Two Ontario County communities sit at the center of a major Finger Lakes housing investment announced by the state this week.
Governor Kathy Hochul awarded more than $463 million statewide through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative, with over $42 million directed to the Finger Lakes region. A significant share of that funding targets housing-enabling infrastructure in Phelps and Canandaigua, according to state award documents.
State officials say the goal is simple: Fix the infrastructure first so housing can finally follow.
Utility work unlocks growth in Phelps
The Village of Phelps received $2.888 million through the Pro-Housing Supply Fund to expand public water and sewer service to an area slated for new residential construction.
The infrastructure project supports a planned 144-unit housing development, which state officials say will increase the village’s total housing stock by roughly 25 percent.
Plans for the site include a mix of housing types. The development is expected to feature single-family homes, 55-and-older patio homes, senior apartments, and standard apartment units.
Without utility extensions, the site could not support that scale of development. The funding removes one of the largest barriers to housing growth in the village, according to the state’s project description.
$3 million investment fuels Uptown Landing
The Town of Canandaigua secured $3 million for major electric grid upgrades tied to the Uptown Landing residential development, one of the largest housing proposals in the region.
The infrastructure work includes electric service extensions, substation upgrades, a new transformer, and expanded distribution and transmission lines.
State officials say those upgrades will enable construction of 634 residential units across a 100-acre site. The development is planned as a multi-developer project with a mix of single-family homes, townhomes, and mixed-use apartment buildings.
The project falls under the state’s Pro-Housing Supply Fund, which focuses on infrastructure that directly enables housing construction rather than funding buildings themselves.
Finger Lakes funding spans housing, waterfronts, and planning
Beyond Phelps and Canandaigua, Finger Lakes awards span housing infrastructure, waterfront revitalization, climate resilience, tourism, and planning projects.
In total, the region received funding for 68 projects, making it one of the larger regional recipients in the state this year.
Finger Lakes 2025 REDC award recipients
• Village of Phelps – Pro-Housing infrastructure expansion – $2,888,000
• Town of Canandaigua – Uptown Landing electric infrastructure – $3,000,000
• Wayne County – Lyons Western Gateway Park – $150,000
• City of Rochester – Dewey Avenue cycle track – $780,000
• Ontario County – Organics management plan – $60,000
• City of Geneva – Castle Creek daylighting study – $60,000
• Village of Webster – BOA predevelopment projects – $343,800
• Town of Macedon – Local Waterfront Revitalization Program – $66,555
• Town of Webster – Sandbar waterfront revitalization design – $281,595
• Wyoming County – Silver Lake LWRP Phase II – $255,851
• Town of Seneca Falls – Intermunicipal water quality network – $82,500
• Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council – Kendall-Yates-Carlton LWRPs – $86,250
• Town of Penfield – LWRP amendment – $75,000
• City of Geneva – Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan – $99,000
• ROC2025 – Greater ROC tourism campaign – $300,000
• Home Leasing, LLC – Fullams Landing housing – $470,500
• Headwater Foods – Rochester food hub – $3,000,000
• Foodlink, Inc. – Infrastructure improvement phase 3 – $440,000
• Canandaigua Area Development Corporation – Lakefront Arts Natural Park infrastructure – $3,000,000
• Additional Finger Lakes tourism, planning, housing, and environmental projects totaling more than $42 million
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