Medina to pick firm to design Canal Basin improvements
State awarded village $1.345 million for project as part of $4.5 million NY Forward grant
Photos by Tom Rivers: The Canal Basin parking lot will redesigned as part of a $1.345 million grant from the state. The Medina Village Board is expected to hire an engineering firm on Monday to work on the design of the project. The new lot will have less asphalt and more green space.
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board expects to hire an engineering firm on Monday to design improvements in the Canal Basin, a project with a goal to become a “waterfront gateway” with more green space, seating areas and boater/cyclist amenities.
Six firms on Wednesday presented proposals to Medina Mayor Debbie Padoleski, Village Trustee Jeff Wagner and members of the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program – Chris Busch, Mary Lewis and Kathy Blackburn.
The redesigned basin was awarded $1.345 million of the $4.5 million from the state to Medina in the NY Forward grant. The state finalized eight projects for the $4.5 million on May 17, 2024.
The transformed parking lot received the largest grant of the eight projects.
The redesign of the basin parking lot also will include two direct-current fast chargers for electric vehicles, each with two charging spots. The state awarded Medina $245,184 in a separate grant for those chargers with National Grid also chipping in $73,000.
Rendering from Empire State Development and Governor’s Office: The Canal Basin parking lot along the Erie Canal will be turned into a “waterfront gateway” complete with green space, seating areas and boater/cyclist amenities as part of the NY Forward grant in Medina. This is not the final design for the parking lot.
The basin will become more pedestrian friendly and also more inviting to boaters. The village is looking to upgrade the entry drive from Main Street; enhance the pedestrian walkway extending from Main Street, across rear building facades, to East Center Street alleyway; add a gazebo for shade and cover; expand flexible greenspace areas for programming with amenities including seating tables, benches, bike racks, shade trees and native plantings; and add pedestrian walkways with decorative, permeable pavers.
Chris Busch, a member of the LWRP committee, said the village created a vision for the basin about a decade ago through a waterfront redevelopment plan. The state funding will give the initiative significant investment and help make the project a reality.
The firm picked by the Village Board will present options for how to spend that grant, and the community will have an opportunity to weigh in during public meetings, Busch said.
The state will also need to approve the projects for the basin. The project is expected to go out to bid to contractors next year.
“This is only the beginning of the process,” Busch said about meeting with the firms on Wednesday.
This area of the Canal Basin lot will be part of the project. The village expects to add more green space and trees to the area, and will take out about 15 to 20 parking spaces, leaving about 70.
