Waterloo, Macedon Projects Awarded Millions in DRI, NY Forward Funding

Governor Kathy Hochul on Friday announced awards for a total of 31 transformational projects in the Finger Lakes region as part of two economic development programs: the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward. Thirteen projects were announced for Waterloo, the Round 7 winner of a $10 million DRI award, and seven projects were announced for Macedon, also a Round 2 winner of a $4.5 million NY Forward award.

Below is a description of each project and the amount of funding that it was awarded:

The 13 Waterloo DRI projects, totaling $9.7 million, include:

• Upgrade Recreation Facilities at the Waterloo Community Center ($1,658,000): Build a year-round sports facility and enhance the recreation center to expand opportunities for recreation and community events.
• Establish a Multi-Modal Hub and Gathering Place on the Southwest Block ($1,372,000): Redesign the southwest parking lot as a flexible, landscaped, multi-purpose space to support local events, tourism and retail activity.
• Expand the Waterloo Library and Historical Society ($1,271,000): Build a new wing on the historic Waterloo Library to create new spaces for library services, community programming and displaying the collections of the Memorial Day Museum.
• Reinforce Vern’s Way as a Downtown Connector ($1,119,000): Improve Vern’s Way with seating, lighting, landscaping and a ramp to enhance its role as an accessible connection between the canal and downtown.
• Continue Main Street Public Realm Improvements ($886,000): Create curb bump-outs and rain gardens and install trees and street furniture to make Main Street more safe, attractive, sustainable and comfortable.
• Revamp Retail Offerings in the Street of Shops ($845,000): Renovate five retail units on the ground floor of the Street of Shops to enliven the east end of Waterloo’s Main Street.
• Establish a Small Project Grant Fund to Continue Downtown Waterloo’s Revitalization ($600,000): Create a fund to support smaller-scale building improvements to enhance the appearance of downtown, provide new housing and commercial space, support businesses and create public art.
• Outfit the Upper Floor of 1 East Main Street into New Apartments ($562,000): Renovate the second story of a Main Street building to expand housing options and increase the number of people living downtown.
• Develop the Grange Food Hall and Entertainment Hub ($519,000): Renovate the historic Grange Hall building as a restaurant, arcade, soda fountain and event venue to create a destination for locals and visitors.
• Renovate 10 West Main Street to Create New Office Space ($320,000): Rehabilitate the third floor of a historic Main Street building to create new small-scale office spaces in the heart of downtown.
• Strengthen Downtown Waterloo’s Identity with a Branding and Wayfinding Initiative ($250,000): Refresh the Village’s brand, develop a marketing strategy and install wayfinding signage to promote Waterloo as a place to live, visit and invest, and to connect people to key destinations.
• Improve Community Facilities at the American Legion ($200,000): Upgrade the Hall at the American Legion to expand its capacity as a community facility and improve the building grounds as a gateway to downtown Waterloo.
• Create an Artisan Shop at 39 West Main Street ($98,000): Renovate a Main Street building to create an additional retail unit and give the storefront a more traditional appearance.

The 7 Macedon NY Forward Projects, totaling $4.5 Million, include:

• Revitalize the Former Village Hall to Relocate Ambulance Services Downtown ($1,250,000): Renovate the former Village Hall building to be the new downtown headquarters for ambulance services in order to improve response times.
• Create a Residential Campus at 2 West Street ($920,000): Construct new townhouse units to expand downtown housing options and grow the 2 West Street property into a larger residential campus with a variety of housing types and price-points.
• Redevelop 103 Main Street as a Mixed-Use Downtown Anchor ($915,000): Redevelop the building at 103 Main Street into a downtown anchor, with a mix of uses including loft-style apartments and a ground-floor retail space for a food and beverage tenant.
• Enhance Recreational Facilities at Gravino Park ($740,000): Expand recreational opportunities and amenities at Gravino Park to encourage increased utilization and diversify programming options.
• Establish a Downtown Small Project Grant Fund ($450,000): Create a matching grant fund to support smaller-scale improvements and renovations that will enhance properties and businesses throughout the NY Forward Area.
• Activate 90 Main Street to Bring Auto Service Downtown ($125,000): Complete the final phase of facade improvements and renovations to allow 90 Main Street to re-open as an auto repair shop after years of vacancy.
• Revitalize the Masonic Block B&B with a New Restaurant ($100,000): Fit-out the ground floor of the bed & breakfast at 96-98 Main Street to support the needs of a future cafe or restaurant tenant in order to activate this currently vacant space with a new business.

The 11 remaining projects are in the village of Webster, Monroe County.

To see artist renderings for each project, click here

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