference were: Tips for a Recession-Proof Main Street District, Funding Resources: New York Main St. Program and Parking Solutions for Main Sts. The presentations were made by: Larisa Ortiz, principal, Larisa Ortiz Associates, LLC; Joseph Rabito, deputy commissioner for Office of Community Renewal, NYS Division of Housing & Community Renewal (DHCR); Chris Leo, Main St. program director, NYS DHCR and Frank Fish of Buckhurst, Fish & Jacquemart Planning. This collaborative forum was followed by a walking tour which highlighted several retail and residential businesses along the city's East End, formerly a rundown neighborhood on Main St. Thanks to a public/private partnership between CPC, Dutchess County, the city, the local utility company, the Federal Home Loan Bank and local developers, many abandoned buildings were transformed into much-needed affordable housing and commercial retail space. CPC has played a pivotal role in the revitalization of the city by providing financing for eight projects comprising 15 buildings that now house 17 storefronts and 51 residential units. This development helped turn the city into a vibrant antique and art district, making it a focal point for art lovers throughout Hudson Valley. The Hudson Valley Main St. Summit Series began with How to Redevelop Main Sts. and Downtowns, which was sponsored by CPC, the city of New Rochelle and the New Rochelle Business Improvement District. It was followed by Retail Recruitment Strategies for Main Streets, sponsored by CPC, the city of Middletown and the Downtown Middletown Business Improvement District. The free summits, which concentrate on various ways to enhance the Hudson Valley's ability to develop vibrant Main Sts. and downtowns, are designed for community development and government officials, NYS Grant Awardees, Business Improvement Districts, Chambers of Commerce and Main St. organizations from Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Ulster, Dutchess, Sullivan, Putnam, Greene and Columbia counties. CPC's website (www.communityp.com) provides presentations from past summits. The next Hudson Valley Main Street Summit is scheduled for this summer. CPC is a not-for-profit mortgage lender that finances residential multifamily development throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Since its founding in 1974, CPC has invested more than $7 billion in more than 133,000 units of housing.