Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to announce North Regional Economic Development grants on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. in Albany.

The announcement will be streamed live at www.governor.ny.gov.

The North Country Regional Economic Development Council is hoping to secure $26.6 million in projects related to St. Lawrence County.

That’s according to a recently released NCREDC progress report, which highlights the 23 priority projects it hopes to secure funding for as part of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s competitive grant program implemented in 2011.

This year, about $150 million will be available for projects throughout the state.

In the report, the council seeks about $7.33 million for projects specific to St. Lawrence County that would create as many as 286 jobs.

The remaining $19 million would fund regional projects that include St. Lawrence and surrounding counties. The council is seeking funding for several North Country projects that do not include St. Lawrence County.

165 jobs in Potsdam

The council is seeking $3.43 million to create as many as 165 new jobs in Potsdam.

The plan includes securing $2.8 million for Omni Housing Development LLC, and $600,000 for LC Drives, Potsdam.

• Omni Housing Development LLC - Omni Housing is remodeling Clarkson University’s Snell and Congdon buildings into student housing, apartments and an interactive learning center, arts gallery and auditorium.

According to the council’s report the project could result in the creation of 155 new jobs.

The total project is $26 million and includes the redevelopment of two landmark buildings in Potsdam that will build on the start made in 2014. The mixed-use elements of the project include graduate student housing, market-rate living space, business rental areas, and an innovative collaboration between the St. Lawrence County Arts Council and North Country Children’s Museum.

The rehabilitation of Congdon is estimated at $12 million. The project will consist of repurposing the building for graduate student housing. Once completed, a total of 72 apartment units will be available

The second phase of Omni’s Development plan at the old Snell Hall includes collaboration from local universities, businesses and organizations.

The first floor will be divided into a section for the St. Lawrence Arts Council and the North Country Children’s Museum. The museum will include a play space, innovation station, fun a fitness area, museum store and community room. The arts council section includes a large exhibit space and retail gallery.

There is also a planned incubator space on the second floor and plans to retain the existing auditorium that seats roughly 500 people.

Requests to comment regarding where the 155 jobs would be created were not immediately returned.

• LC Drives - The North Country Regional Economic Development Council hopes to secure $600,000 in public funding for an expansion at LC Drives that would created an estimated 10 jobs.

The total project cost is $3 million, with $2.4 million coming from the private sector.

The small company operates out of Clarkson’s Shipley Center and has developed a small electric motor that could be used by wind turbine companies and in public transportation vehicles.

LC Drives will purchase equipment for the manufacture and development of electric motors and generators. The equipment will include a dynamometer that will be used for testing, manufacturing fixtures, and power supplies. The project will be located in a building owned by the St. Lawrence County IDA.

“This project is anticipated to revolutionize the manufacturing of conventional motors by utilizing an innovative cooling solution that allows motors to cool down faster,” the project description says. “This application allows the company to build engines at a smaller scale and achieve the ability to mount a 50-horsepower unit in a frame for a conventional 5-horsepower motor,” the report says.

“By manufacturing a smaller, lighter, cheaper, and more efficient engine, the project will result in the next generation of electric motors for medium- and large-size applications such as hybrid transit buses. LC Drive’s technology will allow the company to significantly reduce 47 percent of the world’s electricity that is currently consumed by the existing motor market.”

The grant would help move LC Drives product into production and sales.

Matt Draper, executive director of Clarkson’s Shipley Center, says LC Drives is a prime example of how the incubator is supposed to work.

“It speaks to the mission of what we are trying to do. We aim to incubate and start businesses,” he says.

121 jobs in Massena and Ogdensburg

The North Country Regional Economic Development Council hopes to secure $3.9 million for projects in Ogdensburg and Massena that could help create 121 jobs.

The council hopes to secure funding for an expansion at Seaway Timber Harvesting, Inc. in Massena, improvements at the Ogdensburg Airport, and improvements at Hoosier Magnetics in Ogdensburg.

• Seaway Timber - In Massena, Seaway Timber Harvesting, Inc. hopes to create 50 new jobs at its facility. The council is seeking $3 million in funding on the company’s behalf as part of $12 million project. The project includes a new manufacturing facility for a sawmill, plus pallet, wood shavings, and briquette production.

• Ogdensburg airport - As the Ogdensburg airport gears up for its massive runway expansion, it must also improve the existing terminal.

The council hopes to secure $657,000 in funding for a new baggage claim area and a new baggage handling system, and improvements to the ticketing and departure lounge area at the terminal.

The project will create a gateway for Canadian fliers seeking alternatives to more expensive Canadian airports, according to the project description.

• Hoosier Magnetics - The council is also seeking $243,362 to complete a $1.2 million project at Hoosier Magnetics. The investment would aid in the retention of 31 existing jobs and add an additional four, according to the project description.

The funding would aid in the construction of a new calcination kiln for the production of ferrite powder, an advanced material used in the automotive industry.

North Country Projects

• Agbotics Green Houses - Agbotic Inc. is seeking $2.25 million for a $10.75 million project to create seven jobs and retain an additional two. This project will create five commercial-scale robotic greenhouses for year-round food production at existing farms. The greenhouses will produce vegetables for local markets, Manhattan food buyers, and wholesalers in other urban markets in the Northeast.

According to the description, the project would benefit Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.

• DANC Loan Funds- The Development Authority of the North Country is seeking $16 million across three projects to establish or “recapitalize” revolving loan funds.

DANC is seeking $4 million in public funding to create a loan and grant fund that would be used to fund projects throughout the Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence County.

DANC is seeking an additional $5 million to “recapitalize a fund that assists farmers and other food industry producers to increase production efficiencies by offering low interest loans,” the description says.

A third DANC project calls for $7 million to establish a “North Country Transformational Community Tourism Revolving Fund.” According to DANC the project would provide low interest loans for tourism-related projects on a 5:1 basis. Interest would be forgiven if sales tax were are met.

Critics have dubbed the Regional Economic Development grant initiative as similar to “The Hunger Games” because it pits areas of the state against each other for money.