A plan to build a facility in Riverside for the Children’s Museum of the East End Riverside earned the support of the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, which listed it as a “priority project” for state capital grant funding in Round VIII of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative.
The East End Children’s Museum will build a permanent facility in Riverside to expand community access to arts and cultural programming, the LIREDC said in its recommendation to the state council.
The regional council recommended a $200,000 capital grant from Empire State Development to support the construction of the new facility at Ludlam Avenue, with an estimated total project cost of $1.26 million. The project will also be underwritten by a $900,000 HUD grant, according to the LIREDC.
The Flanders, Riverside and Northampton Community Association hired a grant writer to apply for the grant.
“FRNCA’s number one short-term goal is bringing the Children’s Museum of the East End to a permanent home in Riverside,” FRNCA president Ron Fisher said in an email to the community. He said the organization is very pleased with the regional council’s recommendation and optimistic that the application will be funded by the state.
The L.I. Regional Economic Development Council also recommended funding Riverhead Town’s application for a grant to develop a plan for a transit-oriented development near the Riverhead LIRR station.
Town officials are considering the feasibility of mixed-use development in the area of the train station. Private developers have approached the town board about the possibility of developing the municipal lot with apartments, retail shops and a parking garage. Other privately owned sites in the area could also be considered for redevelopment. Board members have discussed possible zoning code changes to accommodates such development and decided to seek grant funding to pay the planning costs.
Since 2011, the first year of the Regional Economic Development Council statewide initiative, more than $5.4 billion has been awarded to more than 6,300 projects, according to the state. Governor Andrew Cuomo established 10 regional councils to develop long-term strategic plans for economic growth for their regions. Last year, the REDC initiative made more than $750 million in state resources across all 10 regions, including up to $225 million in performance-based grants and tax credits from Empire State Development and over $525 million from over 30 state agency programs.
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