The Capital Regioneconomic sector, which includes Warren and Washington counties, was not selected in December as one of the three winners of the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, a $1.5 billion, five-year economic development competition that would have brought $500 million in state funds to the region for various projects.
But the Capital Region received $98.1 million in aid for projects this year, of which about $6 million is specifically earmarked for projects in Warren and Washington counties.
The winning regions in the competition were the Finger Lakes, the Southern Tier and Central New York.
However on Dec. 10, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the awarding of $2.25 billion in economic and community development funding through Round V of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative and the Upstate Revitalization Initiative.
The Regional Councils were established in 2011 to transform the state’s approach to economic development from a top-down model to one that is community-based and performance-driven. The initiative empowers community, business, and academic leaders, as well as members of the public in each region of New York state, to develop strategic plans specifically tailored to their region’s unique strengths and resources in order to create jobs, improve quality of life and grow the economy.
This year, the 10 councils once again competed for funding and assistance from up to $750 million in state economic development resources as part of Round V of the REDC competition. Additionally, a new competition, the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, awarded $1.5 billion to three regions, which will help to transform local economies by providing $500 million over the next five years to support projects and strategies that create jobs, strengthen and diversify economies, and generate economic opportunity within the region.
Since 2011, the Regional Council process has awarded nearly $3 billion to more than 3,100 job creation and community development projects across the state, supporting the creation or retention of more than 150,000 jobs, according to state officials.
This year’s REDC competition focused on workforce development, furthering regional Global NY strategies, implementing strategic plans, identifying regional industry clusters, and keeping the project pipeline full, among other ongoing state priorities and regional initiatives, officials said.
This year, the REDC focused on projects and strategies that have the potential to add 40,000 more jobs to the local economy, attract and retain 10,000 new residents, employ 4,500 residents who are currently unemployed, and lift 20,000 local residents out of poverty, according to the governor.
The projects in Warren and Washington counties that received awards are:
• Warren County Stormwater Improvement Project, $100,000. The Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District will work with the Village of Lake George, Town of Chester and the Town of Warrensburg to install stormwater retrofit projects.
• Green Infrastructure Redevelopment, $1 million. Washington County would relocate a combined sanitary/storm sewer main and adjacent waterline to facilitate growth, promote walkability and enable additional commercial growth in Fort Edward.
• Hubbard Hall Center for the Arts and Education in Cambridge, $48,195. In partnership with several for and nonprofit entities, the center will map the cultural and creative assets of Washington County with a goal to develop a countywide creative network.
• Saint Gobain in Granvile, $1.25 million. The producer of engineered, high-performance polymer products, will construct a new building and install a new production line at its Granville operation in Washington County to expand manufacturing and employment opportunities in New York state.
• Also, Saint Gobain will construct a new building and install a new production line to expand manufacturing and employment opportunities in New York state with help of a $750,000 grant.
• Village of Fort Edward Broadway East Side Water Lines, $600,000. Funds will be used to replace water lines in the Broadway East Side project area, which was affected by a gasoline spill in 2011.
• Village of Greenwich Anchor Project, $300,000. The village would renovate vacant space to establish new office space, a craft brewery, a year-round farmers market and a farm-to-table tasting pavilion.
• Village of Hudson Falls Water Infrastructure, $600,000. Funds will be used to replace water infrastructure in a target area surrounding three streets.
• Village of Whitehall Engineering Study, $30,000. Whitehall will complete an engineering report to evaluate replacement of portions of the existing sanitary sewer collection system to reduce inflow and infiltration.
• Village of Whitehall Sanitary Sewer Mains, $600,000. Funds will be used to replace deteriorated and failing sanitary sewer mains in priority areas throughout the village.
• Washington County Broadway East Side Renaissance, $600,000. Funds will be used to replace sewer and storm water lines in the East Side neighborhood of downtown Fort Edward, as the result of a gasoline spill in 2011.
• Washington County Sewer District No. 2 Engineering Study, $100,000. The Washington County Sewer District No. 2 will complete an engineering report to evaluate inflow and infiltration to the district’s existing wastewater collection system. $100,000
• Lake George Music Festival, $49,960 to expand its part-time executive director into a full-time position to increase annual visitation and establish the festival as a nationally known cultural destination. $48,960
• Town of Bolton, $362,000 implement: improvements to Rogers Memorial Park through construction of a pedestrian overlook and accessible, lit paths, installation of irrigation and stormwater infrastructure; stabilization of the hillside, and rehabilitation of the North Dock and extension of the public boat docks. The project will increase evening park visitation, improve aesthetics and stormwater management, correct erosion issues, reduce accidents on the swimming dock and increase use of the boating dock.
• Town of Lake George Septic Initiative Program, $104,000 to implement a routine inspection program utilizing trained professionals. The program includes all properties within 500 feet of Lake George and 100 feet of all Class AA-Special streams.
• The Town of Queensbury, in coordination with the Lake George Watershed Coalition, will develop a Watershed Management Plan for Lake George, $243,000. The plan will include a watershed vision statement; public participation plan; inventory and analysis of watershed assets and conditions; assessment of local laws and programs; recommendations for restoration and protection of water quality; and an implementation strategy.
• The Warren County and project partners will implement goals established in the First Wilderness Heritage Corridor Plan in Warren and Saratoga Counties, $425,988. Projects include development of a new park and enhancements to two existing parks on the Schroon River in Warrensburg, enhancements to the Warrensburg community center, construction of streetscape improvements in North Creek, and development of plans for a regional waterfront hiking and biking trail.
• Warren County Aquatic Habitat Improvement Project, $68,000. The project will address two undersized culverts in the Town of Hague and one in the Town of Chester.