Ticonderoga To Host First Local Planning Committee Meeting For DRI

The Town of Ticonderoga, along with its state partners, is pleased to announce the first meeting of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) Local Planning Committee (LPC), scheduled for Friday, May 19th at 9:00am in the Town of Ticonderoga Community Building at 132 Montcalm Street. This meeting marks the beginning of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) for the Town of Ticonderoga. The LPC meeting is open to the public and will include opportunity for public comment. For more information on Ticonderoga’s preparation for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, please visit the Ticonderoga DRI website at www.ticonderogadri.com.

New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) is a cornerstone of the State’s economic development program. The DRI transforms downtown neighborhoods into vibrant centers that offer a high quality of life and are magnets for redevelopment, business, job creation, and economic and housing diversity. This program focuses on creating healthy, vibrant, walkable downtowns that catalyze sustainable economic development and accrue numerous economic, social, and environmental benefits to the locality, the region, and the State as a whole.

The DRI is led by the Department of State, in close partnership with Empire State Development, NYS Homes and Community Renewal and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

The Local Planning Committee (LPC) includes local and regional leaders, stakeholders, and community representatives. LPC members will attend a variety of meetings at which they will be asked to brainstorm ideas, provide direction to consultants, review planning products, and prioritize actions.

Town Supervisor Mark Wright and James McKenna of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council serve as the Ticonderoga LPC co-chairs. Regarding the LPC meeting, Town Supervisor Mark Wright said, “This exciting initial meeting of the LPC is the first step towards building a revitalized downtown, and kicks off a critical partnership between New York State, the Town of Ticonderoga, and most importantly our residents to capitalize on opportunities and implement ideas which will define our economic future for many decades to come.”

James McKenna, co-chair of the NCREDC said of the effort, “Ticonderoga is well positioned with the DRI to drive new investment in its downtown area for the benefit of residents and visitors alike. The DRI planning process will lead to project recommendations based on goals identified through the Local Planning Committee. We encourage community members to get involved and be a part of this process.”

Public engagement is a key component of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative planning process, and is fundamental to the success of the DRI in Ticonderoga. The objective of public engagement is to ensure that all stakeholders, including residents and businesses, have ample opportunity to be informed about the DRI process and its intended outcomes, comment on the work as it progresses, express their ideas and concerns, and contribute to building a consensus vision for Downtown Ticonderoga, culminating in a locally supported DRI Strategic Investment Plan. Public workshops and events will be scheduled and publicized throughout the DRI effort to ensure that all who wish to participate can contribute to the success of the program. More information about the DRI can be found at www.ny.gov/dri.