Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council Named Upstate Revitalization Initiative Best Plan Awardee Region will receive $500 million over five years to implement URI plan; CFA Round V awards announced totaling $120.1 million for 134 projects

Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council Named Upstate Revitalization Initiative Best Plan Awardee The Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council (FLREDC) was named an Upstate Revitalization Initiative (URI) Best Plan Awardee for its new strategic plan, entitled “United for Success: Finger Lakes Forward." This means the region will receive $500 million over five years, in addition to economic development funds announced through Round V of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Regional Economic Development Council competition. In total, more than $2 billion in economic development resources was awarded statewide through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative and REDC competition.

“We are proud that Governor Cuomo and New York State have singled out the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council as a 'best plan awardee' and that we will receive half a billion dollars to move the region forward," said Joel Seligman and Danny Wegman, Co-Chairs of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council. “This is recognition that Governor Cuomo believes in the Finger Lakes and is giving our region the attention it deserves. With this infusion of funding in our pockets, we are united for success and ready to move our communities forward."

The Finger Lakes Region's URI plan consists of three industry clusters, or pillars, that will act as the core drivers of job and output growth: optics, photonics and imaging; agriculture and food production; and next generation manufacturing and technology.

The FLREDC will soon be releasing plans for implementation of its URI plan, including the process for project sponsors seeking to apply for URI funding.

The Finger Lakes region was also awarded $120.1 million this year, which will support 134 projects and URI strategies, including initiatives in Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties. The announcement was made Thursday in Albany.

Some of the funded CFA projects announced yesterday include:

Significant community development projects, including $3,500,000 for the Sibley Building in downtown Rochester; $2,000,000 for the Pinnacle North project on Canandaigua Lake north shore; $2,000,000 for CityGate to improve public access to the Erie Canal in the City of Rochester; $1,500,000 for the Rochester Riverside Convention Center; $1,000,000 to begin the Fisher's Ridge mixed-use development in Victor; $200,000 for The Metropolitan to create a new public space outside the old Chase Tower at the corner of Main and Clinton in the heart of Rochester; and $750,000 for the new Center for Great Women in Seneca Falls.

Further investments at Eastman Business Park, including $2,000,000 for NY-BEST to continue to improve the energy storage ecosystem; $200,000 for Kingsbury's Touchscreen Sensor development; $200,000 for new batter company Cadenza Innovation; and $150,000 for NOHMs Technologies continued battery production Buildout of major sites in Genesee County, including $1,500,000 to the Town of Alabama to help build water infrastructure to serve the STAMP site; $920,000 total for the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park in Batavia and the LeRoy Food and Technology Park; $750,000 for the soon-to-be built Genesee Biogas facility at the Batavia Agri-Business Park; and $500,000 to revitalize the Newberry Building in downtown Batavia.

Several workforce development projects, including $1,000,000 for Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES; $250,000 for Foodlink; $57,000 for MCC's Applied Technology Center; $83,000 for Rochester City School District to revamp computer labs at Edison Career and Tech High School; $150,000 for UPrep Charter School to build a tech training center; $100,000 to Hickey Freeman tailored clothing; $100,000 to Veterans Outreach Center; $100,000 to Rochester Rehabilitation Center to train more than 200 unemployed or special need workers; and $98,500 to Finger Lakes Community College for health care and manufacturing training programs.

Considerable infrastructure investments, especially water and sewer project, including $2,071,237 for the Springwater Wastewater Treatment Facility; $1,551,250 for Farmington Wastewater Treatment Facility; $600,000 for Village of Naples sewer system; $600,000 for Village of Perry sewer improvements; $596,000 for Village of Red Creek sewer improvements; and $300,000 for Honeoye Lake Inlet restoration.

The full list of 2015 Regional Economic Development Council awards can be found at: REDC Awards Booklet 2015.

About the Regional Economic Development Councils and Upstate Revitalization Initiative

A centerpiece of the Governor's strategy to jumpstart the economy and create jobs, the Regional Councils were established in 2011 to transform the State's approach to economic development from a top-down model to one that is community-based and performance-driven. The initiative empowers community, business, and academic leaders, as well as members of the public in each region of New York State, to develop strategic plans specifically tailored to their region's unique strengths and resources in order to create jobs, improve quality of life and grow the economy.

This year, the 10 Regional Councils again competed for funding and assistance from up to $750 million in state economic development resources as part of Round V of the REDC competition. Additionally, the Governor established a new competition in 2015 – the Upstate Revitalization Initiative – to award a total of $1.5 billion to three regions, which will help to transform local economies by providing $500 million over the next five years to support projects and strategies that create jobs, strengthen and diversify economies, and generate economic opportunity within the region. Of the state's 10 regions, seven were eligible for the URI competition: Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Central New York, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Capital District, and Mid-Hudson.

To learn more about the FLREDC, visit regionalcouncils.ny.gov.