State awards CNY, Southern Tier $80M in economic-development funding

New York state has awarded Central New York and the Southern Tier more than $80 million each in economic-development funding.

New York also awarded the North Country more than $63 million, which will support 69 projects. In addition, the Mohawk Valley will use more than $59 million toward 59 projects.

The awards are part of a total of more than $709 million in funding through the fourth round of the regional economic-development council (REDC) initiative.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the awards during a ceremony Thursday in Albany. His office detailed the awards in a news release later in the day.

The Central New York and the Southern Tier awards are both designated as “Top Performer” awards, Cuomo’s office said.

“This [REDC] award will continue moving our region forward by funding key projects that will grow our economy,” Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

The Central New York award, which will support 85 projects, includes $3.6 million for the Hotel Syracuse renovation project; $1.8 million for the Syracuse Smart Regrowth Sustainable Corners project, which seeks to “accelerate revitalization” of the Near Westside neighborhood; and $750,000 for the Colgate University Center for Arts and Culture.

“Central New York was once again named a top performer at the REDC awards. Many worthy projects received funding, such as the relocation of The Red House, the Hotel Syracuse redevelopment, Home Headquarters, and the Onondaga Creekwalk,” Syracuse Mayor Stephanie A. Miner said in a statement Thursday. “I appreciate the efforts that went into receiving this funding and I look forward to these projects becoming a reality.”

The Southern Tier award, which will support 91 projects, includes more than $2.2 million for the repaving of the racetrack at the Watkins Glen International; $2 million for the Corning Hospital redevelopment project; and $2.9 for a broadband project in Delaware County.

The North Country award includes $5 million that the Development Authority of the North Country will use to establish the North Country redevelopment fund to assist “transformational redevelopment, rehabilitation, revitalization, blight clean up, and infrastructure projects” in the region, Cuomo’s office said.

The Mohawk Valley award includes $4 million for the NUAIR Alliance (Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance) to install surveillance and radar at the Griffiss International Airport test range and in the Lowville area. The project will allow “high accuracy” data collection and advance-testing capability of the Griffiss test range to move forward.

The Mohawk Valley projects also include $1 million for the continued development of the Marcy Nano Center at the SUNY Polytechnic Institute. The award also provides $750,000 that the city of Utica will use for infrastructure improvements at the Harbor Marina.

Cuomo in 2011 established 10 regional councils 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, according to Cuomo’s office.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com