Top New York State officials paid a visit to Syracuse Wednesday to launch the first-ever forum of community leaders to share the success of programs aimed at boosting downtowns. The state’s downtown revitalization initiative is entering its seventh round, with 200 million dollars of funding available. The City of Oswego was among the first DRI applicants in 2016, and is the first to complete all of its of its ten projects. Governor Kathy Hochul says a small state incentive sparked nearly seven times more investment.
“So our $10 million brought in almost $65 million in private investment. That's what we're talking about," Hochul told a crowded room at SUNY Oswego's downtown Syracuse campus. "We're not saying the $10 million alone is going to change it downtown. It's not going to. It is the catalyst for the capital to start flowing and the developers and the local businesses say you know what, maybe I can bring in my money, but now I have enough to get me over the finish line.”
Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez is charged with working with local officials to vet the projects and award the funding. He says they often try to integrate anchor investments with DRI plans.
“We look at how we support your Main Street businesses, whomever they are, as well as significant anchor institutions and that are important to the region, while also thinking about opportunity and in investments like a Micron. So it really is looking at the whole spectrum of business."
The secretary of state’s office facilitated Wednesday’s forum, which included the mayors of Syracuse, Oswego, Fulton, and Cortland, as well as key economic development officials. Mayor Ben Walsh says the state set the stage for future growth.
“And they were ahead of the game. The state was making these investments long before we were talking about Micron, long before we were in a position to break ground on [Interstate] 81. But the foundation has been laid.”
Over the past six years, the state has awarded almost a billion dollars to nearly 70 communities for downtown revitalization projects.
