Vacant Property Revitalization

Revitalization: Vacant to Value

Lewis County is targeting vacant and potentially unsafe or blighted properties within downtown areas to turn them into usable spaces for business development and other opportunities. Programs will have immediate effects on our downtowns, as projects will revitalize vacant properties, enhancing our communities, driving business development and bringing residents and tourists into downtown areas. By focusing on on bringing buildings back to life, the community will see an increase property tax base, creation of local construction jobs, as well as future employment within businesses and enhanced the local quality of life.

Lewis County Vacant Property Revitalization Program

Project Eligibility:

The project must reduce blight, contributing to the economic recovery of downtown areas
The project must be a vacant building and/or floor (currently unused, or unable to be used due remediation or construction needs)
The project must include renovation of commercial buildings resulting in occupancy through new business or residential (residential occupancy includes 2nd floors and above)
The project must be financially feasible
The project must show community benefit, such as increased tax base, job creation or new business development

Financial Asssistance:

Awarded projects will receive 50% of total project costs, up to $100,000 per project, and will be in the form of a reimbursement grant. Funding will be reimbursed to property owner once agreed upon milestones are met and project is complete.

Restore NY

Project Eligibility:

Municipalities, defined as counties, cities, towns and villages, are invited to submit a Request for Funding Proposal for projects to demolish, deconstruct, rehabilitate and/or reconstruct vacant, abandoned, condemned and surplus properties. Additionally, funds can be used for site development needs related to the project including, but not limited to water, sewer and parking.
Applications are scored against specific guidelines and how strongly they meet the goals of the program, which are to induce commercial investment and/or improve the local housing stock

Applicants must:

Be initiated by municipalities
Demonstrate at least a 10% match; and
Hold a public hearing to discuss the application and the property assessment list

Financial Assistance:

Lewis County Municipalities can apply for up to $2 million for one project in their community. All projects require no less than ten percent of the aggregated award or awards amount in matching contributions. Cash and in-kind contributions are allowed.

Project Eligibility Form

Please fill out the following form if you have a potential project in Lewis County for the Vacant Property Revitalization Program and/or would like assistance with the submission of a Round 7 ReStore NY application through Empire State Development. Upon review by staff, if your project appears to be eligible for funding through either the Vacant Property Revitalization Program or Restore NY Funding, you will receive an invitation to submit a full application.

Contact Information

Contact Name*

Preferred Mailing Address*

Preferred Email Address*

Preferred Phone Number*

Contact Is:*

Building Owner

Business Tenant

Village/Town

Other

Explain

Building & Project Information

Please provide the following details as applicable to the project:

Location of Proposed Project*

Business (If Applicable)

Building Square Footage:

Project Scope (Choose all that apply)

DEMOLITION - completely tear down or raze a building.

DECONSTRUCTION - careful disassembly of a building of architectural or historic significance with the intent to rehabilitate or reconstruct the building or salvage the disassembled material from the building for reuse.

REHABILITATION - structural repairs, mechanical systems repair or replacement, repairs related to deferred maintenance, emergency repairs, energy efficiency upgrades, accessibility improvements, mitigation of lead-based hazards, and other repairs that result in a significant improvement to the property, provided however, that to the extent possible, such rehabilitation shall be architecturally consistent with nearby and adjacent properties, or done in a manner consistent with a local revitalization or urban development plan.

RECONSTRUCTION - the construction of a new building, which is similar in architectural style, size and purpose to a previously existing building at such location, provided however, that to the extent possible such reconstruction is architecturally consistent with nearby and adjacent properties, or in a manner consistent with a local revitalization or urban development plan.

Estimated Project Cost: