NNY municipalities get upgrade grants

North country municipalities and organizations will receive nearly $5 million in state funding to develop affordable housing, upgrade water and sewer systems and revitalize downtown areas.

The award announcements, which came earlier this week, were part of the $119 million made available statewide through state low-income housing tax credits and subsidies, the state Community Development Block Grant program and the New York Main Street program.

ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY

St. Lawrence County will receive the largest portion of funding at $1.95 million for 2010 Community Development Block Grant program awards. The county was the recipient of a $750,000 award for homeownership and three separate $400,000 awards for housing rehabilitation.

St. Lawrence County Planning Director Keith J. Zimmerman said the county's largest grant award will assist approximately 45 first-time home-buyers who may be able to afford a mortgage payment, but cannot come up with funds for a down payment.

"The county will join them in an acquisition, and have an equity stake," he said. "At the end of 10 years, if the family retains ownership of the home, they receive the benefit if we put $20,000 on the house."

Mr. Zimmerman said this is the fifth year St. Lawrence County has been awarded such a grant, which has helped put hundreds of county residents into their first home.

Two of the county's $400,000 grants each will target approximately 14 housing rehabilitation projects in the towns of Brasher and Russell. The village of Canton will receive the same grant award.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Municipalities in Franklin County also received awards through the program, including $400,000 to the town of Westville for housing rehabilitation, $280,000 to the town of Constable for housing rehabilitation and $558,300 to the village of Malone for public water system upgrades.

Malone Mayor Brent S. Stewart said the funding will complete the second phase of a water project along Route 11.

"We're removing a water line that's approximately 120 years old," he said. "From Route 11 it connects in the middle of Main Street and goes up and under the river and circles back to the east side of the village, which will create a hydraulic loop for pressure there."

The funds also will continue other water system improvements throughout the village.

LEWIS COUNTY

Another north country municipality to receive community grant program funds was the town of Martinsburg, for the hamlet of Glenfield's sewer project.

Snow Belt Housing Co. Inc., Lowville, applied for the $600,000 grant on the town's behalf to help fund repairs to the hamlet's 20-year-old sewer system. The $840,000 project, being designed by Bernier, Carr and Associates, Watertown, will replace or coat the inside of old sewer lines to reduce infiltration of rainwater, upgrade the sand beds and install a new emergency generator, Martinsburg Town Supervisor Terry J. Thisse said.

The project will begin either this fall or in the spring, Mr. Thisse said.

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Meanwhile, Jefferson County received $600,000 for housing rehabilitation. The Clayton Local Development Corp., however, was the only organization to receive a 2010 Main Street Program grant — to the tune of $500,000.

Kristi P. Dippel, the corporation's administrative officer, said having found out about the award only recently, she will set up a meeting in the next couple of weeks to develop a framework for how local businesses would apply for some of the funds.

"We'll have a committee, and certain criteria," she said. "It would be for any permanent enhancement to a building, so, for example, it can't be used for a new sign, but new windows or furnaces or facade."

Times staff writer Steve Virkler contributed to this report.