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Medina committee finalizes list of projects submitted to state for NY Forward grant

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 November 2023 at 4:12 pm

List is $3 million over $4.5 million grant; State officials now will decide which projects get funded

Kimberly Baptiste of the Bergmann engineering, architecture and planning firm led the committee in discussing potential projects for the NY Forward program, including upgrades to the Canal Village Farmers’ Market on West Center Street. The Farmers’ Market project is recommended by the committee for $675,000 of the NY Forward grant.

MEDINA – A local planning committee reviewing projects for Medina’s $4.5 million New York Forward grant has agreed on a list of projects that are about $3 million over the funding limit of the program. State officials will have the ultimate say in picking the projects and the funding amount.

Medina had nearly $9 million in funding requests. It removed five projects with a combined request level of $1.3 million. That brings the total funding requests to $7,525,000.

The projects that were removed from NY Forward consideration are still strong proposals and should be included for other funding initiatives in the near future, Kimberly Baptiste of the Bergmann firm, advised the committee from Medina during a meeting on Oct. 24.

“Those that weren’t included could be pipeline projects in a strategic investment plan for other grants,” Baptiste said.

The Medina committee reviewed the goals set by the state for the NY Forward program, and noted that more housing is a top priority of the program.

The group decided to remove these projects from NY Forward:

  • Avanti Pizza Upper Floors Renovation at 500 Main St. ($600,000 request) – This project would renovate the upper floors of the Avanti Pizza building into a mix of residential and office space.
  • Medina Theatre Renovations at 601-611 Main St. ($150,000 request) – This project would be the first phase of a larger effort to upgrade the Medina Theatre. This project would renovate the existing marquee and facade, make cosmetic improvements to the theatre, and prep the building for a future restaurant and conference space.
  • 433 Main Street Apartment Creation ($300,000 request) – This project would create a new two-bedroom apartment on the upper floors of the building at 433 Main Street.
  • Bunkhaus Renovations at 511 West Ave. ($100,000 request) – This project would renovate the Bunkhaus Hostel to create 4 one-bedroom apartments targeted for short- and long-term rental housing for professionals, snowboards, and/or tourists.
  • Canal Basin Park Gateway Signage ($150,000) – This project will install two large, gateway signs at the Mill Street entrance to the Canal Basin (off Main Street) and at the East Center Street alleyway entrance to the basin.

There are 17 projects recommended for potential NY Forward funding. Baptiste and Bergmann staff worked with the applicants for precise numbers on the cost of their projects, and the funding requests.

Here are the projects and the funding amounts recommended by the local planning committee:

  • Renovate and Expand the Canal Village Farmer’s Market ($675,000) – This project will update the existing farmer’s market building at 127 West Center Street, construct a pole barn for additional vendor space, and create a green space on site.
  • Create the Canal View Bar/Tasting Area Overlooking the Erie Canal ($120,000) – This project will create a bar/serving area with an exterior patio/deck overlooking the Canal Basin in the rear of the Modern Mercantile building at 135 East Center St.
  • Renovate the Upper Floor Apartments at 409-413 Main Street ($370,000) – This project will renovate the second floor at 409-413 Main Street into 3 one-bedroom apartments and 1 two-bedroom apartment.
  • Make the Community Space at the Knights of Columbus ADA Accessible ($130,000) – This project will install a lift to make the second floor event space at the Knights of Columbus building ADA accessible and will also improve the front facade.
  • Create Apartments and Renovate the Commercial Spaces at 424 Main St. ($225,000) – This project will build out 4 market-rate apartments on the second and third floors of 424 Main Street, in addition to updating the ground floor commercial spaces and the front facade.
  • Create a Community Arts and Crafts Workshop and Gift Store ($175,000) – This project will create an arts and crafts workshop at 509 Main Street that is open to the community with a gift store inside.
  • Create a Community Space and Apartment at Author’s Note Bookstore ($200,000) – This project will create a two-bedroom apartment at 519 Main Street in addition to a small community meeting space that will be open to the public.
  • Create an Apartment and Renovate the Commercial Storefront at 521 Main St. ($120,000) –This project will convert the second floor commercial space at 521 Main Street into an apartment unit and will also upgrade the front facade.
  • Redevelop the Walsh Hotel ($560,000) – This project will complete a larger project to convert the upper floors of the Walsh Hotel into 22 studio and one-bedroom apartments.
  • Create the Arenite Brewing Company on the Canal ($500,000) – This project will create a microbrewery with tasting room and outdoor seating overlooking the canal at 339 Main Street, complete with a rooftop solar installation.
  • Upgrade the Hart House Hotel ($500,000) – This project will upgrade the Hart House Hotel with new amenities including a spa, outdoor event space, gourmet gastropub, formal lobby with cafe space, and facade improvements.
  • Renovate and Expand the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library ($500,000) – This project is part of a larger project to expand the library with new and updated spaces including a children’s area, tutoring rooms, meeting rooms and a quiet room.
  • Implement Downtown Wayfinding Signage ($250,000) – This project will implement a system of directional, informational, and interpretive signage at key locations and destinations throughout downtown.
  • Improve Connectivity and Usability of the Downtown Public Parking Lot ($1,000,000) – This project will re-design the public parking lot behind Main Street to improve circulation, add parking spaces, and create safer connections for pedestrians to nearby destinations.
  • Enhance the East Center Street Alleyway Connection ($400,000) – This project will refresh the alleyway that connects the public parking lot across East Center Street to the Canal Basin with pavement designs, landscaping, lighting and signage.
  • Transform Canal Basin Park into a Waterfront Gateway ($1,500,000) – This project will transform the parking lot along the canal into a “waterfront gateway” complete with green space, seating areas and boater/cyclist amenities.
  • Create a Small Project Grant Fund ($300,000) – This project will create a pool of funding to support business and property owners with smaller-scale projects like facade improvements, window replacement, and other repairs.

The list will now be submitted to the state for its review with a funding announcement expected in the spring for $4.5 million total.