About the
Downtown Revitalization Initiative:
The Downtown
Revitalization Initiative was created in 2016 to accelerate and expand the
revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state
to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment. Led by the
Department of State with assistance from Empire State Development, Homes and
Community Renewal and NYSERDA, the DRI represents an unprecedented and
innovative "plan-then-act" strategy that couples strategic planning
with immediate implementation and results in compact, walkable downtowns that
are a key ingredient to helping New York State rebuild its economy from the
effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to achieving the State's bold
climate goals by promoting the use of public transit and reducing dependence on
private vehicles.
In the first
five years of the program, the state committed $600 million investing in 59 downtowns
ripe for revitalization and that have the potential to become magnets for
redevelopment, business, job creation, greater economic and housing diversity
and opportunity. Participating communities are nominated by the state's 10
Regional Economic Development Councils based on the downtown's potential for
transformation. Each community is awarded $10 million to develop a downtown
strategic investment plan and implement key catalytic projects that advance the
community's vision for revitalization and leverage additional private and
public investments.
More
information on the DRI is available here.
