“We have all the services that one would want in a large city,” boasts Mayor John Buckley. “A few years ago, we were named the most affordable community, and the second fastest growing city, in all of New York state. We have a lot of things going for us.” REVIVAL AND GROWTH Hornell has secured approximately $30 million in grant funding over the past seven years to support infrastructure projects, park investments, and neighborhood revitalization. A key component has been the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), a $10 million grant awarded in 2019 that has encouraged ongoing investment in the city’s core. “Really, it’s more than the $10 million because it leverages private funds as well to infuse into our downtown,” acknowledges Buckley. The city is also investing in its neighborhoods, seeking grant funding wherever possible to help rejuvenate the community. “Over the last seven years, we’ve been awarded roughly $1.5 million in neighborhood revitalization monies through CDBG (Community Development Block Grants), which helps qualified residents with heating, roofing, siding, windows, doors and those basic maintenance items. We’ve been very successful in that area as well.” DOWNTOWN REINVENTED Heather Reynolds, Director of Planning, outlines plans to revive Hornell’s downtown district, with improvements focused on beautification, pedestrianfriendly infrastructure, and mixed-use development. “The DRI really helped us get the energy going with the building owners, and we just completed our public projects,” she describes. “One of those projects was hiring a consulting firm to help us create design guidelines so that there’s some consistency in the signage and facade work. We want to really attract people in the drive by, passing through, the eye line of the downtown.” Other recently completed public projects include new street lighting, sidewalks, and public art installations, creating a welcoming environment for residents and visitors. Mixed use development is also a priority, evidenced by the renovation of the historic Federation Building. Reynolds notes, “That building has retail and commercial space on the first floor, and 9 units above. That was a beautiful project. It used to be a school, they refurbished it so that it was available to the community with the old theater inside of it.” Only a short walk from Downtown Hornell, the Silk Mill project is another success story, utilizing a Restore New York grant to transform an old mill into market-rate apartments. Additionally, the city is working to secure a Main Street grant to assist 165 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 03 HORNELL, NY
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