APA Planning Forum: Community renewal resources

State supports NY Forward, towns share success stories in Keeseville

By: Kim Dedam

SARANAC LAKE | Adirondack Park Agency staff (APA) held its third annual Adirondack Planning Forum in May and filled every seat. A welcome reception brought New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley; Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton; and Environmental Facilities Corporation (EF) CEO Maureen Coleman up from Albany to meet at community tables.

Local government leaders, engineers, developers and planning board members asked questions and provided input on steps they’re taking to revitalize Adirondack towns.

In keynote remarks, Mosley said roundtable talks focused on affordability and how community officials can access state housing and renewal resources.

Local project goals, he said, draw from a town’s history and unique sense of place. Each community’s story is integral to project goals, he said, highlighting mixed-use housing restoration at Newberry Commons, the former Newberry’s five-and-dime in Ticonderoga, and Saranac Lofts, an arts-focused community housing project on Broadway in downtown Saranac Lake.

“We wanted to make sure you’re aware of all the services available at the Department of State,” Mosley said.

Last year, over $200 million was awarded to municipalities in New York through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and NY Forward, which expands on DRI success. NY Forward funds community renewal in $4.5 million increments.

In March, the state announced the winning proposal is for revitalization in Keeseville, co-chaired by the Towns of Chesterfield and Ausable.

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