RUPCO: New Media Releases

Highland Seeks Main Street Grant Funds
53 buildings in hamlet could be eligible

Kingston, NY -- 5/19/2009 — The Hamlet of Highland could get a major face lift next year if the New York Main Street grant application recently submitted to the State’s Division of Housing and Community Renewal, is successful. With a building façade study completed and an active Revitalization Committee well organized, the hamlet has worked with Town of Lloyd officials and the Rural Ulster Preservation Company (RUPCO) to secure $200,000 in funding for rehabilitation activities. Looking to capitalize on investments that will make the Poughkeepsie-Highland railroad bridge into the “Walkway Over the Hudson,” town and hamlet officials and volunteers collaborated with the Southern Ulster Chamber of Commerce and the Ulster County Planning Department to pull its vision and grant application together.

“Applying for the NYS Main Street Grant presents a very timely opportunity for our community,” said Claire Costantino, Coordinator of the Highland Main Street Revitalization Committee. “The Highland Main Street Revitalization Committee has been very active in attempts to revitalize the hamlet area and to build excitement in the community about the business center. The grant will assist us in our goal of bringing a sense of revitalization to our hamlet area and it will also provide an opportunity to bring some of our tax dollars back into the community.”

The application seeks funding to enhance street level amenities, assist with façade improvements to storefront commercial units and promote rehabilitation of residential units to be rented to low-income residents. While this grant program is highly competitive, RUPCO’s Director of Community Development, Guy Kempe was optimistic about the group’s chances. “These folks were seriously organized,” said Kempe of the Highland Revitalization team, “and that organization showed in their grant application.” He said that having a façade study already completed was important in helping the group clearly outline a vision, goals and steps to be taken to achieve the goals. “They even had a post card produced showing historic buildings, just to promote participation in their program,” Kempe added. “That was unheard of!”

Kempe, whose organization would administer a successful grant application, said that as many as 53 different buildings would be eligible to benefit from the program, which would require matching funds from each participant. “Together, those participating will help decrease commercial and residential vacancies, foster business growth and job cultivation and inspire renewed civic pride,” added Kempe. Announcements about the grant are expected late this summer, with the lion’s share of the actual work to be done in 2010.

Costantino, who serves as a volunteer to coordinate Highland’s revitalization activities, will work with RUPCO to engage participants, supervise projects and complete the grant if it is obtained. RUPCO has administered seven successful Main Street grants throughout Ulster County, delivering a total of $1.4 million in improvements to Ulster County and leveraging another $6 million in other public and private sector contributions.

More information on RUPCO and its programs is available by calling 845-331-2140 or clicking www.rupco.org. More information on the Highland revitalization efforts is available by calling the Town of Lloyd Town Hall at 691-2144.