$4.5 Million to Boost Margaretville

Mayor Hubbell with Trustee Mead

ITHACA — The Village of Margaretville has been awarded a $4.5 million grant through NYS’s highly competitive NY Forward program, marking a significant milestone in efforts to strengthen the community’s Main Street. Presenting the awards to the City of Ithaca, Village of Stamford and Village of Margaretville was NYS Secretary of State Walter Mosley. The announcement took place last Thursday.

The funding will help support a range of revitalization initiatives along Margaretville’s Main Street with the goal of business development and community engagement.  Village officials say the reward reflects the strength of Margaretville’s application and the State’s confidence in its long-term vision for small communities.

In Mayor John Hubbell’s thank-you speech, he noted new energy flowing into Margaretville with new residents, new businesses and a renewed commitment to Main Street. “With the help of this grant, we can create a forward-looking revitalization plan.  It is an opportunity to expand housing, attract investment and make our village more welcoming.  We are excited for the next steps.”

As the Mayor pointed out, there are many steps yet to be taken before final projects will be identified.  The application identified several key projects but none are guaranteed to be funded.  A local planning committee will be formed to work with the State to review and vet all projects.  Some of the original submitted projects may be changed or dropped and new ones added.  Plainly put, this grant is like a “line of credit” and each project will need approval. It will take at least a year before final allocations are determined.  The community will be invited to attend public hearings to voice their ideas as the grant moves forward.

The NY Forward program is designed to assist smaller and rural communities in revitalizing their downtowns, encourage economic development and enhance the local character of the community. Margaretville thanks the MARK Project for their help in securing this New York Forward grant.  Congratulations to Stamford who also received a $4.5 million grant for their community.  You can find the submitted application and all announcements moving forward at https://margaretvillenyforward.com/.

Mayor Schneider with Mayor Hubbell at the announcement in Ithaca. Photo by Iris Mead

The mayor with the grant check

Those involved with the Margaretville grant project with the check