Governor Kathy Hochul announced several Long Island towns are the recipients of grants to improve downtown areas and promote long-term economic growth.
Huntington Station is the latest winner of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Grant, while Lindenhurst and Long Beach each received $4.5 million grants as part of the inaugural NY Forward Program meant to rejuvenate smaller communities.
As New York continues to recover from the pandemic, the state is “executing an equitable plan with NY Forward to uplift our business districts utilizing the successful blueprint of our Downtown Revitalization Initiative," Governor Hochul said in a statement.
The Downtown Revitalization Initiative, created in 2016, allocates funding for neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state by combining a “plan-then-act” strategy meant to encourage economic rejuvenation and sustainability.
The NY Forward Program works with the Downtown Revitalization Initiative to develop strategic plans to implement community improvements that meet the financial needs of these smaller communities. Improvements can include new building construction as well as transportation and housing enhancements.
“The Downtown Revitalization Initiative is helping communities in every corner of the state realize their visions for downtown and economic resurgence,” Secretary of the State Robert J. Rodriguez said in a statement. “Huntington Station is already beginning to undergo commercial development that will attract new visitors and residents to the area, and funding provided through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative will further secure its future as a premiere local and regional destination on Long Island."
