NORWICH – The City of Norwich is moving forward on a largescale project to revitalize an historic part of downtown.
Plans to rejuvenate a part of the city known as the Heritage Block have been underway since 2013. The Heritage Block project is an initiative to assist private developers in the restoration of run-down properties at 42 and 44-46 North Broad St., and 15 and 17-19 Lackawanna Ave. The project also includes design and renovation of the parking lot shared by said properties as well as other properties at 8-12 Mechanic St. and 38-40 N. Broad St.
Last week, the Norwich Common Council moved to use state grant funds from multiple sources to pay administration fees to Shelter Planning and Development, Inc., a community development service based in Queensbury, NY. The agency was contracted by city officials in 2014 to apply for a series state grants which were awarded to the city late last year.
Shelter Planning was successful in being awarded three grants on behalf of the City of Norwich to help leverage investments from two private developers in the Heritage Block: Hercules Properties LLC (proprietor of 42 and 44-46 N. Broad) and The Hayworth Management Company (proprietor of 15 and 17-19 Lackawanna Ave.). The New York Main Street grant program through the NYS Office of Community Renewal awarded $250,000 for facade and building renovations; and another $120,000 was awarded through Empire State Development.
The third and final grant, awarded through the NY Environmental Facilities Corporation, will be used for an overhaul of the Heritage Block shared parking lot which conjoins Lackawanna Avenue on the south side with Mechanic Street on the north side. More than simply repaving the parking lot, the $534,000 grant will pay for green infrastructure that will prevent water runoff and allow rainwater to absorb into the ground.
All three grants were bundled in $904,000 grant package awarded to the City of Norwich in the fourth round of the Regional Economic Development Council in December.
Grant application and administration fees paid to Shelter Planning will taken from all three grants that were awarded.
“This is an example of a group of people that are working hard together to beautify the city,” said Norwich Mayor Joseph Maiurano.
City officials are currently in the stages of working with engineers to complete a draft layout of the project. They are also working with New York State Electric and Gas to configure the run of power lines to each property affected.
“We have been working closely with Shelter Planning throughout this process. They have done extensive work to get this,” Maiurano added. “This was not an easy process where someone could just fill out a few papers ... This is a largescale project type of grant that required us to get creative.”
“We have been taking on projects like this for years, and little by little, we’re making improvements to downtown,” Maiurano added. “It takes time to find solutions for dilapidated areas. We do what we can to find solutions, find what’s available for grant opportunities, and go after it.”
When engineering plans are complete, the city will put the parking lot refurbishing project out to bid. Hopes are to start construction on that by late summer or early fall. Renovations to the buildings on North Broad and Lackawanna Ave. are likely to continue throughout the summer.