Governor George E. Pataki today announced nearly $11 million worth of awards under the New York Main Street Program^s first funding round. The innovative State program is designed to stimulate downtown revitalization in communities across New York State by providing funding for building renovations, streetscape enhancements and downtown business or cultural anchors. The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation received $190,000 for facade and building restoration in selected areas of the West Side of Saratoga Springs.
“New York^s downtown business districts represent the lifeblood of its cities, towns and villages,” Governor Pataki said. “These awards will provide additional resources to reinvigorate our Main Streets and generate pride, progress and prosperity in communities all across our great State. The response to this program has been overwhelming and I want to congratulate the recipients for their vision and determination to bring our Main Streets back.”
Lieutenant Governor Mary Donohue said, “The Main Street program will provide the assistance necessary to continue revitalizing our downtown Main Streets all across the State. Building on the success of programs such as the Governor^s Quality Communities Initiative, the New York Main Street Award will bolster efforts to improve downtown areas throughout New York State.”
The Main Street program is a natural outgrowth of the State^s Quality Communities Initiative, which has been led by Lieutenant Governor Donohue. Under the Initiative, the Lieutenant Governor traveled the State and met with local leaders to identify ways to strengthen local community development efforts throughout New York State and make better use of State and federal programs. One of the key initiatives identified the importance of rebuilding downtowns and Main Streets.
The New York Main Street Program, which is being administered by the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) and the Housing Trust Fund Corporation, was launched by the Governor in June with an initial investment of $20 million.
DHCR Commissioner Judith A. Calogero said, “There is a new energy on our Main Streets that is real and palpable and is being fostered by local business and civic organizations around the State. The awards announced today are an effort to catalyze that energy and use it to propel communities forward. Because of the unprecedented partnership between DHCR and our sister agencies, we^ve fashioned a program that will have a positive impact on the future of our downtowns.”
The New York Main Street Program provides matching grants for facade and interior building renovations, streetscape enhancement to improve lighting, landscaping and signage and to install street furniture, and for communities to establish a business or cultural anchor in their downtown.
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