Regional Economic Development Council Gives Millions to Orange County

Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus announced on Wednesday that 21 projects within Orange County have been awarded approximately $13.3 million as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) initiative.

“The overall awards are a testament to Orange County’s commitment to economic development and I’m proud of the applicants that received funding,” Neuhaus said. “These funds will help us to continue to promote economic development and tourism in the County, and improve the quality of life for our residents. The projects awarded by Governor Cuomo represent some of the most innovative in our region. We celebrate those who have received awards and are grateful for this investment in Orange County.”
Orange County project highlights include:

• City of Middletown, $2,999,356: Middletown will purchase land and conservation easements surrounding Mill and Kinch pond and enhance the riparian buffer. The project will reduce storm water runoff entering Monhagen-Middletown Reservoir System, including phosphorous and nitrogen that may lead to harmful algae blooms.
• SUNY Orange, $1,831,000: The College will receive $1.831 million from Empire State Development to invest in Phase I of the Innovation Grand Street Project. The project involves the renovation of two vacant/underutilized buildings in the City of Newburgh's historic downtown district. The project will create space for training and programming that addresses specific needs for an educated workforce and encourages entrepreneurship in the region’s growing industries along with collaborative partners and local businesses.
• City of Port Jervis, $1,882,500: Port Jervis will develop a land acquisition program that will protect more than 1,678 acres through land purchase and conservation easements in the Town of Deerpark. The City received an additional $750,000 to rehabilitate a minimum of 39,000 linear feet of existing wastewater system lines.
• Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh, Inc., $720,000: The Boys & Girls Club will rehabilitate the Columbus Trust Bank Building to establish the Center for Arts & Education. The Center will provide arts and education services and serve as a performance venue for more than 3,000 underserved individuals annually.
• City Winery Hudson Valley, Village of Montgomery, $805,756: City Winery is acquiring a historic site on Wallkill River to rehabilitate and reuse as a winery, café and event space. City Winery, which has venues in six cities, will centralize their national wine production to the Hudson Valley location.
• City Winery Hudson Valley, Village of Montgomery, $832,000: The winery will invest in the rehabilitation of the historic 22-acre Montgomery Worsted Mills property for adaptive reuse as a wine production facility, tasting room, café and event space.
• Galaxy Limited, LLC, Village of Maybrook, $600,000: Galaxy Limited will invest to complete Phase I of a multi-phased project to develop pad-ready sites along 80 acres of rail-side property, supporting up to 850,000 square feet of commercial and industrial space.
• McNeilly Wood Products, Town of Montgomery, $705,000: A fourth-generation family-owned company, McNeilly Wood Products will construct a 50,000 square foot building at its current location to increase productivity, efficiency and capacity.