RUPCO Awarded $500,000 grant to revitalize the City of Kingston Broadway Corridor

KINGSTON, NY – RUPCO has become the recipient of a $500,000 New York Main Street Grant (NYMS) state grant from NYS Homes and Community Renewal (NYSHCR) to revitalize businesses and housing along the Broadway business corridor – from the Albany Avenue roundabout to the Rondout Creek in Kingston, NY.

The housing agency partnered with the City of Kingston to secure the NYMS grant that will provide funding for exterior and interior renovations that will support small businesses, increase the number of affordable housing units in the city, and enhance the streetscape public square at the Broadway and Grand intersection in this mixed-use corridor.  The City will contribute American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding to minority and women business & property owners that are selected to participate in the program.

“Having been involved in the public infrastructure improvements on Broadway, I am delighted to continue working on the revitalization of the corridor with the business community,” said Kristen Wilson, Assistant Vice President of Community Development at RUPCO, who will manage the project.  “In particular, I am enthused RUPCO can support business and property owners to increase their ability to build wealth and provide jobs and quality affordable housing in this mixed-use commercial corridor. Together we are creating a Broadway where we will all want to be, live, work, and shop”

“I thank RUPCO for putting together this application, and for administering the grants to get this funding into the Broadway business community,” said Mayor Steve Noble.  “I thank NYS HCR for this grant funding that will help us continue to invest in Broadway, revitalize aging facades and increase housing, and help our local businesses achieve their economic development goals.”

In the summer of 2022, RUPCO conducted outreach marketing activities to identify potential projects; however, the program will also be open to new applicants. RUPCO will continue to work closely with various departments in the City of Kingston and the Ulster County Department of Economic Development to identify synergistic opportunities where several programs may be co-leveraged to support the purpose of the NYMS program and small businesses. RUPCO is committed to assisting property and business owners – especially those who are MWBEs, BIPOC, or may not have their own capital or cash flow. A community presentation will be conducted and applications will be made available at www.rupco.org early in 2023

This award is part of a $5.3 million grant investment to municipalities and nonprofit organizations across New York to support twelve projects that will improve and revitalize Main Streets and strengthen local economies. The New York Main Street program directly provides financial resources and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations and municipalities committed to revitalizing and enhancing the economic vitality of historic downtowns, mixed-use neighborhood commercial districts, and village centers.

About RUPCO
RUPCO creates homes, supports people, and improves communities across a broad spectrum of community development solutions, including housing, historic preservation, and neighborhood revitalization in the Hudson Valley. RUPCO creates and maintains quality, sustainable housing and rental opportunities, inspires understanding and acceptance of affordable housing initiatives, and champions pathways to opportunity. For more information, visit www.rupco.org

About NYSHCR

New York State Homes and Community Renewal (NYSHCR) preserves housing affordability and works with private, public, and nonprofit partners to create inclusive, safe, “green,” and resilient places to live in New York State. HCR is charged with carrying out the Governor’s $1 billion HOUSE NY plan, leveraging New York’s federal and state community development resources, and creating affordable housing opportunities statewide. HCR programs provide financing to create and preserve multifamily housing; improve housing conditions, ensure accessibility, and save energy; provide bonding authority and other resources to facilitate local public improvements and job creation; and help thousands of low- and moderate-income New Yorkers purchase a home. NYS HCR also funds services for low-to-middle-income households, and vulnerable populations including veterans, seniors, homeless families, individuals with HIV/AIDS, and at-risk youth.