A Central New York village will receive $10 million from New York’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative as part of the latest round of state funding aimed at boosting local economies.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the Village of Cazenovia is the Central New York winner of the ninth round of the program.
Two additional villages — Marcellus and Mexico — will each receive $4.5 million through the state’s NY Forward program, which targets smaller communities.
The state is awarding $10 million through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and another $10 million through NY Forward in each of New York’s 10 economic development regions. In total, the state is committing $200 million in this round of funding.
Cazenovia officials plan to use the money to support projects in the village’s downtown area. The community is working to rebuild economically following the closure of Cazenovia College in 2023.
Marcellus, located in Onondaga County, plans to use its funding to improve walkability, expand green space and support local businesses in its downtown district.
In Oswego County, the Village of Mexico will focus on revitalizing its historic downtown area along the Little Salmon River and positioning the community for future growth.
Communities receiving the funding must first be certified under the state’s Pro-Housing Communities Program, which rewards municipalities that commit to expanding housing supply.
Since launching the programs, the state has committed about $1.4 billion to downtown revitalization efforts across New York.
Cazenovia, Marcellus and Mexico will now begin developing strategic investment plans that will guide how the grant money is spent on redevelopment projects.
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