Village of Homer special DRI presentation meeting. (Photo Source: Village of Homer DRI Zoom meeting).
Years after the village of Homer failed to secure funding to the tune of $10 million that could reshape the future of the village through New York state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, village officials are confident this time their application will be extensive and transformational.
At a special board meeting Thursday, village of Homer Mayor Hal McCabe said the village’s application for the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) — a program that grants millions in funding to municipalities across the state to holistic rejuvenate old structures and promote economic development — has “a lot going for it.”
Village officials submitted the application before the Sept. 15 deadline.
The village requested $10 million in funds to establish a mixed-use development along the block between Water Street and Pine Street. The new three-story development would host retail and office spaces for businesses to occupy, and apartments on the third floor, but would maintain the same architectural style seen across the area.
“This is the result of a lot of work by a lot of different people,” McCabe said. “We have got support from landowners and at least two developers who are interested in developing the properties. We are incorporating things into this application that we have wanted here for a long time.”
The village’s application also included a substantial number of parking spaces to the tune of 150.
Village of Homer special DRI presentation meeting. (Photo Source: Village of Homer DRI Zoom meeting).
“We have a parking issue, so this is needed,” McCabe said. “That will alleviate a lot of the trouble main street businesses are having.”
Businesses like Bev & Co., Homer Men and Boys, IGA Foodliner and Sinfully Sweet Cafe — all located along the village’s Main Street — are bound to benefit from the potential influx of funding.
“Part of the funding will go to some of the Main Street business owners to rehab the back of their buildings,” McCabe said. “It is going to be a no-brainer, they are going to want a rear entrance to all their businesses. We spoke to most of them and some of them already have a rear entrance or want one.”
Some of the funding will also go toward a monument initially pitched by village historian Martin Sweeney. The monument is meant to honor three Homer natives who played an integral role in Abraham Lincoln’s life (16th President of the United States): Francis Carpenter, William Osburn Stoddard and Eli DeVoe. It would include paintings, plaques and statues, and would be located between Pine and Wall streets near the new DRI developments and facing the West Branch of the Tioughnioga River.
“We have a lot going for us in this application. The state is really prioritizing redeveloping along water,” McCabe said.
At last week’s meeting, a member of the public raised concerns ahead of the proposal submission on Sept. 15, noting that they felt like the village could have a lesser case to make for the funding request since the neighboring city of Cortland received DRI funding a few years ago.
McCabe responded saying he has had conversations with Cortland County Business Development Corporation CEO Gary VanGorder, who suggested that may actually work in the village’s favor.
“He said that strengthens our case, especially because we are trying to redevelop Route 11 between Cortland and Homer,” McCabe said. “He thinks we have a really strong shot.”
McCabe also said the village plans to use any leftover funds to bury the utility cables along main street.
Local residents also warned against utilizing plans that could seem too familiar to regional economic development officials, who will be looking at the village’s application.
“I met the people who evaluated this, and they were incredibly firm about one thing: they wanted transformation, they wanted excitement, they didn’t wanna see what other places are doing,” said Homer resident Victor Siegel. “They said ‘if it comes in boring, forget it.’”
