BY PAUL MITCHELLNorth Country This Week

CANTON – A developer has been selected for the Midtown Plaza project.

On Wednesday night, the village board approved the Request for Proposal (RFP) from the Vecino Group, Troy, N.Y. They were one of five developers to submit RFPs. The other RFPs were from Sarto Group Inc. of Florida, Rochester’s Cornerstone Group, Ltd., Blue Water Development, Ocean City, Md., and Potsdam Housing Authority & Rockabill Consulting and Development.

“Their design concept deeply researched our community and the developed plaza integrates into our downtown,” said Deputy Mayor Anna Sorensen who spearheaded the RFP search process with Canton’s Director of Economic Development Leigh Rodriguez. “They have really deep experience in housing with a flexibility and diversity of housing options.”

“They had glowing reviews. We’re really pleased to receive their proposal,” she added. “This was a really big decision but we feel very confident that this is going to get the project done.”

Voting in favor of the Vecino Group RFP were Mayor Michael Dalton, Trustees Barbara Beekman and Beth Larrabee and Sorensen. Trustee Jonathon Pinckney voted No.

The 19 Miner Street Vision, according to the RFP, says Canton’s historic Main Street is a destination of culture and commerce for the area; it boasts not one, but two campuses of higher learning, SUNY Canton and St Lawrence University; the Grasse River weaves through the fabric of the Village connecting all to nature via Willow Island and Canton Island Parks.

Poised at the epicenter of all, the Vecino Group’s vision is a 3-story mixed use development of 56 residential units, a 10,350-square-foot Innovation Center for SUNY Canton, 2,500 square feet of commercial space, a community garden and dog park, as well as 105 parking spaces for tenants, customers and the community at large.

The 1-and 2-bed apartments will be as attractive as they are functional, as is the way of each Vecino Group development. The goal is always to create affordable units on par with market rate ones.

All units will come complete with full sized appliances in the kitchen, central heat and A/C, all electric utilities and free, building -wide WiFi, plus dedicated internet connections in each unit. 

Anchoring the development will be the SUNY Canton Entrepreneurship Center, setting this development apart from anything else in the North Country. It will feature a community fabrication space, co-working facilities and education areas to help build community collaboration and networking opportunities.

“As entrepreneurs find success, they can take advantage of one of the commercial storefronts within the development—which is connected with the downtown via hardscaped pedestrian paths. With its focus on today and the future, our vision for 19 Miner will serve the housing needs of both the Village of Canton and its surrounding communities, while  establishing the foothold of an innovation hub and retail center that will serve the North Country for decades to come,” the proposal states.

“Funding is typically the other large hurdle, but many positive strides have already been taken to mitigate this issue. The Village and SUNY Canton have done a wonderful job securing over $6 million for the project, with the potential for more funding through Forward NY. This secured funding will send a very clear message to HCR, enabling us to have a high probability of securing 9% LIHTC funding in the 2025 round. HCR likes to see other entities with a financial stake in the project, this has occurred here.”

Sorensen noted the Vecino Group RFP is not a final concept or design.

“It will be important for the public to know that the concept presented by Vecino is not the final design that will be implemented. They will begin a process of marketing/housing studies and engaging stakeholders and the community to develop a final design that meets our needs. Much more planning and discussion to come and we’re very excited to begin that work,” Sorensen remarked.

In May of 2023, the Village took ownership of the six parcels that make up the plaza for $1,280,000. The Village was also awarded $2,000,000 from the Restore NY program that will be used toward demolition of the existing structures and abatement of anticipated hazardous materials.

The Vecino Group was awarded a 2022 New York State Preservation Award for its work on Old Snell Hall in downtown Potsdam. The national affordable and supportive housing developer, along with partners the Village of Potsdam and Clarkson University, spent more than four years rescuing the 103-year-old former campus building to redevelop and serve its community as affordable housing and arts-driven programming.

Now operating as The Quarry—named for the famous, locally-sourced sandstone used as its structure—the newly renovated building provides 59 apartments for people living at or below 70% of the area’s median income as well as a library, a community room and fitness center. The first floor provides community connection via flexible programming areas for Clarkson University as well as additional community-centered spaces such as a gallery, art studios and the completely restored auditorium.