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State grant wish list released, includes new Tupper hotel

This image shows what a new YMCA in Watertown is supposed to look like. The $16 million project’s $3.2 million request for state aid is the largest among this year’s North Country Regional Economic Development Council priority projects. (Image provided by NCREDC)

In the North Country Regional Economic Development Council’s 2018 progress report, the group highlighted 17 priority projects for which it would like state funding.

In the greater Tri-Lakes area, the priority projects are a new hotel in Tupper Lake, a new home for Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake, rehabilitating the Annex building at Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake, restoring Dr. E.L. Trudeau’s former home and office in Saranac Lake, and establishing an outdoor outfitter store at the Gateway to the Adirondacks tourism hub at the former Frontier Town theme park in North Hudson.

Elsewhere in the North Country, the biggest projects are a new YMCA in Watertown, a new facility at the Carthage Area Hospital, renovations to the Jefferson Rehabilitation Facility in Watertown, a River Hospital enhancement in Alexandria Bay, renovations at the Clinton-Potsdam Hospital in Potsdam, a downtown revitalization effort in Malone, Port of Ogdensburg improvements, building a hydroponic farm in Brownville, and mitigation of the Water Resource and Recovery Facility in Plattsburgh.

The 116-page North Country 2018 Progress Report can be downloaded from http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/north-country. Starting on page 63, it has all the top priorities laid out in terms of how much each project is expected to cost, how much state funding it would like, how many jobs it would create and what the impact would be.

North Country Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Garry Douglas, who presented the report as a co-chair of the NCREDC, said even though these projects appear on a list of top priorities, there are many more.

A map shows the locations of 17 priority projects in this year’s North Country Regional Economic Development Council request for state aid. (Image provided by NCREDC)

“That list is created to provide focus and highlight some aspects, but it can sometimes be seen more important than it really is,” he said. “Being in the top list doesn’t guarantee funding.”

Health care projects appear multiple times on the list. Douglas said when he participated in outreach sessions that there seemed to be a particular need in projects related to rural health care.

“We encouraged [health care providers] to apply because it makes a good economic impact on communities and the area,” he said.

The village of Saranac Lake also shows up multiple times.

“Downtowns have continued to be an area of concern,” Douglas said, “and we wanted to help implement strategies set by the Downtown Revitalization Initiative.”

Saranac Lake recently won a $10 million DRI grant for the state. The new Pendragon was initially predicted to be the biggest single recipient of that funding.

The priority projects are listed here in order of how much state aid they are requesting:

Watertown YMCA

¯ Seeking $3,209,500

¯ Would cost $16,047,500

Watertown Family YMCA wants to build a new community center in the downtown area to expand its programming and services to support local families in the community. The project is expected to create 30 jobs and 100 construction jobs.

Carthage Area Hospital

¯ Seeking $3 million

¯ Would cost $65 million

The hospital wants to consolidate two of its outpatient clinic facilities, administration building and hospital by constructing a new medical campus. The project is expected to create 65 hospital jobs and 200 construction jobs.

Jefferson Rehabilitation Center

¯ Seeking $2,849,251

¯ Would cost $14,246,255

The rehab center in Watertown wants to renovate its facility to expand its preschool program and improve adult day-hab services. The project is expected to create 16 jobs.

Tupper Lake hotel

¯ Seeking $2,195,000

¯ Would cost $10,975,000

NorthSouth Construction wants to rehabilitate a 3-acre parcel of land in the downtown area with a lodging hotel to promote tourism and private investments. The new facility affiliated with the Tru by Hilton brand would feature 75 rooms, a breakfast dining area, an indoor pool, a fitness room, a business center, a small market and an outdoor patio. The hotel is projected to create 20 hotel jobs and 100 construction jobs.

River Hospital enhancement

¯ Seeking $1,864,063

¯ Would cost $14,662,123

The plan is to remove two aged buildings and construct a new medical office building to improve the hospital’s delivery of health care services. The new building would house primary care, physical therapy, behavioral health and modernize the hospital for outpatient services. It’s projected to retain 162 jobs and create 90 construction jobs.

Pendragon Theatre

¯ Seeking $1,330,000

¯ Would cost $6,653,000

Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake wants to relocate closer to the downtown area and build a new facility. The project is expected to create four jobs and 39 construction jobs.

Clinton-Potsdam Hospital renovations

¯ Seeking $1,117,526

¯ Would cost $5,587,634

The hospital in Canton wants to renovates space to better accommodate its primary care, behavioral health and OBGYN practices. The project is expected to create 23 jobs and five construction jobs.

Downtown revitalization in Malone

¯ Seeking $979,426

¯ Would cost $4,897,131

Citizen Advocates, a mental health care provider, wants to invest in a commercial and residential development on West Main Street. The new structure will have six commercial spaces and 40 apartments. The project is expected to create 30 construction jobs.

Port of Ogdensburg improvements

¯ Seeking $940,000

¯ Would cost $21,265,952

Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority wants to expand the port’s dock, dredge a portion of the existing channel and expand the dock wall by 100 feet. These improvements would allow two major cargo vessels to use the port simultaneously. The goal is to leverage trade with Canada. The project is expected to create 100 construction jobs.

Paddy Hill Hydroponic Farm

¯ Seeking $803,340

¯ Would cost $4,151,700

Acadia Energy, a company that designs renewable energy micro-grids, wants to create an indoor vertical farm in Brownville, reusing waste heat and carbon dioxide from the Paddy Hill Energy Complex to grow hydroponic, organic produce. The project is expected to create 22 jobs and 25 construction jobs.

Plattsburgh Water Resource and Recovery Facility

¯ Seeking $758,400

¯ Would cost $4,646,000

The city of Plattsburgh wants to upgrade its water resource and recovery facility to mitigate odors. The project is expected to create eight construction jobs.

Adirondack Health rehabilitation

¯ Seeking $325,816

¯ Would cost $1,629,080

The Saranac Lake hospital wants to renovate an building, so it can provide pulmonary rehabilitation and physical therapy services on the main campus. The rehabilitation is expected to create 50 construction jobs.

Trudeau Building

¯ Seeking $200,000

¯ Would cost $2,327,726

Historic Saranac Lake wants to restore the home and medical office of Dr. E.L. Trudeau and create a public museum dedicated to his tuberculosis treatment. The project is expected to create two jobs and five construction jobs.

Quench water control and reduction

¯ Seeking $140,000

¯ Would cost $700,000

Arconic, a company in Massena that specializes in lightweight metal engineering, wants to install a water chilling system to cool its metal excursions, improve production quality and reduce treatment of wastewater. The projected is expected to create four construction jobs.

Capital equipment investment

¯ Seeking $114,000

¯ Would cost $570,000

Omniafiltra, a company that manufactures filtration products, wants a total of $570,000 to improve energy efficiency and/or expand the range of product capability at the plant. The project is expected to retain 38 jobs.

MTL Cool expansion

¯ Seeking $100,900

¯ Would cost $971,900

MTL Cool, a commercial refrigeration equipment company in Plattsburgh, wants to double its manufacturing space. The project is expected to create 25 jobs.

Outdoor outfitter store at tourism hub

¯ Seeking $84,000

¯ Would cost $504,000

ADK Gateway, a group attached to the new Frontier Town tourism hub in North Hudson, wants to repurpose an old building into an outdoor outfitter store. The project is expected to create four jobs and six construction jobs.

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