Village officials and entrepreneurs in Schuylerville have high hopes after being awarded $4.5 million in state funding last month.
Schuylerville is getting the funding as part of the NY Forward Program, meant to “invigorate and enliven” downtowns throughout the state.
Mayor Dan Carpenter says it will be vital in creating a vibrant downtown after years of effort.
“The projects that we have outlaid in our New York Forward grant application are, I would say, not so much the beginning of a transition, because, really, we’ve been in a renaissance for the last 10 years. This is just another step in the process. I think the projects that we have outlined will bring tourism and economic dollars to our village. It will provide some affordable housing for folks that are looking to move and be a part of our community,” explained Carpenter.
One project at the core of Schuylerville’s grant application is a new community center. Carpenter says the village has outgrown the current facility, which he described as a “tin shed.”
“A community center that could house opportunities for seniors, our youth group, or different groups within our community, is something that we are truly needing and is the first step in our overall Fort Hardy master plan,” said Carpenter.
Turning Point Development has been working toward the revitalization of Schuylerville’s downtown for the past two decades. It’s one of the key business partners with the village receiving funding from the state’s grant.
The real estate firm is working on the redevelopment of a vacant lot that was left in disrepair since the Hotel Schuylerville burned down in 1997.
Owner David Roberts says the challenge with Schuylerville’s location is that nearby Exit 15 off the Northway draws large commercial realtors away from the village.
"And what we need now, in Schuylerville, is more browsing spaces. That is small commercial spaces where people can come and there can be a sidewalk life. We have some of that now but it’s just not at a critical mass yet,” explained Roberts. “So, a building like that Turning Point is proposing right now, would provide three, we hope, commercial spaces and some second floor and third floor, perhaps, residential opportunities, which would put traffic on the streets both residentially but also create some commercial activity at sidewalk level.”
Tim Holmes works at the firm, which is looking to create a mixed use, three-floor building with shops on the ground level and housing units on the top two floors. Holmes says the top two floors will be rented at cost in a bid to take advantage of changing labor trends.
"If you can find a nice place like Schuylerville you can do much of your work from home, remotely. Then when you step outside the door you’ve got the beautiful upper Hudson River, trails, parks, and friendly places to go to downtown. So, the outcome of the grant is to further enhance the attractiveness and growth of Schuylerville,” said Holmes.
Friends of Fort Hardy Park President Beth Woodard has been spearheading a project to reconstruct the village’s historic park. She says the timeline will align with the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War in 2027.
“There's multiple layers to this master plan, the whole park is going to eventually be revitalized. And it's a $20 million project on paper. You know, we don't know, at the end of the day, how much it really is going to cost. So just getting that phase, completed by 2027, with the community center and the park. But it's just one little fraction of the amazing plans that are going to happen at Fort Hardy Park,” explained Woodard.
Hoosick Falls also received $4.5 million through the NY Forward program, while the town and village of Lake George are sharing $10 million through the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative.
