Albany, NY New York State Homes and Community Renewal has awarded $5.1 million in grants through Round XIII of the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative have been made to municipalities and nonprofit organizations across New York to support 23 projects that enhance and revitalize main streets and strengthen local economies. The grants will improve residential and commercial spaces, preserve historic properties, and help communities build the capacity required to grow their downtowns.

“The New York Main Street program ensures that resources will be available for municipalities and nonprofit organizations working to revitalize downtown neighborhoods across the state,” said HCR commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas. “This $5 million in funding will strengthen on-the-ground initiatives, further economic development, generate more employment opportunities, and create new housing options. Thanks to our local partners for spearheading the types of projects that will elevate the quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors for years to come.”

A total of 23 grants were awarded through New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s New York Main Street program, which provides financial resources and technical assistance directly to nonprofit organizations and municipalities to strengthen the economic vitality of the state’s traditional main streets and neighborhoods through targeted commercial and residential redevelopment.

Awards include:

Capital Region
• $356,000 to the Capitalize Albany Corp. to prepare a long vacant building in the city of Albany’s Liberty Park neighborhood for adaptive re-use.

• $300,000 to the town of Warrensburg to assist in the renovation of commercial and residential spaces in mixed-use buildings in the historic Warren County hamlet.

• $215,000 to Philmont Beautification, Inc. to assist in the renovation of commercial and residential units in mixed-use buildings in the Columbia County village of Philmont’s downtown.

• $20,000 to the city of Troy to conduct comprehensive building assessments and develop target area-wide recommendations for revitalization and reinvestment in the city’s Lansingburgh neighborhood.

• $20,000 to the village of Granville to assist property owners in developing a plan for the rehabilitation and reuse of priority buildings on the Washington County town’s Main St.

Central New York
• $232,000 to the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc., to assist in the renovation of mixed-use buildings in downtown Syracuse.

Finger Lakes
• $475,000 to the Seneca Falls Development Corp. to assist in the renovation of 60 State St. into a 110-seat restaurant and event space.

• $363,000 to the town of Lyons to assist in the renovation of commercial and residential units in mixed-use buildings on Canal St. in the Wayne County town.

• $335,000 to the village of Victor to assist in renovating commercial and residential units in mixed-use buildings in the Ontario County village’s core business district.

• $20,000 to the city of Canandaigua to undertake a feasibility analysis for properties on South Main St. regarding rehabilitation and re-use options.

Mid-Hudson
• $20,000 to the town of Shandaken to conduct a downtown assessment, establish design guidelines, and create facade drawings for buildings on Main St. in the Ulster County town.

Mohawk Valley
• $500,000 to the Midtown Utica Community Center to renovate the rear wing of a multi-purpose building at 40 Faxton St. in the city’s Cornhill neighborhood. Improvements will stabilize the exterior, address environmental conditions, improve ADA access, and completely transform the interior space.

New York City
• $250,000 to the Pitkin Ave. District Management Association to assist in the renovation of commercial facades and residential units in mixed-use buildings in Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood.

North Country
• $500,000 to Lewis County to assist in the environmental remediation and other developmental barriers at a mixed-use building located at 7623 North State St. in the town of Lowville.

• $20,000 to the city of Plattsburgh to provide property owners with redevelopment and reuse options for buildings in the city’s downtown.

• $20,000 to Lewis County to assist in the development of county-wide design guidelines.

• $20,000 to PRIDE of Ticonderoga, Inc. to assist with a multifaceted revitalization initiative in the hamlet of Au Sable Forks’ historic downtown. The revitalization includes facade recommendations, building reuse analyses, interior renovation studies, and the creation of design guidelines, aiming to enhance the area’s architectural character.  

• $18,000 to the Clayton Local Development Corp. for technical assistance, including a hazardous materials survey and structural assessments, to a mixed-use building located at 537 Riverside Dr. in the Jefferson County town of Clayton.

Southern Tier
• $500,000 to the M-ARK Project, Inc. to assist with the adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of the first floor of the historic Kirkside mansion in the Delaware County town of Roxbury. Improvements will produce a teaching kitchen, restaurant, and atrium bar.

• $354,000 to the Elmira Downtown Development, Inc. to assist with the removal of asbestos at 201 Baldwin St. in Elmira to prepare the building for reuse.

• $210,000 to the city of Binghamton to assist in the rehabilitation of mixed-use properties in the Downtown Arts District.

• $20,000 to the city of Norwich to assist with the architectural design and engineering of 11 new apartment units in a mixed-use building on South Broad St. in the city’s downtown.

Western New York
• $230,000 to the village of Fredonia to support the renovation of commercial and residential units in the village’s downtown.

Funding was included in Round XIII of the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative. The REDC process continues to support and empower regional stakeholders in developing strategic plans and funding priorities that meet local economic needs. Regional Councils reviewed projects from this program and provided scores that reflect how well a project aligns with a region’s goals and strategies. Applicants utilized New York’s Consolidated Funding Application, the State’s single application for state resources, which includes programs from numerous agencies. It is designed to provide expedited and streamlined access to a combined pool of grant funds and tax credits from dozens of existing programs.  

The Regional Economic Development Council initiative is a key component of the State’s approach to State investment and economic development. In 2011, 10 Regional Councils were established to develop long-term strategic plans for economic growth for their regions. The Councils are public-private partnerships made up of local experts and stakeholders from business, academia, local government, and non-governmental organizations. The Regional Councils have redefined the way New York invests in jobs and economic growth by putting in place a community-based, bottom-up approach and establishing a competitive process for State resources.

The Consolidated Funding Application was created to streamline and expedite the grant application process. The CFA process marks a fundamental shift in the way state resources are allocated, ensuring less bureaucracy and greater efficiency to fulfill local economic development needs. The CFA serves as the single-entry point for access to economic development funding, ensuring applicants no longer have to slowly navigate multiple agencies and sources without any mechanism for coordination. Now, economic development projects use the CFA as a support mechanism to access multiple state funding sources through one application, making the process quicker, easier, and more productive.

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