Town wins $195,000 through Main Street Grant

AMENIA — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday, Dec. 8, that Amenia was one of the communities to receive a part of the $785 million in Economic Development Funding through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative.The town of Amenia received $195,000. The Mid-Hudson region received a total of $67 million, which was divided among 67 projects, including Amenia’s grant.The grant requires a 25 percent match on the funds received.Amenia will use the grant money to “rehabilitate and revitalize three commercial and eight residential units in mixed-use buildings and streetscapes on Main and Mechanic Streets.”Many of the buildings that will be repaired with funds from this grant are historic Victorian Era constructions, so preserving them will preserve Amenia’s history, explained the grant application.Town Supervisor Wayne Euvrard said he was pleased that the town received the grant money.“Any grant like that is going to help,” he said. “Hopefully it will help the town grow.”The grant money came from the Main Street Grant program, which was one of 29 existing programs that were consolidated by the Regional Economic Development Council to “streamline and expedite access to economic development funding,” according to the press release.Amenia’s grant writer, Mike Hagerty, who worked closely with Councilwoman Victoria Perotti to write the grant proposal, said this was the fourth time the town proposed a downtown revitalization project to the Main Street Grant program.“I think it will help the town in its revitalization efforts. Amenia really needs this,” Hagerty said. “It could be a great shot in the arm.”He said the grant is important for the town because it will revive Amenia’s business district, which sits in the heart of the hamlet. He explained that the town plans, including the Hamlet Plan and the Master Plan, call for investments in the downtown area to build the local economy.The grant is also important, he said, because it gives the town the funds to invest in projects that the town would not otherwise be able to afford due to the socio-economic makeup of the area.“The core downtown area has been struggling in these tough economic times,” he said in the Need and Impact Statement portion of the grant application. “The existing condition of Amenia’s downtown business district is bleak. There are several empty storefronts and residential units in the hamlet at the present time. The downtown area also lacks the necessary infrastructure to spur new economic investments. Many of the buildings are in a state of disrepair.“There are multiple businesses and residences now in the hamlet, and yet there remains a pressing need to enhance the appearance of the downtown business district in an effort to make it more inviting and pleasant for residents and visitors alike,” he continued. “By restoring the hamlet to its original glory, the town will be able to encourage increased private investments, which are greatly needed right now.”Hagerty said that part of the grant money — roughly $25,000 — will go toward streetscaping and landscaping in locations like Fountain Square.Hagerty said he believes part of the reason for the successful grant application was the leverage that the town got by mentioning other revitalization grants it has received, including the New York State Parks grant, the Tribute Gardens grant and the M&T Banks grant, which demonstrate the town’s continuous dedication to its downtown revitalization efforts.The grant application also included a letter of support from New York Assemblyman Marcus Molinaro, who will become the Dutchess County Executive in January.The Regional Economic Development Council initiative “represents a fundamental shift in the state’s approach to economic development from a top-down development model to a community-based, performance-driven approach which empowers individual areas to develop comprehensive strategic plans that invest in regional solutions to create jobs and economic growth,” said the press release from the governor.“Regional collaborations and planning is a roadmap to get New Yorkers back to work,” Gov. Cuomo said. “The plans submitted by all 10 regions were truly extraordinary. For the first time, we are putting the power of the state government behind the innovation of our people, giving them the tools to rebuild our economy.”