Restore NY grant program to support redevelopment in Capital Region area

The state's Restore NY grant program has awarded millions to capital region cities to support the redevelopment of decaying urban areas and other projects. The grants include money for downtown or waterfront redevelopment in Cohoes, Rensselaer and Troy: $2.5 million for the demolition of city hall and the construction of new retail, office, residential, hotel and parking facilities on the Troy waterfront; $1.4 million for the demolition of the former Rensselaer high school and construction of a large mixed-use development project with 40,000 s/f of retail space and 50 housing units; and $544,900 to help renovate a former bank at 122 Remsen St. in Cohoes, converting it into live/work artist lofts and a visual and performing arts gallery. The Center City Sportsplex in downtown Schenectady will get a new roof, electrical systems, interior upgrades and other improvements with the help of a $2.5 million grant. The 170,000 s/f building at 415-419 State St.,which now has an indoor soccer field, rock climbing wall, commercial offices and retail space, will have ground-level retail, office space and residential units on the fourth floor when the remodeling is completed. The city of Amsterdam will receive $2.5 million to clean and redevelop a brownfield site in the city's former factory district into residential and commercial space. The project targets part of the former Mohasco Corp. mills complex, the site of a fire in 1991 that destroyed much of the property. To date, the city has spent $4 million trying to clean up the site. Gloversville received $534,000 to demolish the former First Baptist Church on South Main St. and some office space. A local developer plans to build 45 housing units on the site. St. Johnsville will get more than $2 million to help demolish an industrial building and built a new facility for Cellect LLC, a maker of foams for packaging, athletic equipment and other products. The city of Albany will receive $3.3 million to build two structures to anchor the redevelopment of its Park South neighborhood. Hudson, in Columbia County, will get $1 million for the Hudson Opera House, an important cultural site on Warren St., a main thoroughfare. Sharon Springs, in Schoharie County, will get $500,000 for the redevelopment of the Spa & Bath International Resort/Pavilion Cottages site. Restore NY was designed as a competitive process with specific criteria. Strong emphasis is placed on projects from economically distressed communities. Priority is given to projects that leverage other state and federal redevelopment, remediation or planning programs.