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Village won’t pursue downtown revitalization funding

SARANAC LAKE — The village of Saranac Lake won’t seek funding through the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative this year.

Now in it’s second year, the DRI program provides $10 million to one community in each of the state’s 10 regions, as defined through the Regional Economic Development Council framework. The money is earmarked to “develop a downtown strategic investment plan and implement key catalytic projects that advance the community’s vision for revitalization,” according to the governor’s office.

Saranac Lake was one of 10 North Country communities that applied for last year’s DRI award. The $10 million prize ultimately went to Plattsburgh. It plans to use the money to build a new “city center,” including a multi-story, mixed-use building, green space and a parking garage.

Village Trustee Paul Van Cott, who’s also chairman of the Saranac Lake Local Development Corporation, said in an email that the village won’t submit an application to the program this year, citing two reasons.

“First and foremost, this year’s DRI (unlike last year’s), contemplates $10 million in specific projects that have been planned for by the community and have strong community support,” Van Cott wrote. “We are not there.”

He said the village’s Arts and Culture Master Plan and Downtown Master Plan are the kind of initiatives that could make the village competitive for a future DRI application, but a new community development director is needed “to get us there for 2018.” Village Community Development Director Jeremy Evans left the village this month to become the new director of the Franklin County Industrial Development Agency.

“Second, we need to show the state that we are worth additional investment,” Van Cott wrote. “We need to resolve where we stand with respect to additional hotel rooms in Saranac Lake and recreational opportunities before the state is likely to invest more in our village beyond specific projects that have independent value.”

Applications for this year’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative are due to their respective regional councils by June 14.

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