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CPC'S Hudson Valley Main Street Summit On Downtown Revitalization Proves To Be A Real Crowd Pleaser With Largest Attendance Yet

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CPC's Hudson Valley Main Street Summit

Downtown revitalization specialists gathered in Kingston, NY recently to discuss some key issues facing Hudson Valley's Downtowns.

March 31, 2011

CPC's seventh Hudson Valley Main Street Summit drew its largest attendance yet with over 100 people in Kingston, NY. The free half-day seminar & networking event was co-sponsored by CPC, NYS Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), The Business Alliance of Kingston (BAK), Pat Courtney Strong, Mid-Hudson Energy Smart Communities/NYSERDA and Rural Ulster Preservation Company (RUPCO).

The event provided an overview of some of the key resources and financing tools available for downtown revitalization.

Kingston Mayor James M. Sottile, welcomed attendees and highlighted case studies of the City’s re-use of existing facilities, such as the conversion of local dormer mill buildings into offices, residences, and artist space.

A panel of local downtown revitalization specialists, Stephen Finkle, CECD, Director, Economic Development, City of Kingston, Pat Courtney Strong (Coordinator, NYSERDA Mid-Hudson Energy Smart Communities Program) and Nancy Donskoj of the Business Alliance of Kingston (BAK), and Kevin O'Connor, Executive Director, RUPCO, opened the discussion with a description of Kingston's resurgence thanks to financial and technical assistance from several housing and community development services, including HCR's NY Main Street Grant funding, various NYSERDA programs, and other public/private partnerships.

Daniel Marsh, National Development Council, New York, NY; East Team Leader & President, NDC Housing & Economic Development Corp., one of the most renowned experts in Downtown revitalization, discussed public/private partnerships and their role in building Downtowns. He emphasized the importance of third sector partnerships, which he believes are essential for Community Development and cited examples of million dollar savings.

HCR presenters, Karl Gustafson, Sr. Community Developer and Crystal Loffler, Community Developer, both of the NY Main Street Program presented HCR's $5M NY Main Street Grant funding program and explained the in's & out's of the application process. They provided specifics about the grant, including whether or not particular communities would be eligible for funding.

Larisa Ortiz Pu-Folkes, Consultant, Speaker, and Author specializing in commercial district revitalization spoke about empowering downtown areas to measure the success of their revitalization models to effectively plan future initiatives based on past performance.

To view presentations from the event, please select from the following speakers:

Panel: Overview of Kingston’s Revitalization Efforts

Stephen M. Finkle, CEcD, Director of Economic Development, City of Kingston

Pat Courtney Strong & Nancy Donskoj, Business Alliance of Kingston (BAK)

Kevin O’Connor, Executive Director, Rural Ulster Preservation Company

Panel: Developing the Discipline of Downtown Management

Larisa Ortiz Pu-Folkes, Senior Director of Retail Attraction for NYC Department of Small Business Services

Panel: Private/Public Partnerships
Dan Marsh, Director, National Development Council

Panel: Available Funding
Karl Gustafson, Sr. Community Developer NY Main Street Program & Crystal Loffler, Community Developer, NY Main Street Program, HCR

Pat Courtney Strong, Mid-Hudson Energy Smart Communities/NYSERDA