September 3, 2009
GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $27 MILLION IN RESTORE NY GRANTS FOR WESTERN NEW YORK
Niagara Falls to Receive $6.3 Million for Redevelopment Projects
Governor David A. Paterson today announced the award of $27.2 million for Western New York as part of the third round of Restore NY grant program. The Governor was joined by State and local leaders to make the announcement in Niagara Falls, which will receive a total of $6.3 million for two projects. The awards are part of the $153.6 million in Restore NY Communities Initiative, which is administered by Empire State Development. A total of 79 projects across the State will help revitalize urban areas, stabilize neighborhoods, and invite renewed investment.
"The Restore NY program is critical to our economic development, smartly leveraging private investment with State dollars so that we provide our neighbors with the resources they need to grow," Governor Paterson said. "With this third round of funding, our villages, towns and cities can move forward with renewal projects that create jobs and attract businesses and consumers."
The City of Niagara Falls will receive $5 million for the green rehabilitation of the vacant, historic, blighted former South Junior High School into Niagara City Lofts, 52 market rate live/work and commercial spaces located in the heart of the city amid the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, Niagara Arts & Cultural Center (NACC) and Seneca Niagara Casino. This project will restore the core of the city's sustainability, revitalize the Memorial Park neighborhood in accordance with its residents" plan and attract new people associated with the hospital, the NACC and the Casino to downtown.
The second award for $1.3 million will fund the redevelopment of two city buildings: the former 39th Street School. Which will be converted to 35 to 40 patio-style apartments for an aging population; and the former Municipal Building, which will be will be mixed use and include the operation of an assisted living facility and commercial space.
The additional Western New York area projects include:
- $2.5 million to the City of Dunkirk for the Alumax/Roblin/Edgewood Brownfield Redevelopment project, commonly referred to as "Progress Park." The proposed development will provide new and expanded manufacturing and commercial facilities that are complimentary to and compatible with existing local businesses, thus retaining and creating jobs and increasing the commercial and residential tax base; convert a blighted and underutilized brownfield property to a productive use; and coordinate the redevelopment with the construction of "Millennium Parkway," serving the transportation needs of existing and new businesses.
- $7.6 million to the City of Buffalo for neighborhood revitalization, including housing rehabilitation and strategic demolition of blighted properties. Strategic demolitions enable the city to redevelop the property or landbank for future use. The requested funding will be used for vacant structures, which pose a threat to public safety or are in proximity to schools, as well as in areas where the most substantial economic impact can be made. A swift demolition process is key for successful neighborhood revitalization in Buffalo.
- $1 million to the City of Jamestown for the Jamestown Connector Stabilization Project, which will include the deconstruction of number of blighted and vacant multistory manufacturing buildings, one of which is in imminent danger of collapsing into the Chadakoin River and causing flooding in the City's industrial corridor.
- $6.6 million to the City of Buffalo for commercial and mixed use projects that will focus on the renovation of historic properties and adaptive reuse opportunities within Buffalo's legacy-built environment per plans and strategies that have identified redevelopment priorities.
- $663,000 to the City of Tonawanda to complete the final phase of a demolition project funded that received Restore NY round II funds. The grant will allow Tonawanda to complete site remediation and prepare this 47 acre site for future commercial re-use.
- $660,000 to the Village of Gowanda for the restoration of the Hollywood Theater, a key catalyst for economic redevelopment in Gowanda's main business district. Restoration would support complementary efforts to capitalize on the Village's history and architecture and encourage new business development.
- $1 million to the Town of Grand Island to rehabilitate the currently vacant Dunlop Building, a commercial building complex immediately adjacent to the I-190 thruway, a high traffic area connecting the cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls. To ensure that the Dunlop Building is safely available for reuse, the town will conduct asbestos abatement throughout the entire structure, replace all windows, renovate the building exterior and install sanitary sewers to the project site. As a result, a long vacant, blighted building will be returned to market ready status, attracting new business to Grand Island.
- $800,000 to the City of Lackawanna for a comprehensive revitalization project that will fulfill the goals of its citywide redevelopment plan. All actions are integral to the redevelopment of business and housing sites at the most visible locations within the City.
Restore NY grants are awarded to municipally sponsored projects to demolish, deconstruct, rehabilitate and/or reconstruct vacant, abandoned or condemned buildings. The projects must be architecturally consistent with nearby and adjacent properties or built in a manner consistent with the area's local revitalization or urban development plan. Awards were made to qualified applicants based on statutory criteria outlined in the 2006-2007 State budget and, to the fullest extent possible, in a geographically proportionate manner throughout the State. Rounds I and II provided a total of $150 million for these kinds of projects. A full list of the recipients of the Restore NY Round III funding is available at: http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/pdf/press_0902091.pdf.
For more information regarding Restore NY, please visit www.empire.state.ny.us/restoreNY/default.asp.
The following statements were provided in support of the Restore NY Round III grants:
Empire State Development Chairman & CEO, designate, Dennis M. Mullen said: "These projects have the potential to reposition our State by spurring economic development, creating resilient communities that provide the foundations for future growth and the means to transform neighborhoods. The process was a competitive one that identified those projects that would truly serve to revitalize urban cores, leverage private investment and bring future business expansion to New York State."
Senator Bill Stachowski, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business, said: "We have seen the success of the Restore NY Program here in Western New York, with thousands of derelict properties already demolished in the city of Buffalo. This investment of state dollars in our neighborhoods is not only good fiscal policy; it demonstrates that state government can play a meaningful role in redeveloping and rebuilding our urban core."
Senator Antoine Thompson said: "Restore NY is an extremely important program for the entire state and especially Western new York. I congratulate the Governor for securing these critical funds to help revitalize our neighborhoods, promote economic development and create good paying jobs."
Senator Catharine Young said: "Brick-by-brick, we are revitalizing our neighborhoods and rehabilitating blighted buildings into assets that will strengthen the entire community. This funding opens the door for some smart collaborative development projects that advance opportunities for business growth and quality of life improvement. New investment and construction will be spurred and development and jobs will result. I thank the Governor and all those in the community who helped to make these projects a reality."
Assemblyman William L. Parment said: "The awarding of Restore NY grants to the cities of Dunkirk and Jamestown are wonderful news for Chautauqua County. Progress Park in the City of Dunkirk and the City of Jamestown Connector Stabilization Project are worthy projects and the grant awards will be well utilized."
Assemblyman Robin Schimminger, chairman of the Assembly Economic Development Committee, said: "I"m certainly pleased that this Assembly initiative has again provided critical funding for a variety of important economic development projects throughout the state. In my own district in Western New York, the ongoing demolition and remediation of the abandoned Spaulding Fibre industrial complex in the City of Tonawanda can now be completed, leaving a shovel-ready site in an Empire Zone ready for redevelopment."
Assemblyman Mark Schroeder said: "The Restore NY grants will provide a significant boost to urban neighborhoods in need of revitalization. This crucial investment will yield future growth and development where it is needed the most."
City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said: "The Restore New York funding, which is based on legislation my Administration created in 2006, will contribute significantly to our ongoing neighborhood-based strategy of removing blighted properties and working with community-based organizations in restoring and preserving salvageable properties, including historic structures, for reuse. We have always used Restore New York funds in a very targeted and precise manner, ensuring that they support my goal of strengthening our residential neighborhoods, reinforcing the viability of our commercial districts and improving our residents" quality of life. I thank the Governor for this important funding, which will help make Buffalo stronger."
Village of Medina Mayor Adam Tabelski said: "The Restore NY assistance will make it easier for businesses and developers in our village to transform old buildings into new commercial and residential opportunities. Finding a way to encourage private investment is what we need to do to turn our communities around."
