ALBANY — More than $700 million in economic and community development funding has been awarded through Round VI of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative — $142.5 million of that will be coming to the Western New York and Finger Lakes regions, which includes Rochester and Batavia.
The Regional Councils were established in 2011 to replace the state’s old top-down approach to economic development, with 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 the 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.
“Through the Regional Economic Development Councils, we have replaced the ‘one-size fits all’ approach to economic growth with a ‘ground-up’ strategy that focuses on cooperation and investing in regional assets to generate opportunity,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “By bringing together ideas from local government and community leaders with state resources, we are giving these councils the tools to create jobs and drive economic activity in their communities for generations to come. I congratulate the Regional Councils on their awards, and look forward to continuing to work together to build a stronger New York for all.”
“Governor Cuomo’s Regional Council initiative brings together a diverse and talented group of leaders from the business, academic, and not-for-profit sectors to collaborate on transformative projects that are redeveloping our downtowns, retaining and expanding businesses, and rebuilding our infrastructure for the 21st Century,” said Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Chair of the Regional Economic Development Councils. “As the Chair of the Regional Councils, I have seen first-hand in my travels across every corner of New York how this investment in innovation and technology has revitalized the state. By empowering the people who know their communities the best, the Governor has transformed this state’s economic development strategy into one that is not only successful, but is built to last.”
The REDC process has transformed government’s approach to economic development in New York State, creating a statewide framework for bottom-up, regional economic growth and streamlining the state funding application process. Since 2011, the first year of the initiative, over $4.6 billion has been awarded to more than 5,200 projects that are projected to create and retain more than 210,000 jobs statewide.
Today, more than $700 million in economic and community development funding has been awarded through Round VI of the REDC initiative:
- Western New York: Regional Council Awardee | $62 million supporting 105 projects
- Finger Lakes: Top Performer Awardee | $80.5 million supporting 97 projects
- Southern Tier: Regional Council Awardee | $60.4 million supporting 63 projects
- Central New York: Regional Council Awardee | $62.2 million supporting 77 projects
- Mohawk Valley: Top Performer Awardee | $81.9 million supporting 88 projects
- North Country: Regional Council Awardee | $61.4 million supporting 77 projects
- Capital Region: Top Performer Awardee | $83.1 million supporting 116 projects
- Mid-Hudson: Top Performer Awardee | $83.3 million supporting 105 projects
- New York City: Top Performer Awardee | $80.2 million supporting 121 projects
- Long Island: Regional Council Awardee | $62 million supporting 101 projects
Western New York: Regional Council Awardee | $62 million supporting 105 projects
Highlights of the projects awarded economic development funding in Round VI include:
- $1 million to support the expansion of the Edelweiss Dairy Facility — Edelweiss Dairy Farm is currently operating at full capacity and needs to expand. This project will replace the farm’s existing Freedom Farm facility with a new 2,400 cow facility that includes improved high efficiency LED lighting, VSD controlled ventilation fans, compressors, chillers and heat exchanges. The project will enable Edelweiss Dairy Farm to expand their capacity and market.
- $1 million to support the Jacobs School of Medicine Simulation Innovation Center — Funds will be used to purchase new operating stations and related equipment at the new Jacobs School of Medicine Simulation Innovation Center (SIC). The project consists of focused learning space in the new medical school. The Simulation Center is key to recruiting top faculty and students to UB, and can be a leading resource for national/international companies
- $750,000 to support the 7th Niagara Street Renovation in the City of Niagara Falls — This funding will be used to support the redevelopment of vacant land and historic buildings on a parcel at the corner of 7th and Niagara Streets in downtown Niagara Falls, less than half a mile from Niagara Falls State Park and the Rainbow Bridge, Canada. The site is in a high traffic area and its proximity to Niagara Fall’s entertainment and visitor destinations make it an ideal location for development.
Finger Lakes: Top Performer Awardee | $80.5 million supporting 97 projects
Highlights of the projects awarded economic development funding in Round VI include:
- $1.9 million to support Ellicott Station — Ellicott Station is a $17 million project that will transform a designated Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) strategic site into a mixed-use downtown destination. The project is in the City of Batavia’s central business corridor, which is a heavily traveled area. The redevelopment will include remediation of ground pollution, selective demolition for adaptive re-use, and new construction to provide denser and more appropriate land use situated at the end of the Batavia’s historic retail district and proposed pedestrian trail.
- $1.5 million to support the Southeast YMCA Healthy Living Campus in Rochester — The YMCA of Greater Rochester will be developing a Regional Healthy Living Campus. The new state of the art healthy living campus will provide holistic health services for people or all ages, abilities and incomes with a goal to improve the region’s health and quality of life. It will serve a growing population in the southeast quadrant of Monroe County. The increased size and services of the new facility will expand the Y’s geographical reach to more than 10 municipalities including penetration into the City of Rochester. The increased market area will allow the Y to serve a more diverse population
