Hochul highlights budget investments in Western New York

$50 million to support locally driven anti-poverty initiatives, including $12.25 million for Buffalo

$4 million in funding to Roswell Park Cancer Institute to finance new mobile breast and prostate cancer screening vans, expand screening activities

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday highlighted budget investments in the Western New York region.

The City of Tonawanda will receive $10 million in funding as the Western New York winner of the seventh round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, as well as the Village of Gowanda and the Town of Aurora/Hamlet of West Falls as this year’s Western New York region NY Forward winners, receiving $4.5 million each.

The governor also announced the University at Buffalo has been selected to host Empire AI, a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence center. Additionally, Hochul announced $50 million in one-time Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding to support locally driven anti-poverty initiatives, including $12.25 million for Buffalo.

Building on the budget, the governor organized One Network for Regional Advanced Partnerships to create workplace development centers in four high-impact locations across upstate New York. Lastly, Hochul announced $4 million in funding to the Roswell Park Cancer Institute to finance new mobile breast and prostate cancer screening vans, and expand screening activities.

“It is time to right the wrongs of the past, and we are doing so by continuing our commitment to rebuilding and uplifting the communities around the state,” Hochul said. “These investments will help to revitalize our beautiful downtowns, create jobs to support the local economy, and provide New Yorkers with more opportunities and options for a fulfilling life ahead.”

Hochul’s team said, “Building on the momentum of the successful Downtown Revitalization Initiative, the $100 million NY Forward program applies the same ‘plan-then-act’ strategy as the DRI, but for New York's smaller and rural communities. Both couple strategic planning with immediate project implementation to support a more equitable downtown resurgence.”

With the governor’s commitment last year of $100 million each for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward, the state has now invested a combined total of $1 billion in both programs since their inception. The governor has proposed another $100 million for each program, totaling $200 million, in her fiscal year 2025 executive budget.

$10 Million Downtown Revitalization Initiative Award for Tonawanda

Hochul’s team said, “The City of Tonawanda’s DRI award will build on over a decade of successful state and local investments to maximize its potential for revitalization. The city’s plan will draw on its strategic location and valuable waterfront assets to create a more inviting and thriving environment. DRI projects focus on bringing public and private investments to the waterfront to attract more residents, visitors and economic activity to the downtown. The diverse mix of public and private projects include mixed-use redevelopment of vacant buildings/sites with housing and commercial space; waterfront development and access; trail improvements; streetscape improvements; event space; and tourism attractions.”

Tonawanda’s “Twin City” of North Tonawanda, just across the Erie Canal, received a DRI award in round 5 of the program in 2021. Both DRI downtown areas abut the canal on opposite sides and promote waterfront access and development.

$4.5 Million NY Forward Awards for Aurora and Gowanda

The Town of Aurora will focus its NY Forward award on the Hamlet of West Falls, which plays a historic role as a primary rural center along the Cazenovia Creek.

Hochul’s team said, “The plan will leverage the hamlet’s natural assets, charming rural character and engaged community to create a more welcoming, walkable and green community for both residents and visitors that includes unique local amenities and healthy, family-oriented outdoor and cultural activities. Proposed NY Forward projects include a renovated library and community center; mixed-use, diverse housing complex; unique general store and blueberry farm venue; enhanced concert and art center; restored train depot; and multiuse rail trail improvements.

“The Village of Gowanda has already set the stage for a downtown renaissance by embracing its potential as a true small-town destination, engaging in prior planning and making strategic investments. The NY Forward award will build on this momentum and fulfill the community’s vision for the downtown by using its rich history and abundance of natural resources as a foundation for economic growth, the development of unique attractions, and the continued investment in existing recreational assets. Proposed projects include the restoration of the historic Hollywood Theatre; improvements to New York and Lake Erie Railroad excursions; clean-up and redevelopment of a federal Superfund site into Gateway Park located along Cattaraugus Creek at the headwaters of the Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area; and development of a microbrewery.”

The City of Tonawanda has been awarded $10 million in state funding and investments to revitalize its downtown neighborhood and generate new opportunities for long-term growth following the local planning process. Tonawanda joins Jamestown, Olean, Lockport, Niagara Falls, Buffalo, North Tonawanda and Dunkirk, which were Western New York winners in the first six DRI rounds.

Tonawanda will begin the process of developing a strategic investment plan to revitalize its downtown with up to $300,000 in planning funds from the $10 million DRI grant. A local planning committee made up of municipal representatives, community leaders and other stakeholders will lead the effort, supported by a team of private sector experts and state planners.

The strategic investment plan will examine local assets and opportunities to identify economic development, transportation, housing and community projects that align with each community's vision for downtown revitalization and that are poised for implementation. The strategic investment plan also will guide the investment of DRI grant funds in revitalization projects that will advance the community's vision for its downtown and that can leverage and expand upon the state's $10 million investment.

Plans for the DRI's seventh round will be complete in 2024.

Aurora and Gowanda will now begin the process of developing a strategic investment plan to revitalize their downtowns. A local planning committee made up of municipal representatives, community leaders and other stakeholders will lead the effort, supported by a team of private sector experts and state planners. The strategic investment plan will examine local assets and opportunities to identify projects that align with each community's vision and that are poised for implementation. Funding will be awarded for selected projects from the strategic investment plan that have the greatest potential to jumpstart revitalization and generate new opportunities for long-term growth.

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 10 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,” a press release noted. “In the first six years of the program, the state committed $700 million investing in 69 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.

About the NY Forward Program

NY Forward is a central component of the state's economic development policy. The program works in concert with the DRI to accelerate and expand the revitalization of smaller and rural downtowns throughout the state “so that all communities can benefit from the state’s revitalization efforts, regardless of size, character, needs and challenges,” the press release noted. “Both programs are creating a critical mass of vibrant downtowns in every region of the state that is enhancing economic development, quality of life and socioeconomic diversity.

“Once awarded, NY Forward communities are supported by a professional planning consultant and team of state agency experts led by the DOS to develop a strategic investment plan that includes a slate of transformative, complementary and readily implementable projects. NY Forward projects are appropriately scaled to the size of each community; projects may include building renovation and redevelopment, new construction or creation of new or improved public spaces and other projects that enhance specific cultural and historical qualities that define and distinguish the small-town charm that defines these municipalities.

“The strategic investment plans and projects are driven by a local planning committee, which conducts extensive community outreach and engagement. The Department of State also provides expansive technical assistance and capacity-building webinars – featuring staff, experts and peers from DRI communities – which are geared toward supporting communities that may have less resources and capacity than larger, more urban communities.”

Hochul’s team also shared the following details:

•Artificial Intelligence Computing Center: Empire AI is a consortium of public and private academic partners that will build and utilize a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence computing center that will be located at the University of Buffalo to facilitate innovation, responsible research and economic development. Over $400 million in public and private funding has been committed to create Empire AI, including up to $275 million in state grant and other funding.

The governor directed the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) to issue a first-of-its-kind AI policy that establishes the principles and parameters by which state agencies can evaluate and adopt AI systems to better serve New Yorkers.

Hochul also announced Tesla, an American automotive and clean energy company, will install its $500 million Dojo supercomputer with the power to process millions of terabytes of data from Tesla’s electric vehicles in the Riverbend Gigafactory, located in Buffalo. That data will allow the company to improve the safety and engineering of its full self-driving and advanced driver-assisted vehicles. Tesla’s decision was informed by New York’s reliable power supply, strong talent pipeline and availability of usable space for the project.

•Anti-Poverty Initiatives: Hochul announced $50 million in one-time Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding to support locally driven anti-poverty initiatives, including $12.25 million for the City of Buffalo. Nine out of the top 10 New York ZIP codes with the highest child poverty rates are in upstate New York, and more than half of the children in these ZIP codes are in families that are living below the federal poverty line.

•One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships: Hochul organized One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (ON-RAMP) to create workforce development centers in four high-impact locations across upstate New York. This builds on the governor’s commitment to preparing New Yorkers for the jobs of tomorrow with several proposals to strengthen workforce development across New York.

ON-RAMP offers credentials and training related to advanced manufacturing, and focuses on providing opportunities for disadvantaged populations. The program will focus on regions in upstate New York, along the I-90 corridor from the Buffalo-Syracuse-Rochester Tech Hub to Albany, modeled after Buffalo’s Northland Workforce Training Center.

ON-RAMP will catalyze partnerships between employers, educational institutions, community organizations, and state and local governments. Each center will build the skills of the local labor pool, connect employers with the skilled workers they need, and develop long-lasting economic on-ramps to training, apprenticeships, and employment for disadvantaged populations.

•Roswell Park Cancer Institute: The governor also announced $4 million in funding to Roswell Park Cancer Institute to finance new mobile breast and prostate cancer screening vans and expand screening activities. In October 2023, Hochul announced New York’s first cell and gene therapy hub to be located at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo.