Lewis County IDA and Village of Lyons Falls Apply for NBRC Grants

LOWVILLE – The Lewis County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and the Village of Lyons Falls recently completed and submitted Economic Infrastructure Improvement grants to the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) that will help spur business and residential growth in Lewis County.

The Northern Border Regional Commission is a partnership between the federal government and the States of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.  According to NBRC, their mission is to “fund economic development and infrastructure projects throughout designated counties in its four state service areas.”  The state and federal partnership works to provide investments to job-creating projects that help reduce poverty, unemployment and outmigration. 

The two Lewis County entities, the Lewis County IDA and Village of Lyons Falls, submitted proposals for NBRC investment for new infrastructure developments. 

The Lewis County IDA applied for $455,200 to help fund the build out of a one-thousand foot entrance and full utilities into the first two site pads of the future Lewis County Commerce Park.  This project will create Shovel Ready sites, ready for development for new or existing businesses. 

The Village of Lyons Falls was awarded an NBRC grant in 2016 for a waterline extension that benefited the United Cerebral Palsy facility in the village. The Village’s current application is seeking to extend the same waterline, along Park Place and Laura Street, adjacent to the Riverside Park.  The waterline extension will create a water loop that will eventually support business and residential developments along that corridor.  This project was initiated by private investor seeking to purchase the land along Park Place for future developments. 

Both infrastructure projects will work to foster business and community development in Lewis County.  With aging or limited infrastructure to support business endeavors, these improvements and additions will provide opportunity for job creation and retention, preventing the outmigration of young professionals to urban and suburban areas throughout New York and the United States.

Award announcements from Northern Border Regional Commission are expected in Fall 2018, and both entities will determine next steps based on award outcomes at that time. 

For more information on grant assistance for your project, contact Lewis County Economic Development at 315-376-3014, or visit naturallylewis.com!