ALBANY, 9/2/09  --  State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I-Oneonta) today applauded funding for area projects through the RESTORE-NY program, an initiative developed in 2006 with the intent to rehabilitate and refurbish buildings in communities across the state.

“The funding will help provide a needed boost to the region and important community projects,” Seward said. “Governor Pataki and the legislature came up with the concept so that we could direct state dollars to downtown areas in particular in order to help local communities restore  buildings and return them to usefulness. The result will be improved communities and a broader tax base.”

     Seward noted the following awards:
          *City of Oneonta, Bresee Block Redevelopment - $2.2 million;
          *Village of Cherry Valley, 29 Main Street restoration - $225,000;
          *Town of Richmondville,  Maranatha Family Center - $2,314,600;
          *Village of Sharon Springs, Imperial Spa -- $1 million;
          *Village of Tannersville, Theater District Project - $1,083,996;
          *Town of Cortlandville, Central NY Living History Center - $300,000.

“One of the positive aspects of the program is that it leverages private funding, and the state assistance is only a piece of the overall project,” Seward said.

 The funding is administered by Empire State Development.
    

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