Watkins Glen wins $10M in state funding in downtown revitalization initiative

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday visited Watkins Glen to announce the award on the opening day of the “I Love NY 355 at the Glen” NASCAR weekend.

Watkins Glen 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, Cuomo’s office said in a news release issued Thursday.

A local planning committee made up of municipal representatives, community leaders, and other stakeholders will lead the effort.

A team of private-sector experts and state planners will support the work, Cuomo’s office said.

The “strategic” investment plan for downtown Watkins Glen 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 Watkins Glen “strategic” investment plan for its downtown, as well as the plans that the other nine DRI winners are developing, 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.

Plans for DRI’s second round will be complete in early 2018.

“The first round of DRI proved to be a tremendous success, and by continuing to engage local communities and create new opportunities for business growth, downtowns across New York will thrive for decades,” Cuomo said in the news release. “Revitalizing Watkins Glen will not only boost the local economy and foster job growth, it will provide an improved quality of life for the families who call this community home. I congratulate the Southern Tier on another DRI award and look forward to witnessing this region soar for generations to come.”

Thursday’s announcement also complements “Southern Tier Soaring,” the region’s plan to generate “robust” economic growth and community development.

Selection process

As in the first round of the DRI, the state will select one municipality from each of the state’s 10 regional economic-development areas as a $10 million winner.

New York wants to spend $100 million to help communities “identify catalytic downtown projects to boost the local economy.” 

The state selected Watkins Glen as the second-round DRI winner following a “competitive process” involving the plan for Watkins Glen’s downtown area, along with proposals from other participant communities from the Southern Tier region.

The selection process included the Southern Tier regional economic-development council, which considered eight criteria before recommending Watkins Glen as its nominee for the $10 million prize.

The criteria included the stipulation that the downtown area should be “compact, with well-defined boundaries,” according to the news release.

In addition, the municipality should be of “sufficient size to support a vibrant, year-round downtown.”

The criteria also stipulates that the downtown area is able to “capitalize on prior or catalyze future” private and public investment in the neighborhood and its surrounding areas.

The municipality should have identified “transformative” projects that will be ready for implementation with an infusion of DRI funds within the first one to two years, Cuomo’s office said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com