An Office of the New York Department of State

Downtown Revitalization InitiativeGovernor Andrew Cuomo’s

November 9. 2017

Local Planning Committee Meeting #1 – Kick Off

Today’s Agenda

• Overview of DRI• Roles and Responsibilities of LPC• Consultant Team• Schedule • Public Engagement Process• What are Other Communities Doing• DRI Area• Vision, Goals, Projects• SWOT exercise• Next Steps

$100 Million State Investment in 10 downtown neighborhoods nominated by REDCs

Strategic Investment Plans will identify projects for potential funding through the DRI, and other projects funded by other public & private resources

Overview of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI)

Program Goal is to Build on a Successful DRI Application

• Robust public participation to identify priority projects.

• Emphasize capital projects such as public infrastructure or private development.

• Identify strategic matching grant/revolving loan funds to support capital projects.

• Favor projects that leverage additional public and private funds.

• Develop metrics to demonstrate ability to kick-start downtown economic development.

Key Ingredients of a DRI Plan

• A clear vision for the downtown.• Goals and strategies to accomplish the vision.• An action plan with a timeline for projects, initiatives, and

actions.• A strategic investment plan with catalytic projects to

implement the plan.

Visions, Goals & Strategies

Downtown VisionGuiding

framework for the DRI Strategic

Investment Plan.

GoalsIdentify conceptual ideas that DRI Plan

should address.Priority Projects are organized by Goal to ensure that the DRI Plan addresses core

objectives.

StrategiesSpecific outcomes that

the DRI Plan should achieve.

Strategies can be used to develop metrics to

track the impact of Priority Projects.

Key DRI Tasks2017 2018

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar

Community Engagement

Downtown Profile and Assessment

Downtown Vision, Goals, and Strategies

Priority Project Profiles

Downtown Management and Implementation

Final DRI Plan

DRI Project Types

• Public Improvements • New Development and

Rehabilitation of Existing Structures

• Revolving Loan and Grant Funds

• Branding and Marketing

What other projects, accomplished through other public or private funds, will help achieve the vision?

Not Eligible for DRI Two: • Planning activities• Staff costs• Training expenses• Program expenses.

Roles & Responsibilities of the Local Planning Committee

• Establish and refine the vision and goals for downtown revitalization

• Brainstorm ideas, provide direction to consultants at meetings

• Review draft DRI documents• Help implement public engagement process• Help to identify projects for the plan• Develop and submit DRI Strategic Investment

PlanAlways Act in the

Public Interest

Roles and Responsibilities of New York State Planners

• Help LPC through planning process • Ensure Consultants and LPC meetings

accomplish critical tasks • Ensure program documents meet state

and local goals• Facilitate assistance from other State

agencies

DOS Planner:Chris Bauer

ESD Planner:Diego Sirianni

HCR Planner:Lenny Skrill

Governor’s Regional Representative:

Lori Cornell

The Consultant Team

Urban Strategies• Project Lead• Urban Planning & Design• Consultation

C.J.Law• Economic & Market

conditionsFoit Albert Associates• Heritage &

Architecture

BuroHappoldEng.

• Mobility

Watts Eng.• Environmental• Servicing

Singleton• Cost Estimation

Local Planning Committee

State Planning Team

Urban Strategies

Urban Strategies

Troy, NY

Roles & Responsibilities of the Consulting Team

• Prepare for & staff LPC meetings • Prepare for & lead public outreach events• Research & study issues• Prepare program documents with input from

Committee & State Planners• Help identify projects & prepare project

profiles and analyses that demonstrates feasibility and impact of projects

• Stakeholder interviews

• Downtown Profile and Assessment

PHAS

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SKS

CON

SULT

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N2

Goals, Strategies & Projects

3Priority Project Profiles

4Downtown

Revitalization Plan

• Develop long list of projects

• Refine goals, strategies and projects

• Identify draft priority projects

• Prepare draft project profiles

• Refine project profiles

• Management and implementation strategies

• Draft and Final DRI Strategic Investment Plan

1Start-up, Engagement &

Assessment

October November December January February March2017 2018

Project Schedule

LPC MeetingOpen House

Public Engagement Process

• Interviews with community leaders and representatives

• Public meetings and open houses• Workbooks and online materials

First Public Engagement EventDecember 6th, 6:00pm – 8pmLocation: JCC

What are other communities doing? Renovating buildings and filling upper floors with work spaces and apartments.

Corning, NY Troy, NY

What are other communities doing? Attracting and growing institutions.

Cambridge, Ontario Stratford, Ontario

Supporting growth in innovation and knowledge-based sectors

EMPAC Troy, NY Center of Gravity, Troy, NY

What are other communities doing?

What are other communities doing? Creating and improving public spaces for special events and daily enjoyment.

Troy, NY

What are other communities doing? Creating and improving public spaces for special events and daily enjoyment.

Guelph, Ontario

What are other communities doing? Reinvigorating old industrial areas with new businesses and space for artists.

Asheville, NC

What are other communities doing?

North Adams, MA

Reinvigorating old industrial areas with new businesses and space for artists.

What are other communities doing? Investing in new cultural and entertainment attractions.

Hudson, NY

What are other communities doing? Investing in new cultural and entertainment attractions.

Midland, Ontario

What are other communities doing? Getting into the festival business.

Traverse City, MI Hamburg, NY

What are other communities doing? Leveraging and building upon recreational assets.

Traverse City, MI

What are other communities doing? Leveraging and building upon recreational assets.

Ellicottville, NY

DRI Area

The DRI program provides an opportunity to explore a range of revitalization projects that can strengthen the downtown and the city as a whole

Mixed-Use

Vision & Goals for the downtown (Comprehensive Plan)

Specialty Retailing

More Housing

Parks and TrailsCulture and

Entertainment

Vibrant

Places to Work and

Learn

Streetscape & Open Space ImprovementsWalkable Olean Extension New Housing

Façade Improvements, Adaptive Reuse Business ExpansionsManny Hanny Restoration & Reuse

DRI Application Projects

New Project Ideas

In order to evaluate projects we will be requesting a range of information. The Request forProject Information form is organized as follows:

1. Project Summary

2. Proponents/Applicants

3. About the Site

4. Proposed Development

5. Cost estimates and Financing Plan

6. Local Impact

An early task is to refine the vision for the downtown

Today, we would like to host a Downtown Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats workshop to begin the process of informing the Vision and Goals to Guide Downtown Revitalization

Key downtown Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats

Strengths

Key downtown Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats

Weaknesses/Challenges

Key downtown Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats

Opportunities

Key downtown Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats

Threats

Next Steps

Complete stakeholder interviews Request Project Information LPC #2 December 5 – Share Downtown Profile and

Confirm Vision and Goals Public Open House #1 December 6

For more information: https://www.ny.gov/programs/downtown-revitalization-initiative

Thank you