TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The City of Troy is proposing $13.6 million in American Rescue Plan funding for several projects throughout the City. The funding will support investments in revitalizing the City’s parks and recreational infrastructure, business and workforce development efforts, increasing home ownership, expanding youth programming, fostering tourism, and invigorating public art projects.

“The latest round of stimulus funds from the American Rescue Plan will help build a new foundation for our City’s economic recovery,” said Mayor Patrick Madden. “Over $13 million in neighborhood-level projects will be funded through the ‘Troy Now’ program for upgrades to our parks, pools, city facilities and emergency response capacity. These funds will also support existing human service programs like childcare, youth services, food access, education, homeownership assistance, and other community development initiatives.”

The funding for the projects was recommended by the ARPA Steering Committee and is pending approval by the City Council on December 2.

Projects:

• $1,500,000 (first round) for Knickerbacker Pool
  • Final construction documents will be coordinated by CHA, Knickerbacker Association, Planning, Parks and Engineering. Bidding is anticipated for early 2022 with construction to start summer of 2022. The remaining $6,000,000 will be allocated in early 2022 to complete the project.

• $1,000,000 (first round) for City Parks
  • CHA, Knickerbacker Association, Planning, Parks and Engineering will coordinate the final construction documents and start construction in the spring of 2022. A second round of funding will be allocated in early 2022 to complete more projects on the plan.
    
• $1,000,000 (first round) for Education and Workforce
  • In conjunction with Hudson Valley Community College, this funding will set up an education fund to assist Troy residents in seeking educational opportunities. The fund would be able to assist residents with living expenses while going to school full time, certification costs, daycare costs, books and transportation based on need in addition to any tuition costs that aren’t covered through scholarship opportunities.

• $2,000,000 (first round) for Business Development
  • Economic Development: $1,000,000
    • A citywide business investment program including investment initiatives in Lansingburgh, South Troy and the Hillside neighborhoods. This investment would be focused on investing in capital improvements to buildings and rental spaces.
    • This committee would consist of the Troy Local Development Corporation, the Rensselaer County Chamber, the Black and Latino Chamber of Commerce, Troy Business Collaborative, the Downtown Troy BID and Council members within the targeted districts.
  • American Theatre: $1,000,000
    • The last funding program is to cover the American Theatre project by Proctors Collaborative in downtown.
      
• $1,500,000 (first round) for Affordable Home Ownership
  • The City is working on the North Central Community Investment Project, a partnership with Troy Community Land Bank and Habitat for Humanity. This initiative is focused on affordable homeownership opportunities through Habitat for Humanity but also focuses on BIPOC contractors, workforce development and neighborhood improvement through the Legacy City program.
    
• $1,500,000 for Home Improvement Programs
  • Expansion of Lansingburgh Strong Initiative – $500,000
    • The City is seeking to work with TRIP on their current initiative in Lansingburgh to expand that program offering to offer more neighborhood investment.
  • Home and Property Investment – $1,000,000
    • This program will need community outreach to determine what the community wants to invest in. These funds would be allocated to be used by the residents before the end of 2024.

• $1,310,000 (first round, funding planned in the second round) for Youth Programming
  • Providing funding for Recreational Sports and VRYOT programs for capital improvements or to cover registration fees for youth ($110,000).
  • Funding toward the development of a community center in North Central. Ideally this center will be owned and operated by a third party and serve the needs of the families and youth of this integral neighborhood. An advisory group consisting of Youth Bureau, third-party administrator, City Council member from this district, school district representatives, two youth and two parents from this district will be created ($1,000,000).
  • Youth and family Programming initiatives will be augmented over a four year period with funding set aside for family/youth trips; community outreach to build programming; recreation clubs; parent groups and other programming that might be desired ($200,000).
    
• $500,000 for Childcare Assistance
  • This funding allocation can be used for incentivizing new daycare centers and to create more flexible options to allow for changes in work or education schedules.
    
• $900,000 for Food Access 
  • This allocation of this funding begins to address food deserts at the street level through corner store initiatives, food delivery options, a Produce Project for Lansingburgh and through expansion of the Capital Roots partner home site and the addition of Bargain Grocery store into a neighborhood that has been in need of this service for decades.

• $2,336,000 for City Programs
  • Funding to complete a review of the Troy Fire Department operations to make recommendations on the best way forward to operate the department ($300,000).
  • Fire Department Overtime costs to provide a dedicated ambulance unit to Troy for 10 hours per day, seven days a week for up to a year ($536,000).
  • The relocation of the Lansingburgh Firehouse has been under consideration. This funding will provide monies to purchase a possible alternative site and the funds necessary to complete the construction documents to begin work on the house ($1,000,000).
  • The Troy Local Development Corporation owns the site of the “Alamo”. The city is looking to purchase this site from the LDC and make infrastructure improvements so that the resource and recycling center can operate optimally as it continues to grow in use ($250,000).
  • The Comptroller’s Office has requested GASB funding for the asset plan for the city for several years ($250,000).
    
• $250,000 (first round) for a Public Art Program 
  • Funding is proposed through ARPA that will be educational, a workforce development opportunity, enhance neighborhoods and also provide a cultural amenity in our neighborhoods.
  • The Arts Center has created a Master Public Art Plan to ensure that art is looked at holistically, inclusively and creatively to afford the best experience. The funding allocations provide monies to the Arts Center for that work ($100,000 – first round).
  • As the largest public art project in the city, The Uniting Line is just finishing its first phase of the project which was the painting of the piers. The second and third phase of the project will include lighting and place making for the site. Funding will be provided to ensure that these remaining phases are completed as intended as this is a major connectivity project for neighborhoods ($150,000 – first round).

• $820,000 for Tourism
  • Providing events for residents and visitors and providing opportunity through adventures like the film industry and others. This programming will be done through partnerships with the Rensselaer County Chamber, Troy Local Development Corporation, the Downtown Troy BID, the Knickerbacker Association and others ($320,000).
  • Providing funding to cultural institutions to replace lost funding ($500,000)

For more information about the proposed projects, you can visit the Troy Now Initiative website.