News & Events

The Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) Program is operated by the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS) and provides state planning funds to community-based organizations (CBOs) and municipalities to develop community plans for areas with multiple vacant properties or brownfields. This year NYSDOS has awarded 2022‐2023 Environmental Protection Fund grants to fund 19 new BOAs. For details on each of the new BOAs follow this LINK.

Herkimer County IDA Press Release
January 2nd, 2023

The New York State Department of State has awarded the Village of Herkimer $173,250 to complete the Village of Herkimer Brownfield Opportunity Area Plan. The Village intends to complete a BOA plan for a 32-acre area along its Main Street corridor, to address blight, safety, and aesthetics of structures, a weak economy and low employment, and poor community engagement. Dana Sherry, Mayor of the Village of Herkimer, explains, “the Village of Herkimer has a strong municipal system and administrators that are dedicated to the completion of the BOA Plan and revitalizing the Village's downtown. The project will benefit from a partnership with the Herkimer County IDA that is directly supporting the Village's pursuit of the project.” Objectives to be achieved include determining the best use for blighted/potential brownfield areas, identifying public/private partnership opportunities, expansion of economic activity, and increased community engagement. The proposed project will give the Village an opportunity to strategically analyze the economic potential in its downtown corridor. Collaboration with the community as well as public and private partners and stakeholders will ensure that the BOA is geared toward a commitment to sustainability in the downtown center. “This award, in conjunction with our EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant, will allow us to double our resources and help us to complete this plan” said the HCIDA’s CEO John Piseck. Anticipated community benefits include the identification of strategic opportunities for redevelopment, expansion of economic activity, identification of private partners and available public funds to leverage investment, and increased community support of revitalization efforts and property rehabilitation. Please contact John J. Piseck by cell, 315-868-4928, or email, jpiseck@herkimercountyida.org, with any questions.

Herkimer County IDA Press Release
December 20th, 2022

The Village of Ilion, with the assistance of the Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency (HCIDA), has just received $2 million in Restore NY assistance to be used towards the Duofold site in Ilion, NY. With this grant, the Village of Ilion plans to put into motion a coordinated effort to regain jobs, improve housing stock, and attract private investment in order to keep the Village a place where people want to stay, work, and play. Mayor John Stephens emphasizes the importance of this grant for the Village: “this is great news and just continues the positive progress we have with moving the Village forward with economic development and many other issues.” The Village has suffered from economic hardship and outmigration induced over the past two decades by deindustrialization. Manufacturing drawdowns and closures have lessened economic opportunities, caused housing values to fall due to the increasing number of vacant residential and commercial properties, and created patches of neighborhood blight. The redevelopment of the site into a mixed-use area with 81 market-rate residences will aid in the beautification and revitalization of the Village, as well as the attraction and retention of businesses in the area. Redevelopment of the complex will also increase the Village’s tax base and increase property values throughout the Village. HCIDA’s CEO John Piseck explains, “we are excited to accept this grant and work with our developers and the Village of Ilion to continue this project, and stimulate community and economic growth.” Please contact John J. Piseck by cell, 315-868-4928, or email, jpiseck@herkimercountyida.org, with any questions.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected six New York applicants and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, to receive funding to conduct community air quality monitoring. The grants are seven of 132 air monitoring projects in 37 states that will receive $53.4 million from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and American Rescue Plan to enhance air quality monitoring in communities across the United States. The projects are focused on communities that are underserved, historically marginalized, and overburdened by pollution, supporting President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative. Read the full article HERE.