The town of Potsdam is preparing for some major changes to its downtown area. Last October, the town received a $10 million grant through the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). The grant was presented in a ceremony at Clarkson University by Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul.

Governor Andrew Cuomo began the initiative in 2016, and since then the state has given out $400 million dollars to communities throughout the state. Each year, towns across the state have crafted detailed plans and proposals for the committee to sort through. There are four rounds of cuts before the ten winners are determined, each from one of the state’s regional economic councils. Potsdam was the selection for the North Country.

Preparations for the grant began in May 2019, when the town held three pre-application workshops to get input from community members. The proposal included a wide array of projects for the town, totaling over $25 million in possibilities. Once the award was officially announced, a committee of local appointees and state officials met to determine what the money would be spent on.

Potsdam had applied for the grant every year since the initiative had begun, and was finally able to secure the award in their fourth effort. 

According to New York’s online description of the DRI, Potsdam was given the award in part due to the work already done in the town. “Over more than three decades,” it reads, “Potsdam has set the wheels in motion for transformational development by creating a strong sense of place, facilitating the development of downtown residential options, supporting both small businesses and large educational institutions, and enhancing waterfront parks, access, and recreational opportunities.” With this new grant, the state hopes to help Potsdam “advance its preser0vation efforts, prominence in the arts, streetscape and waterfront improvements, and support for traditional and new technology businesses to create a mixed-use downtown where nature and culture coexist.” 

While an ambitious and popular program, the DRI has also faced criticism for inefficiency in distributing money and developing projects. According to the Utica Observer-Dispatch, “about 140 projects have received funding in the program’s first two years, but only 14 have been completed totaling $15.6 million,” based on data from the state. Some critics have argued that the state would be better off using the money to address regional concerns and the state’s debt.

Governor Cuomo, however, has continued to support the program. In his announcement that the program would return for 2019, he stated, “this critical program completely transforms downtown communities, resulting in unprecedented growth and development that leads to a renewed sense of pride in our cities, towns and villages.” He has promised that the money in the program will be spent.

Despite some of the concerns, Potsdam residents and officials have remained optimistic about the project. SUNY Potsdam President Kristen G. Esterberg spoke at the award ceremony about the possibilities that come with the grant. “This transformational grant will benefit our faculty, staff, students and visitors, as it enhances and revitalizes downtown Potsdam,” she said. “We are particularly excited about the opportunity to build on Potsdam’s reputation as the center for arts, culture and education in the North Country, through support for downtown cultural anchors.”

Others, like Mayor Ron Tischler, hailed the award as one of the biggest achievements in his career in Potsdam politics. In an interview with North Country Now last November, Tischler claimed the grant “could change the whole future of the Village of Potsdam.”