The Canandaigua Local Development Corporation announced the election of new officers for 2021.
The new appointments include:
- James Terwilliger, President
- Cathy Menikotz, Vice-President
- Robert Taylor, Treasurer
- Ethan Fogg, Secretary
The new leadership assumed their posts at the January organizational meeting of the organization.
In addition, the CLDC is set to commence with goal setting in what is anticipated to be an active FY2021. The Board will convene in mid-March to outline a plan for execution of its strategic vision for the coming year.
The CLDC was chartered in late 2019 to serve as the primary economic development organization for the Town and City of Canandaigua. City and Town leadership are joined by representatives of the Canandaigua Area Chamber of Commerce to round out the organization’s membership. In FY2020, the Board created its operational framework, established overarching economic development strategies, and began work on multiple projects.
Key initial strategies for the CLDC include:
- Creating a pedestrian-oriented destination in downtown Canandaigua for outdoor entertainment and dining;
- Activate vacant ground floor space in downtown and increase living opportunities in upper stories;
- Promote market ready buildings and sites throughout Canandaigua;
- Support redevelopment efforts at Pinnacle North and the former Labelon facility; and
- Identify opportunities to strengthen the connection between downtown and the lakefront.
In FY2020, the CLDC initiated work on these strategies through efforts including:
- Providing funding and logistical support to the launch of the Central on Main; a cooperative outdoor dining and entertainment space on Main Street;
- Supported the development of a New York Main Street grant to support revitalization of downtown buildings, including the development of upper story residential;
- Commenced with creation of a new organizational website designed to promote the City and Town, with specific focus on key sites and buildings; and
- Funded the Active Transportation Plan for Main Street, Routes 5 and 20, and Lakeshore Drive to create a stronger connection between downtown and the lake
With a strong organizational framework in place, and our strategic groundwork laid, the organization is poised to focus efforts on scaled up execution of Board priorities in FY2021.
“The LDC represents an opportunity to harness the economic potential of the City and Town of Canandaigua,” said Board President Jim Terwilliger. “We’ve got tremendous horsepower on the Board, a unified vision for the community, and professional economic development leadership supporting us. With these elements in place, the sky’s the limit.”
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