Mayor's Message

DRI Stockade District Business Façade Improvement Grant Program

Kingston Awarded Brownfield Opportunity Area Grant

Complete Streets Training on March 1

Mayor Noble Visits RNC Black History Week

Age Well Events for Seniors Starting in March

RUPCO Revitalize Broadway Corridor Grant Program

ARPA Small Business Grant Program

Mayor's Message:

Dear Friends -

We have three great grant opportunities for businesses right now, here's a refresher:

RUPCO Revitalize Broadway Corridor Grants - businesses on Broadway in two sections (Midtown and Downtown) for exterior and interior rehabilitation. Deadline is March 15, 2023.       

ARPA Small Business Grants - businesses in Kingston that experienced a loss of revenue due to the pandemic. Deadline is March 17, 2023.

DRI Façade Program - just announced! businesses in the Stockade Business District for façade improvements. Deadline is March 24, 2023.

More on each opportunity below. If your business or property qualifies for one of these grants, apply today!

-Steve

DRI Stockade District Business Façade Grant Program Launched

The DRI Stockade Business District Business Façade Improvement Grant Program is now open!

The Business Façade Improvement Program will provide grants of up to $20,000 each to property or business owners seeking to make improvements to the façade of a commercial property in the Stockade Business District.

The Business Façade Improvements Program funds are available for the correction of blighting conditions such as peeling paint, boarded up windows or windows in poor condition; signage; replacement of missing historic elements; and modification or removal of inappropriate alterations. Projects and expenses are determined on an individual basis to ensure that they meet the goals of Business Façade Improvement Program and Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) Program.

The Business Façade Improvement Grant Program application opens Friday, February 24, 2023 and will close on Friday, March 24, 2023. Awardees will be announced on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Commercial property owners, small business owners, and non-profits within the Stockade District boundary are welcome to apply. Religious institutions, private membership-based organizations and municipalities are not eligible for this grant opportunity.

The City of Kingston was awarded the Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant in 2017. Funds for the Stockade Business District Small Grants Program come from the NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative, headed by NYS Department of State and administered by NYS Homes & Community Renewal.

More info about the program, guidelines and application can be found at: www.engagekingston.com/dri-business-facade-improvement-grant-program. 

Kingston Awarded Brownfield Opportunity Area Grant

The City of Kingston, in partnership with Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, has won a Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) grant for $238,559 from the New York State Department of State. The joint project will be called Midtown Thriving: A Community Vision to Revitalize Vacant Properties.

The grant will fund a community-driven plan for the redevelopment of certain properties within the Midtown neighborhood. The work will focus on vacant and abandoned properties within a 270-acre area that runs along the Broadway corridor. Ulster County led a preliminary study of this area in Midtown and four other brownfield locations throughout the county in 2019. Pattern for Progress will lead the development of a final BOA plan, which is expected to take two years to complete. The final plan will be submitted to the state to complete the BOA nomination and unlock tax credits that encourage the redevelopment of properties in alignment with the community’s vision.

The planning process starts with an in-depth analysis of existing conditions and opportunities for revitalization. It includes multiple public engagements, including meetings and workshops where Kingston residents will help planners identify priority parcels for redevelopment and create a vision for their potential uses. Designation as a BOA by the State will give development in the area priority and preference for state programs, eligibility for pre-development funding, and it will unlock tax credits for property owners and developers.

Public engagement opportunities will be announced in the coming weeks. We will be seeking local members for a Project Advisory Committee. More information can be found at EngageKingston.com/midtown-thriving. 

Complete Streets Training on March 1

City of Kingston staff and consultants will host a Complete Streets Training on March 1, 2023 at 6:00pm in Conference Room 1 at City Hall.

The training is open to the public and the goal is to review the concept of streets that are designed for all users and how that can be applied in Kingston. It will include best practices, case studies, and implications for Kingston. Spanish interpretation will be available.

The Complete Streets Training is part of the overall vision of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan (PBMP), a draft of which will be released next week and available at Engage Kingston. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan will inform the City’s efforts to improve conditions for non-motorized transportation users, reduce vehicle congestion and emissions, and support a culture of health across the community.

More info at https://www.facebook.com/events/746369216924653. 

Kingston Creates Disaster Preparedness Resource

The City of Kingston, in collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, has prepared Disaster Recovery and Resiliency resources for Kingston residents. 

The City of Kingston’s Disaster Preparedness guide provides preparation and recovery resources, such as shelters and food pantries, Emergency Services contacts, and tips for pets in emergency situations like flooding or extreme heat or cold.

As the negative effects of climate change become more intense, the greater the need for preparing for disaster scenarios. We will be rolling out a social media campaign with tips and guidance for preparing your home and your loved ones in the event of a climate-related emergency.

 

The Disaster Preparedness resources can be found at https://kingston-ny.gov/disasterpreparedness.

Black History Week at Rondout Neighborhood Center

Mayor Noble visited the Rondout Neighborhood Center this week for their annual Black History Week. On Tuesday, these bright students were learning about Black Professionals in Education and celebrating Black History with a soul food dinner.

Thank you to the Rondout Center staff for putting on a wonderful weeklong series of events. Tonight the RNC will host the Carnival from 6:00-8:00pm with lots of games, prizes, food and dancing. Bring the family!

Age Well Kingston's Free Event Series in March

Live Well Kingston's Age Well group is hosting two free event series for seniors beginning in March:

Chair Zumba will be held Tuesdays at 11:00am from March 7 to March 28 at the Big Bubble.

The Midtown Walking Group will meet Mondays from March 6 to April 10 at 11:00am at the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center gym.

These events are great for older adults wanting to increase their physical activity while moving at their own pace. It’s a supportive environment, so don’t be shy to sign up alone. It’s a great way to meet new people. The events are designed to be fun, easy and accessible to individuals with disabilities. To learn more, visit http://livewellkingston.org.

RUPCO Revitalize Broadway Corridor Grant Program

RUPCO is accepting applications for the Revitalize Broadway Corridor Program to assist property and business owners within two sections of Broadway with funding to renovate exterior facades and storefronts, execute interior commercial renovations, or rehabilitate residential units. 

This grant opportunity can reimburse up to 75% of the total eligible project costs for general building renovations. The properties must be located in the western Midtown 5-block section from the Albany Avenue roundabout to the Broadway and Grand intersection and the Waterfront 3-block section from McEntee Street to the Rondout Creek. A map of the eligible area is here.

Applications must be submitted before March 15, 2023 at 4:00pm. More at https://rupco.org/nyms/

ARPA Small Business Grant Program

The City of Kingston has opened applications for the ARPA Small Business Grant Program. The City has allocated $1,000,000 of its $17.3 million ARPA award to aid local businesses in responding to the negative economic impacts of COVID-19. 

Grant awards of up to $10,000 each will help businesses keep their doors open, protect local jobs threatened by the pandemic, support community recovery, and increase resiliency.  

The grant application is due Friday, March 17, 2023. Further details and the application are available at Engage Kingston.