For Immediate
Release: February 21, 2008
Contact:
Warren Hart, AICP, Director
Greene County Dept. of Planning and Economic Development
411 Main Street
Catskill, NY 12414
www.greeneeconomicdevelopment.com
business@discovergreene.com
Phone: (518) 719-3290
Fax: (518) 719-3789
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Greene County Legislature Announces 2008 Round
Of Main Street Revitalization Program Grants
Matching Grants Up to $7,500 Available for Individual Property Owners
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(CATSKILL, New York, February 21, 2008) – For the sixth consecutive year, the Greene County Legislature is making available funding for revitalization projects on Greene County Main Streets.
“Our Main Street Revitalization Program has been a critical component in the growth of the County in recent years,” said Greene County Legislature Chairman Wayne C. Speenburgh.
A total of $120,000 in funding was appropriated by the Greene County Legislature for matching 2008 Main Street Revitalization Program (MSRP) grants, architectural and other technical services. Individual property owners are eligible for up to $7,500 in matching grant monies to assist with the repair and renovation of facades on Main Streets throughout Greene County. In the first five years of the MSRP, over 130 grants totaling almost $660,000 have leveraged well over $4 million in private investment in the county’s Main Streets.
“The Main Street Program shows how effective County government can be in working with local government, local groups, and the private sector. The Greene County Planning and Economic Development Department and the members of the County's Economic Development Committee can be proud of the results that have been achieved over the years,” said Karen Deyo, chairperson of the Legislature's Government Operations Committee.
The County has also leveraged the MSRP into $200,000 in New York Main Street funds for Cairo and Tannersville, working with Catskill Mountain Housing Development Corporation, and $200,000 for a portion of Main Street Catskill in partnership with the Heart of Catskill Association. The Department of Planning and Economic Development is continuing to work with a variety of organizations in order to maximize funding opportunities.
For four consecutive years, MSRP projects have won Ellen Rettus Planning Achievement Awards from the Greene County Planning Board for outstanding implementation. Greene County is also working with the Town of Cairo on its first local Main Street Development Strategy in 2008, and is hoping to expand that effort into other communities as well.
Eligible MSRP activities include signage, appropriate façade restoration, windows, doors, awnings and painting. Municipalities and main street organizations are eligible for community signage and infrastructure, such as benches and decorative street lighting. Participants must provide at least 50% of the total project cost with their own funds.
Recent successful MSRP projects include Kaaterskill Engineering in Cairo, the Oak Hill Kitchen in Durham, Fitness Concepts in Windham, N&S Supply in Catskill, the Eagle Hotel in Coxsackie and the Village Bistro and Pancho Villa’s Restaurant in Tannersville. The renovation of these buildings has allowed improved commercial and residential space to be marketed and occupied, making Greene County’s Main Street areas more vibrant and welcoming to customers.
Applications for the 2008 MSRP are available from the Greene County Planning and Economic Development Department. Applications will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 14, 2008, either by regular mail or in person at the Planning and Economic Development Office at 411 Main Street in Catskill. E-mail or faxed submissions cannot be accepted. Applications submitted after that date cannot be accepted for this round of funding.
For further information or to receive an application, please contact Karl Heck at the Greene County Planning and Economic Development Department at 719-3290, or kheck@discovergreene.com
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