BY CRAIG FREILICH

North Country This Week

POTSDAM -- Thanks to $10 million awarded to the village last week, Potsdam could soon sport a “new look” downtown, create new businesses and jobs, and be home to new apartments and a 500-seat theater.

The state Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant announced by Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul Oct. 22 at Clarkson University’s Old Main may also fund a whitewater park and riverwalk trails along the Raquette River.

“It’s overwhelming. I’ve been in politics in this village for 30 years, and this is the best thing that ever happened. Unbelievable,” said Mayor Ron Tischler. “It could change the whole future of the Village of Potsdam.”

The grant provides “so many opportunities to make the village a better place to work and play,” he said.

While the grant totals $10 million, a soon-to-be appointed local committee and state officials will be sorting through more than $25 million in proposed projects included in the application.

“Some people might think that the village must have $10 million in the bank already, but that’s not the case,” said village Planning and Development Director Fred Hanss. “It might be a year before we see any tangible results.”

The goals of the plan include improving the look of downtown, creating new business opportunities with good jobs, building more of a sense of the village as a place to be for business and entertainment, and raising the tax base.

The application was an appeal to state authorities for $10 million to help with a much larger plan. The next task will be sorting through the various proposals to see which deserve funding first.

Of the more than $25 million in proposed projects, $10.9 million is for projects at Clarkson’s downtown campus.

Another $7.62 million is for downtown streetscape enhancements, and development of a “riverwalk trail” and whitewater park. More than $3.6 million would be for downtown building renovations and façade improvements and another $2.59 million is for development of new jobs and businesses.

Cost estimates for the proposals, many of which would require funding from grants and private sources, follow:

• $6 million for rehabilitation of Clarkson’s Congdon Hall downtown into apartments

• $3.26 million for downtown “streetscape enhancements,” including new sidewalks, LED lighting, stormwater management facilities, electric charting stations, kiosks and street furniture

• $2.54 million for developing a downtown St. Lawrence Whitewater Park on the Raquette River

• $2.5 million for renovation of the upstairs theater in Old Snell Hall across from the village Civic Center to accommodate 500 people

• $2.09 million for matching grants to aid knowledge-based and light manufacturing startups located in the downtown area that would create well-paying manufacturing or professional jobs

• More than $1.6 million for downtown rehab and façade improvements, including at the Clarkson Inn ($600,00); 51-57 Market St. ($350,474); the Isle of You building, 17 Market St. ($231,429 ); improvements on the first floor of Maxfields ($161,530); development of a Lebanese restaurant ($110,000); 25 Market St., (80,584); the Mama Lucia’s building ($69,058); the Maple Run Emporium building at 49 Market St. ($62,800)

• $1.67 million for creation of a downtown Riverwalk Trail with benches, picnic tables, bike racks, art installations and street lighting following the Raquette River through downtown

• $1.3 million for renovation of the second floor of the North Country Children's Museum, 10 Raymond St.

• $1.6 million for rehab of the third floor of Clarkson’s Damon Hall for use by LC Drives’ 20-inch motor manufacturing line.

• $800,000 for renovation of Clarkson’s vacant downtown Liberal Studies building to house the Health Sciences Graduate Study Program

• $230,000 for developing new “escape rooms,” conference rooms and ADA compliant restrooms at Tactics on the third floor of 5 Market St.

• $150,000 for installation of a small commercial wind generator to light and power Ives Park and the gazebo

• $500,000 for acquisition and refitting 6-8 Raymond St. which now houses The Tile Company as the new headquarters of the St. Lawrence Arts Council

• $500,000 for creation of a “small business incubator” to encourage business start-ups and expansions.

The immediate next steps will be appointment by Tischler of “about 10 to 15 members” of the local planning committee from business, academia, local governments and others.

Guidance will be provided by an urban planning team from Albany to help the committee begin setting priorities, and with help from the community at large in open forums as the plans go forward.

“Nothing is cast in stone,” Hanss said, so as the committee prioritizes grant projects, their ideas will be circulated to state agencies to evaluate them for funding viability and approval.

“With these grants, it’s not like we are starting from scratch, so it should be a lot easier,” said Hanss. “People should be patient with the process, because it is a process.”

The village’s entire 258-page application can be seen at https://on.ny.gov/2JooqAN .