Village of Cooperstown to Receive $4.5 Million; Villages of Sharon Springs and Dolgeville to Receive $2.25 Million Each

New $100 Million NY Forward Program Builds on Momentum of the Successful Downtown Revitalization Initiative to Support a More Equitable Downtown Recovery for New York's Smaller and Rural Communities

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Village of Cooperstown will receive $4.5 million, and the Villages of Sharon Springs and Dolgeville will each receive $2.25 million in funding as the Mohawk Valley winners of the first round of NY Forward. Building on the momentum of the State's successful Downtown Revitalization Initiative, the $100 million NY Forward program adopts the same "Plan-then-Act" strategy as the DRI to support a more equitable downtown recovery for New York's smaller and rural communities. As part of NY Forward Round One, two to three awards will be made to smaller communities in each of the state's ten economic development regions to support development and implementation of a revitalization plan for their downtowns.

"Ensuring small towns and cities have the resources they need to thrive is critical to New York's economic resurgence," Governor Hochul said. "These investments will help the Village of Cooperstown, Sharon Springs, and Dolgeville develop their downtowns, improve the quality of life for residents and visitors, and create new jobs and attract businesses to expand economic opportunity across the region."

NY Forward is a central component of the State's economic development efforts, working together with DRI to accelerate and expand the revitalization of New York's downtowns. NY Forward serves smaller communities with historic character that distinguishes them from the larger, more urban central business districts typically funded through DRI. NY Forward communities are walkable, less dense areas that serve the immediate local community, and are more local in nature — focusing on the immediately surrounding residential or rural agricultural centric development.

Like DRI, each NY Forward community will develop a Strategic Investment Plan to revitalize its downtown through a slate of readily implementable projects. The Department of State will provide enhanced technical assistance to better support smaller communities that may have less capacity as part of the NY Forward program and fund projects appropriately scaled to the size of each community. Projects may include building renovation and redevelopment, new construction or creation of new or improved public spaces and other projects that elevate specific cultural, historical qualities that enhance the feeling of small-town charm.

Cooperstown

Cooperstown's downtown is the core of a tremendous community, attracting locals, regional residents, and tourists to frequent it. Anchored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown is known for being a national attraction for baseball players, fans and afficionados, as well as a premiere arts and culture destination. The Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers' Museum are located just outside the Village's Boundaries, and the Village hosts numerous musical and cultural events in addition to the two major Hall of Fame Events. The entirety of the Village is listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Place, and Lake Otsego provides a scenic backdrop for the community. Cooperstown seeks to build on prior downtown improvements and its natural tourism draw by creating connections from Main Street to Lake Otsego, revitalizing historic facades, enhancing infrastructure to improve residential and commercial quality, improving walkability and accessibility and assisting in the creation of downtown apartment-style housing.

Sharon Springs

The Village of Sharon Springs is recognized by both the National Register of Historic Place as well as the New York State Register of Historic Places as a historic spa village. While Sharon Springs only has 500 year-round residents, it has been the site of over $15 million in private investment to date, and establishments like Beekman 1802 continue to draw attention to the Village. Sharon Springs' proposed NY Forward area would incorporate Main Street as it extends north approximately one mile to the Adler Hotel and Village line and two blocks east of Main Street. Within this area right on Main Street, mineral springs, creeks and waterfalls meander through a history that is coming alive in recreational spas, a village park, restaurants, hotels, theater and arts, exhibits and shops. Sharon Springs is looking to build on its recent growth in private business investment and public infrastructure investment to become a modern, model business, residential and tourism community for the 21st century and beyond. The Village will achieve its vision by renovating key arts and entertainment venues and other historic buildings, adding public Wi-Fi and assisting the Village's numerous small businesses.

Dolgeville

Tucked away at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, the Village of Dolgeville acts as a gateway to the Adirondack region and a connection to regional cities. The Village's proposed NY Forward area is located in the heart of Downtown Dolgeville, an easily walkable space with the Village's Main Street running through its center and comprising of some of its most unique features characterized by industrial uses along the East Canada Creek, a strategic location that was home to the first Mohawk Valley hydroelectric plant. The Village's unique combination of natural resources and innovative infrastructure cement the space as a center of industry within the Village. Building upon its storied history, the Village's vision is to restore its economic, commercial, cultural and artistic vibrancy and its historic Main Street district, leading the Village into a prosperous, sustainable future. The Village of Dolgeville seeks to achieve this vision by improving access to the East Canada Creek, creating a fund to assist small businesses and providing critical childcare facilities.

Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez said, "Revitalizing smaller downtown communities across the State is key to the success of our economic development efforts, and that's exactly what our NY Forward program does. The funding provided to Cooperstown, Sharon Springs and Dolgeville through this innovative new program will transform these communities into attractive places to live, work and play, in turn supporting a more equitable downtown recovery for the Mohawk Valley and all of New York State.

Empire State Development CEO, President and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "The opening pitch of this first New York Forward round is one that will create a home run not only for the iconic village of Cooperstown and its legacy of baseball and art, but also for the picturesque Villages of Sharon Springs and Dolgeville. Following the DRI model for smaller and rural downtowns, New York Forward funding will improve commercial spaces and connectivity to the art, waterfront and attractions in these Mohawk Valley communities, while boosting housing and infrastructure to generate growth for many innings to come."

Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, "The Mohawk Valley features unique, historic communities with national attractions, and the State's commitment through the NY Forward program will enhance what Cooperstown, Sharon Springs, and Dolgeville have to offer. Today's announcement is a prime example of how Governor Hochul's strategic investments in our communities will ultimately benefit residents and visitors for years to come."

State Senator Mark Walczyk said, "The Village of Dolgeville is incredibly deserving of this funding, and this will be a huge win for its residents. Improvements to an already beautiful and historic downtown will be an exceptional addition to the Mohawk Valley and my office remains ready to assist in any way we can."

State Senator Peter Oberacker said, "I am honored to represent Cooperstown and Sharon Springs - both are exceptional villages, with historic attractions, splendid small businesses, and outstanding local leaders - they are extremely deserving of these state investments. While these villages are the winners being announced today, the entire region will benefit greatly from these grant dollars. Our small rural communities are true gems and economic drivers, it is vital that the state recognizes their importance and continues to help them thrive through programs like NY Forward."

Assemblymember Robert Smullen said, “I am so glad to see resources return to our Mohawk Valley district. These villages are very deserving of the New York Forward grant program awards, and I look forward to the change in their communities as a result.”

Assemblymember Chris Tague said, "These investments are welcome and wonderful news for our rural communities where there is immense community pride. It's great to see the state back that up with critical economic revitalization funding that will capitalize on the good work citizens are already doing and help propel our local economy even further."

Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh, Village of Cooperstown, said, "We are very pleased that Governor Hochul and the Mohawk Valley Economic Council has created the NY Forward program, and it is perfect for a Village like Cooperstown. This $4.5 million award for this small village, which has different components and needs, will make a big difference."

Mayor Mary Puznowski, Village of Dolgeville, said, "We are really proud and we want to thank Governor Hochul for creating this grant program. NY Forward is a great thing, and we could not be happier to be one of the first recipients."

Mayor Douglas Plummer, Village of Sharon Springs, said, "We are beyond thrilled to receive this award. What an exciting opportunity! We did not expect we would get it together in time, but we did. We have a wonderful team working on this and it is very, very exciting, and we thank Governor Hochul for this opportunity."

Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chairs, Lawrence T. Gilroy III, President of Gilroy, Kernan & Gilroy, Inc. and Dr. Marion Terenzio, SUNY Cobleskill President said, "We are enthusiastic about Governor Hochul's support in revitalizing New York State's smaller communities through NY Forward. Cooperstown, Sharon Springs and Dolgeville are Mohawk Valley gems, and the MVREDC looks forward to working with this program to help them to shine even brighter."

The Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council conducted a thorough and competitive review process of proposals submitted from communities throughout the region and considered the criteria below before recommending these communities as nominees:

    The downtown should be compact, with well-defined boundaries;
    The downtown is able to capitalize on prior or catalyze future private and public investment in the neighborhood and its surrounding areas;
    There should be recent or impending job growth within, or in close proximity to the downtown that can attract workers to the downtown, support redevelopment and make growth sustainable;
    The downtown must be an attractive and livable community for diverse populations of all ages, income, gender, identity, ability, mobility and cultural background;
    The municipality should already embrace or have the ability to create and implement policies that increase livability and quality of life;
    The municipality should have conducted an open and robust community engagement process resulting in a vision for downtown revitalization and a preliminary list of projects and initiatives that may be included in a Strategic Investment Plan;
    The municipality has identified transformative projects that will be ready for near-term implementation with an infusion of NY Forward funds; and
    The municipality has the local capacity to manage the planning process and implementation of projects, including the ability to oversee contracts for awarded municipal projects.

Cooperstown, Sharon Springs and Dolgeville will now begin the process of developing Strategic Investment Plans to revitalize their downtowns. A Local Planning Committee made up of municipal representatives, community leaders and other stakeholders will lead these efforts, supported by a team of private sector experts and state planners. The Strategic Investment Plan will examine local assets and opportunities to identify projects that align with each community's vision and that are poised for implementation. Funding will be awarded for selected projects from the Strategic Investment Plan that have the greatest potential to jumpstart revitalization and generate new opportunities for long-term growth.