Massena BDC to receive $35,000 in unexpended state funds

MASSENA - Unexpended state funds intended for downtown redevelopment are heading to the Business Development Corporation for a Greater Massena.

The village Board of Trustees voted 4-0 Tuesday night, with Mayor James F. Hidy absent,to authorize the BDC to spend the $35,000 member item Sen. Raymond A. Meier provided in 2005.

The BDC will use the money to try and leverage additional grants for downtown, according to Executive Director Jason A. Clark. The BDC is applying for funds from the St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency, and a $70,000 grant through the Mayor’s Automotive Coalition to help revitalize downtown.

Having the $35,000 will be a starting point to land those other grants, Mr. Clark said.

“It allows us to use that money to help us apply for additional monies,” Mr. Clark said. “They key term is leverage. You want to leverage one funding source against others to try and generate more,”

The money may also be used for downtown facade improvements. Mr. Clark said there are two downtown property owners currently interested in improving their facades. The funding would require private businesses to match the funds dollar-for-dollar if they utilize them.

“Once we get a decision with respect to whether we’ll get the additional monies, then we’ll start the reconstruction of some of the downtown facade projects,” he said. “It’s not just one singular goal. It’s putting three or four expectations together into one program.”

The BDC also plans to establish a framework for redevelopment using the Western New York village of Mount Morris as a blueprint, Trustee Patricia K. “Trish” Wilson said.

“Through a combination of code changes and reusing existing buildings and facade improvements and investments, by local people, it really reinvigorated their downtown,” she said. “It’s a great model, and we’re trying to learn from that by bringing in the people that were players there.”

“We’re going to solicit assistance from firms that have experience in doing this kind of thing, using the example of Mount Morris, to help create a structure by which we can sort of modify code, set usage guidelines, other things,” Mr. Clark added afterward.

In addition, the BDC may work on revising Massena’s downtown master plan, last updated several years ago. Ms. Wilson said the changes since then, including the closure of the General Motors plant, has made that plan obsolete.

“What we did even four years ago are pretty much gone,” Ms. Wilson said.

At last week’s BDC meeting, officials threw several ideas onto the table to use the funds.

Board member Crista Makdouli suggested the monies be utilized to improve the long-shuttered Schine Theater. Mayor James F. Hidy suggested the money be used to paint the Slavin’s building “tan or any color more appealing than what it is right now” to encourage its redevelopment.

Mr. Hidy said he supported the village board’s decision Tuesday night.

“Giving it to the BDC is not a bad idea,” he said. “If that’s the direction they’re going, I’m most in favor of it.”