Fulton will target 16 projects and Seneca Falls has focused on 13 projects as the communities move forward with their $10 million awards in the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).

The projects will enhance waterfront amenities, repurpose existing buildings to develop new residential and retail spaces, and support small businesses and industry, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced May 14. 

Fulton was named a Round 4 winner in August 2019. Seneca Falls was named a Round 4 winner in November 2019.

Some Fulton projects 

The City of Fulton will use $1.5 million to renovate and re-purpose an abandoned building on the old Nestlé site into a mixed-use development. Proposed uses include 55 to 65 residential units, office space, restaurant, and a Nestlé museum. 

In addition, Fulton will use $860,000 to build a new facility on the former Nestlé site to attract and expand advanced startup manufacturing businesses. 

Another $2 million of Fulton’s DRI award will bring additional medical services to the community through the expansion of Oswego Health’s Fulton campus. 

The projects also include using $750,000 to establish a grant fund to help local businesses with building upgrades, permanent equipment purchases, and technical assistance. 

The Huhtamaki manufacturing campus will use $420,000 in facility and infrastructure upgrades to maintain jobs, enhance streetscapes, and improve pedestrian safety. 

Some Seneca Falls projects

Seneca Falls will use nearly $3.7 million for north canalside improvements, including People’s Park upgrades, such as new pathways and decks overlooking the canal; burying utility lines; and providing “better access” to the canal from downtown.

The community will also use $1 million of its award to establish the National Women’s Hall of Fame as a “destination.” The work will involve renovation of the iconic smokestack; installation of new permanent exhibits; construction of a code-compliant elevator and external stairwell for access and expansion to the second, third, and fourth floors for additional museum space. 

In addition, Seneca Falls will use $912,000 for work at It’s A Wonderful Life Museum. The museum expansion will include structural stabilization of the building, façade renovation to reflect its historic appearance, “enhanced” accessibility, and improved signage. Expansion is the first phase of expected multi-phased improvement, per Cuomo’s office. 

Another $600,000 will help establish a building-improvement fund to provide grant funding for downtown building owners to support interior and exterior building improvements. 

The projects also include a renovation of the Gould Hotel’s first floor. The work will include lobby upgrades, conversion of the restaurant into a dual-purposed café & gastro-cocktail lounge, and relocation of the bar. The hotel will use $405,000 of the DRI award for the project.         

SYRACUSE — If area businesses and nonprofits can provide teenagers and young adults with jobs and experience this summer, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon are offering funding and resources.

Walsh and McMahon have asked area employers to help young people find work this summer through the City-County Summer Youth Employment program. 

Employment sites can hire young people between the ages of 16 and 20 to work on-site, remotely, or a combination of both. Employer costs to hire young adults for these summer-work experiences can be fully funded through this city and county partnership. CNY Works will manage all payroll and related costs — including employment preparation requirements for these short-term, temporary paid-work assignments. Participants must live in Syracuse or elsewhere in Onondaga County and must meet income-eligibility requirements.

Prior to the pandemic, Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse had grown the number of young people participating in the City-County Summer Youth Employment program to more than 1,200. Concerns over COVID-19 last summer put most youth hiring on hold. 

The county and the city want to get the program “back on track,” but currently face a “shortfall” of worksites and hundreds of jobs.

“COVID restrictions have had a devastating impact on our youth. They need our help this summer,” Walsh said. “We’re asking employers in the public and private sector to join the Summer Youth Employment program now and provide working experience and opportunities to our teenagers and young adults this summer. A summer job can change the trajectory of a young person’s life and set them on a path to success.”

McMahon added, “It’s a win-win for employers and the community. Through the assistance of New York State, we have funding available to help employers pay for these positions, and our youth gain invaluable skills. All of us have been worried about the short and long-term impact of the pandemic on our young people. This is a way to help them have a more productive summer and prepare for a successful future.”

For more employer information or to participate in the program, those interested can contact Amy Stage, workforce manager at CNY Works, at (315) 477-6937 or email: astage@cnyworks.com.     

New York Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner JoAnn Destito recently announced that a Salina landscaping and restoration business has been certified as a service-disabled veteran-owned business (SDVOB).

The New York OGS Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development (DSDVBD) issued the certification to Elite Property Management & Restoration, which is located on Corkins Lane in the town of Salina and specializes in landscaping, snow removal, and construction.

The company was among six newly certified businesses announced by OGS on May 11. The DSDVBD was created by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014 through enactment of the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act. As of May 11, a total of 869 businesses were certified in the state.

For a business to receive certification, one or more service-disabled veterans — with a service-connected disability rating of 10 percent or more from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (or from the New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs for National Guard veterans) — must own at least 51 percent of the business. Other criteria include: the business must be independently owned and operated and have a significant business presence in New York, it must have conducted business for at least one year prior to the application date, and it must qualify as a small business under the New York State program. Several more requirements also need to be met.