Cape plans more work to revamp Main St.

CAPE VINCENT — The Cape Vincent Improvement League has grant money left for additional Main Street improvement projects and hopes to get a deadline extension from the state to use the remaining funds.

The league received $200,000 from the New York State Main Street grant program in 2007 to revamp the village's downtown. The deadline for all projects is Nov. 30.

Kristine M. Kennedy, president of the league, said the organization recently applied for a nine-month extension to complete two structural improvement projects and two facade renovation projects planned for next year.

The league has about $54,000 left to spend on those projects.

The program reimburses the higher of $50,000 or 50 percent of renovation projects in the village's downtown district, which runs along Broadway between Market and Murray streets.

This year, the league has been working on three structural improvement projects and three facade renovation projects.

"This area, in the heart of the Cape Vincent business district, is undergoing significant change and it is fantastic," Ms. Kennedy said.

In addition to building improvements, the league hopes to break ground on its streetscape improvement project next year.

"We have $180,000 allocated for structural and facade renovations, leaving $20,00 for streetscape improvements," she said.

Last month, the league hired Environmental Design & Research, a land-use-planning firm in Syracuse, for the streetscape project's design.

"The design plan will be completed over the next few weeks and we expect to implement the first improvements in the spring," Ms. Kennedy said.

Ms. Kennedy said the league also hopes to spend part of the Main Street grant money to help developer Michael A. Treanor renovate the 115-year-old Roxy Hotel.

Mr. Treanor plans to purchase the historic building, at Broadway and Market Street, and renovate the second and third floors into a year-round hotel with 20 rooms.

In September, the village government was awarded a $1.5 million Restore NY grant for the $2.2 million renovation project.