State money is coming to improve downtown Fredonia.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has announced four Western New York communities have been selected to receive Smart Growth Community Funds. The villages of Fredonia, Alfred, Lancaster and the city of Tonawanda will each be awarded a portion of $10 million in funding from the Buffalo Billion II initiative to support projects that utilize existing infrastructure to support placemaking, walkable communities and sustainable development.

“Western New York is thriving as it continues to embrace downtown redevelopment, driving local economies throughout the region,” Cuomo said. “Through the Smart Growth Community Fund, we are encouraging the growth of new businesses, housing, and greenspace that will help attract young workers and further fuel the area’s transformation.”

Fredonia’s recommended award is up to $2.5 million. Projects would enhance the village’s historic downtown and help to create a strong sense of place for its residents, college students, and visitors, and could include:

¯ Streetscape improvements along Water and Temple streets surrounding Barker Common that would improve safety, attractiveness, and connectivity to downtown; and

¯ 1891 Opera House improvements that would help to complete interior and exterior projects and promote the Opera House as a regional and cultural attraction.

Fredonia Mayor Athanasia Landis was excited for the announcement. “I am very grateful to Governor Cuomo and his continued support for the village of Fredonia. The WNY Smart Growth Community Fund award we received Friday will give us the opportunity to revitalize our community through economic development while we improve walkability, preserve our wonderful architecture and reclaim our historic buildings.”

Fredonia State President Dr. Virginia Horvath, who is also the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chair, said, “The REDC congratulates the recipients of these awards for investing in their downtowns and working toward smart growth improvements. Throughout the region we are seeing the value in reinvesting in our cities, towns, and villages in ways that will strengthen existing assets, foster mixed-use development, increase access to greenspace and accelerate economic growth.”

Senator Catharine M. Young said, “Revitalizing our downtowns is a winning economic development strategy that drives job growth, enriches quality of life and preserves the history and character of our communities. The four Smart Growth awardees announced today deserve to be commended for pursuing those goals through thoughtful, creative proposals that were developed in collaboration with many stakeholders and designed to complement initiatives already underway. My congratulations go out to all the winners on this exciting news, especially the residents of Alfred and Fredonia in my district, and my thanks go out to Governor Cuomo for his support and commitment to the future of Western New York.”

Assembly Member Andy Goodell said, “It is very exciting that Fredonia will receive up to $2.5 million to enhance its historic downtown by making streetscape improvements around Barker Commons and needed renovations and improvements to the 1891 Opera House. These projects build on the unique and beautiful area around Barker Common, help foster a stronger sense of community identity, and will benefit residents and visitors for many years into the future.”

Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello said, “As someone who grew up in Fredonia, I know what a great community it is, filled with wonderful people. This Smart Growth Community award will allow Fredonia to enhance the downtown area. This will help boost economic activity and the quality of life in a village with a history of vibrancy.”

In 2017, grants of up to $2.5 million each through the Smart Growth Community Fund were awarded to the cities of Dunkirk, Lackawanna, and North Tonawanda, and the village of Gowanda.

“We’re transforming upstate New York with a record amount of funding and creating new jobs and opportunities for residents,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, who delivered today’s announcement. “As a native Western New Yorker, I know what it was like to see factories close and jobs disappear, but that is now a reality of the past. As part of the Smart Growth Community Fund, we’re investing in local projects in communities across the region to revitalize downtowns and pursue smart growth. The progress and commitment in Western New York is evident, and the transformation is only beginning.”

The Smart Growth Community Fund follows three rounds of the Better Buffalo Fund, which provided funding from the Buffalo Billion for the Buffalo Main Streets Initiative and Transit-Oriented Development, expanding opportunities to communities throughout the five-county region of Western New York. Over the past three years, the Better Buffalo Fund has provided over $28 million in support for projects that create compact, vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods and ensure that all residents have access to the city’s emerging job centers in the area.

Investments in historic preservation tax credits since the program was expanded under the Governor’s direction in 2013 have also resulted in more than $3.6 billion in investments from both the state and federal tax credit. Over two-thirds of those investments have been made in historic downtowns and commercial centers in Upstate New York. In Western New York alone, 120 completed projects have attracted over $727 million in private investment, and an additional 144 projects with a minimum investment of $444.9 million are in planning stages. These investments represent the largest number of projects in any region of the state and the largest dollar investment of any upstate region.