PEDC Recap: SouthWorks Asbestos Cleanup Grant Gets Endorsement

Brian Crandall | December 15, 2022 | Ithacavoice.org

To close out the calendar year, it was a relatively short meeting for the city of Ithaca Planning and Economic Development Committee. The board weighed endorsements for a state economic development grant, the formation of a new city advisory commission, and received an update about the city’s efforts to address unsanctioned encampments.

Link to full article here.

RESTORE NY7 Grant Application

The City of Ithaca can apply for up to $2 million through the Restore NY7 state grant program to address vacant, condemned, and abandoned buildings within its boundaries. A mandatory intent-to-apply for Restore NY funding form was submitted in November for a project at the former Emerson Power Transmission factory complex, now branded as SouthWorks after years known as “Chainworks.”

The PEDC and Common Council must approve the grant application following a public hearing to be eligible for Restore NY7 funding. As a result, the Public Hearing and a vote to send to the full Common Council for approval were both scheduled for last night.

If awarded, the $2 million would go towards covering the $2.93 million in costs of asbestos remediation in the 111,750 square-foot Building 24, select demolition of a skybridge and of Buildings 10A and 11 totaling 23,060 square feet, and 850 feet of recreational bike/pedestrian trail development on the Emerson property from South Aurora Street to Turner Place. In a letter to the city, SHIFT Capital’s Brian Murray states $10 million of private financing has already been secured for other acquisition and pre-construction site prep costs (additional lead paint removal and demolition). $260,000 has been secured from a NYSERDA grant and the project is applying for additional grants.

The first phase of SouthWorks includes the light renovation of two existing industrial buildings, 33 and 34, the conversion of Building 21 into a mixed-use building, and the conversion of Building 24 into a ground level café and co-working space, with office space on the upper floors.

In between munching on what I presume was a delicious pen, councilor Patrick Mehler (D-4th) introduced the proposal to the rest of the committee. SHIFT Capital’s Vicki Taylor Brous represented the project team before the board.

“We’re hoping this RESTORE NY grant will be the catalyst for moving this project forward, we picked a small portion of the project as a way to get started…a necessary part of the remediation,” stated Brous.

She added they were looking at ways to encourage workforce development through a “construction (business) accelerator,” which given the massive scale and sizeable timeline for Southworks, there could be opportunities, especially for groups traditionally underrepresented in the construction trades.

Discussion was brief and the PEDC was supportive of the grant application. “I appreciate you looking at Building 24 and the buildings closest to residents on South Hill, and that all due care has been put into remediation of those properties,” said Brock, noting that one of her first discussions as a council member over a decade ago was about what to do with the Emerson site.

The vote to support the grant passed unanimously, and is heading for full endorsement at the Common Council next month. “I appreciate the support, thank you,” Brous quipped as the board continued on to the other agenda items.