Many U.S. states have programs that help their communities revitalize in some manner. As long-time readers of REVITALIZATION know, by far the largest and best of these initiatives is New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo‘s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), now in its fourth year. Every year, it awards $100 million in funding and investments to help ten communities boost their economies by transforming downtowns into vibrant neighborhoods where the next generation of New Yorkers will want to live, work and raise a family.
Now, three more communities, Hornell, (Fulton and Niagara Falls are the latest awardees of $10 million each to help revitalize their historic downtowns.
Hornell
Downtown Hornell, New York.
Photo by Doug Kerr via Wikipedia.
On October 9, 2019, Hornell, New York became the latest of these three recent winners. Hornell is the Southern Tier winner of the fourth round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. The Southern Tier is one of the state’s 10 regional economic development regions.
Located on the western border of Steuben County, Hornell’s walkable downtown runs along a wide Main Street flanked by numerous small businesses, valuable historic structures, and mixed-use residential options animated by a growing arts community and strong partnerships with nearby educational institutions.
Hornell Mayor John Buckley said, “Winning the DRI is a game changer for the City of Hornell. Projects that were once mere dreams can now become reality. This grant will open the doorway of economic opportunity and propel the City to new heights. A heartfelt thank you goes out to Governor Andrew Cuomo and Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul for making this large, impactful investment in the Maple City. I’d also like to thank Senator Tom O’Mara and Assemblywoman Margorie Byrnes for all of their support along the way. It was this team effort that made this day possible, and I am proud to have worked alongside so many dedicated and talented individuals. As we look toward a brighter future, let us celebrate today, for we have much to be thankful for.”
Recent investments in Hornell housing options, manufacturing facilities, arts and cultural offerings, healthcare centers, commercial and mixed-use development, and public infrastructure, including an Upstate Revitalization Initiative Award to Alstom Transportation for a Rail Manufacturing Center for Excellence, has set the stage for the resurgence of a community still reckoning with the enduring impact of urban renewal. The DRI award will enable Hornell to continue to rebound by supporting the cultural, historic, educational, recreational, artistic, dining, and retail opportunities necessary to sustain a robust workforce, engaged citizens, and a high standard of living.
“With this funding, Hornell has a great opportunity to enhance its downtown area and secure better quality of life for the residents, along with a more robust economic future for the region,” Governor Cuomo said. “We have seen a remarkable resurgence across New York’s Southern Tier communities as a result of strategic investments through programs like the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, and we will continue to work with and empower these communities as they work to make the most of their local assets.”
Fulton
Photo courtesy of City of Fulton, New York.
The City of Fulton is located along the Oswego River, an area rich in history. It is home to nationally registered historical sites, retail stores, restaurants, banks, service organizations, and cultural attractions, with recent development setting the stage for the redevelopment of vacant sites and brownfields and spurring growth in the fields of clean energy, health, biomedical and biosciences, financial services, agribusiness and food processing, advanced manufacturing, and destination tourism.
The City aims to “Blaze New Trails” by building on this momentum in its historic downtown waterfront and NYS 481 corridor, enhancing natural and cultural attractions, and continuing to grow opportunity in local health, service, and manufacturing industries. With a boost from DRI, the City will strengthen the infrastructure necessary to support downtown businesses and create recreational and cultural opportunities attractive to visitors and residents alike.
Fulton mayor Ronald L. Woodward Sr. said, “We are immensely proud of our community, as Fulton has won the fourth round of Governor Cuomo’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative. This means our city will bring new development to life, rehabilitate old buildings and vacant sites and set the stage for further growth and more visitors. Thank you to Governor Cuomo and the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council for considering and selecting our community.”
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls’ Bridge District centers on a Main Street corridor containing prominent civic and cultural assets and regional transportation amenities proximate to the natural attractions of De Veaux Woods State Park and the Niagara Gorge. In recent years, the construction of The Niagara Falls International Train Station and Intermodal Transportation Center and development of the plan to remove the Robert Moses Parkway and restore ecosystems along the reclaimed Niagara Gorge have laid the groundwork for enhanced connectivity between these core components.
The DRI plan will identify key investments in public spaces, signature design projects, and strategic support of private projects to continue to bridge the divide, sown by urban renewal, between Main Street and the Niagara Gorge by fostering connections between community assets, a sense of place, and residential options for a diverse population. Niagara Falls is eager to ensure that investment will deliver on the principles of good urbanism to create a welcoming gateway district for visitors, a sought-after area for commercial activity and employment, and a desirable neighborhood in which to make a home.
Niagara Falls mayor Paul Dyster said, “One only need to take a look around to recognize Governor Cuomo’s commitment to the City of Niagara Falls. From the removal of the Robert Moses Parkway to the expansion of our parkland and beyond, the Governor’s series of strategic public sector investments have served as a trigger for many positive developments taking place in our city – including unprecedented investment from our partners in the private sector within our Main Street Business District. Today’s transformative announcement and the Governor’s unwavering recognition that we move further and faster together have helped to tell the story of a future that is just starting to unfold here in the City of Niagara Falls, one that we are confident will yield so much more in the months and years to come.”
All of the winners go through a competitive review process of proposals from communities throughout the region and considered all seven criteria below in choosing the winners:
- The downtown should be compact, with well-defined boundaries;
- The downtown is able to capitalize on prior or catalyze future private and public investment in the neighborhood and its surrounding areas;
- There should be recent or impending job growth within, or in close proximity to the downtown that can attract workers to the downtown, support redevelopment and make growth sustainable;
- The downtown must be an attractive and livable community for diverse populations of all ages, including existing residents, millennials and skilled workers;
- The municipality should already embrace or have the ability to create and implement policies that increase livability and quality of life, including the use of local land banks, modern zoning codes and parking standards, complete streets plans, energy efficient projects, green jobs, and transit-oriented development;
- The municipality should have conducted an open and robust community engagement process resulting in a vision for downtown revitalization and a preliminary list of projects and initiatives that may be included in a DRI strategic investment plan; and
- The municipality has identified transformative projects that will be ready for implementation with an infusion of DRI funds within the first one to two years.
All three of the winners will now begin the process of developing a Strategic Investment Plan to revitalize its downtown with up to $300,000 in planning funds from the $10 million DRI grant. A Local Planning Committee made up of municipal representatives, community leaders, and other stakeholders will lead the effort, supported by a team of private sector experts and state planners. The Strategic Investment Plan for their downtowns will examine local assets and opportunities and identify economic development, transportation, housing, and community projects that align with the community’s vision for downtown revitalization and that are poised for implementation. The downtown Strategic Investment Plans will guide the investment of DRI grant funds in revitalization projects that will advance the community’s vision for its downtown and that can leverage and expand upon the state’s $10 million investment.
Featured 2006 photo (by Daniel Mayer via Wikipedia) shows Niagara Falls, New York. In the foreground are the waterfalls known as the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, respectively, from left to right.