Governor Hochul Announces Completion of $10 Million Public Safety Building in Auburn

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of a $10 million project for a new shared public safety building in Auburn. Funded in part through the city's $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative in 2018, the 29,600 sq. ft. building will house the City of Auburn Fire Department and the Cayuga County Emergency Operations Center in a shared space that provides emergency responders with modern amenities and equipment in the heart of Auburn's downtown.

"Across New York, we are investing in our communities to ensure they have vibrant downtowns that serve the needs of residents and visitors," Governor Hochul said. "Auburn's new shared public safety building is a win-win for all as the local emergency responders are now conveniently located in a new, modern facility in the heart of the revitalized downtown. This is yet another great example of how our Downtown Revitalization Initiative provides access to success across New York State."

The project received $2 million from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Climate Smart Communities Grant Program and $1.2 million from the New York State Department of State as part of the DRI. The project included fully renovating a 17,800 sq. ft. vacant urban strip mall and adding a newly constructed 11,800 sq. ft. apparatus bay to house City Fire Department apparatus, safety equipment, training and medical supplies and modern decontamination areas for fire fighters.

The City and County have a joint resolution supporting the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) operating out of the new Fire Station. The new modern EOC will serve as a public safety classroom for city and county police and emergency management agencies on a day-to-day basis. The EOC can be activated to respond to disasters or public health emergencies.

New York Secretary of State Rossana Rosado said, "This project is the perfect example of how the Downtown Revitalization Initiative is serving as a catalyst for the transformation of our neighborhoods. This public safety building demonstrates how repurposing a formerly vacant, underutilized space in the heart of Auburn's downtown can reinvigorate a community by providing a modern, convenient location for the city and county's emergency responders."

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "New York State's Climate Smart Communities Grant Program provides local governments with the technical support and resources they need to take locally driven action to adapt to the harsh realities of climate change. DEC is proud to have worked with the City of Auburn and Cayuga County, as well as our New York partners at the Department of State and Empire State Development, and others to help deliver this critical emergency preparedness project for this community."

Empire State Development Chief Operating Officer and Executive Deputy Commissioner Kevin Younis said, "New York State's city centers are springing back to life thanks in part to the strategic, targeted investment support provided by the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. This new facility, a once-vacant strip mall, is now a state-of-the-art hub of public safety, providing Auburn's essential first responders with all that they need to do their jobs even more effectively."

Senator John W. Mannion said, "The City of Auburn's new Public Safety Building is a triumph of state and local planning. The new home for the Auburn Fire Department's Station #1 supports downtown redevelopment efforts and gives emergency personnel the technology and facilities they need to do the job. Every resident of Auburn and Cayuga County will benefit from this modernization and I extend my appreciation to Governor Hochul for her unwavering support for this project."

Assemblymember John Lemondes said, "I'm glad to see New York State recognize the needs of Central New York, and invest in it adequately. The people of Cayuga County deserve the absolute best our government has to offer, and this investment will go a long way to providing for a safer future for all in the City of Auburn and Cayuga County."

Auburn Mayor Michael D. Quill said, "This project has been many, many years in the making and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant allowed us to make it happen. With this project we have moved our main fire station, invested in improved emergency management systems and revitalized a neighborhood on our downtown's northern edge. We thank Governor Hochul for all of her support of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative over the years and for making sure that economic development for upstate cities such as Auburn are at the top of her priority list."

Auburn was named a DRI Round 3 winner in July 2018. Auburn is the second largest city in Central New York. Recent public and private investment, local planning efforts, and capital infrastructure projects have catalyzed downtown's redevelopment.

The Auburn Strategic Investment Plan is guiding revitalization projects to advance the community's vision for its downtown and to leverage and expand upon the state's $10 million investment. The DRI investment area is focused along the City's riverfront, transportation corridors and arts district, which provide the greatest potential for vacant property revitalization and corridor enhancement. The City is seeking to keep the momentum of recent development going by mending a historic downtown damaged by urban renewal and revitalizing vacant brownfield and riverfront properties. To leverage DRI funds, City leadership has embraced a "#This Place Matters" campaign to achieve $40 million of public-private funds to invest in downtown

Accelerating CNY Rising

Today's announcement complements "CNY Rising," the region's comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on capitalizing on global market opportunities, strengthening entrepreneurship and creating an inclusive economy. Now, the region is accelerating CNY Rising with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The State's $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion - and the region's plan, as submitted, projects up to 5,900 new jobs. More information is available here.

About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative

The Downtown Revitalization Initiative launched in 2016 to accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment in all ten regions of the state. The initiative represents an unprecedented and innovative plan-to-act strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation.

In the first four years of the program, the state committed $400 million to invest in downtowns that are ripe for revitalization and have the potential to become magnets for redevelopment, business, job creation, greater economic and housing diversity, and opportunity. The fifth round of the DRI will have an additional $200 million commitment. Participating communities are nominated by the state's 10 Regional Economic Development Councils based on the downtown's potential for transformation. Each community is awarded at least $10 million to develop a downtown strategic investment plan and implement key catalytic projects that advance the community's vision for revitalization.

The initiative is headed by New York Secretary of State Rossana Rosado. Communities receive support from private sector experts and a team of state agency staff led by the Department of State in close partnership with Empire State Development, and state Homes and Community Renewal.

About the Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Grant Program

The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Grant program was established in 2016 to provide 50/50 matching grants to cities, towns, villages, and counties of the State of New York and boroughs of New York City for eligible climate change mitigation, adaptation, and planning and assessment projects. Funds are available for two broad project categories - implementation and certification. The first project category supports implementation projects related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions outside the power sector (transportation, methane, and refrigerants) and climate change adaptation (e.g. reducing flood-risk, increasing natural resiliency, extreme heat or event preparation, relocation or retrofit of critical infrastructure, and improving emergency preparedness). The second project category supports planning and assessment projects aligned with Climate Smart Communities certification.