City of Cortland Receives Two Downtown Grants

The City of Cortland was awarded two grants that will be used to improve the City’s Central Business District. The New York State Governor’s Office for Small Cities (GOSC) awarded the City $650,000 that will be used to fund three downtown programs and to improve the City’s parking facilities.

Under the Building Improvement Program downtown property owners can receive both grant and loan funds to create new commercial space and/or residential units, or to rehabilitate vacant space for housing and/or commercial purposes.

The Façade Improvement Program will provide grant and loan funds to downtown property owners or business owners to upgrade the exterior of their buildings or storefronts.

Under the third program, the Microenterprise Program, grant and loan funds are available for small business development and training. Downtown business owners (with five or fewer employees) or persons wishing to establish a business in the downtown (with five or fewer employees) are eligible for these funds.

The City also partnered with the Cortland Housing Assistance Council on a successful $200,000 application under the New York Main Street Program. The funds will be used to expand the Building Improvement and Façade Improvement Programs. The New York Main Street Program is funded through the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation.

For additional information or an application for funds for any of the three programs noted above, please contact the City’s Community Development Consultants, Thoma Development Consultants, at (607) 753-1433.