Empire State Development Blog

Outlines State’s Goals and Priorities for $664 Million Allocation for Broadband Deployment Link to Plan Here Empire State Development’s (ESD) ConnectALL Office today released its five-year action plan, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and lays out a broad framework for the implementation of New York’s allocation of $664 million from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The plan, required under the federal program, describes how to most effectively invest New York’s allocation in ways that will attract private investment and reach unserved and underserved locations with a mix of fiber optic and wireless internet technologies. Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Investments in ensuring New York has affordable, equitable and reliable broadband throughout the entire state is vital to our economic success. This five-year plan outlines how to best capitalize on the federal funding New York State has been allocated and allows us to continue our efforts to bridge the gap for unserved and underserved areas across the state.”    This comprehensive plan aligns with Governor Hochul’s commitment to affordable, reliable, accessible broadband for all residents across the state by prioritizing BEAD funding for ESD’s ConnectALL Deployment and Rural Broadband Program which will provide grants to internet service providers to bring service to unserved locations in the state and addresses how to complement these grants with other investments to increase consumer choice and promote broadband adoption. Additionally, the plan presents initial results from the ConnectALL Office’s digital equity survey of New York residents, which surveyed more than 5,700 people across every region of the state, was conducted from May to July 2023 and was the first ever comprehensive assessment of the digital divide in New York, encompassing both infrastructure and non-infrastructure barriers to broadband adoption. Findings from the survey reveal that New Yorkers in urban and rural areas face many of the same challenges in getting online: Both rural and urban respondents of the survey have difficulty paying for the internet each month in addition to their monthly expenses; 44% of urban respondents indicated difficulty paying, and 41% of rural respondents indicated difficulty paying. The survey demonstrated that accessibility of internet-enabled devices is close to equal among respondents from urban and rural geographies; 9.5% of urban respondents and 10.4% of rural respondents said that they did not have access to internet-enabled devices they needed at home. Regardless of their background, New Yorkers are concerned about their safety and security online. On average, nearly 90% of respondents reported feeling either somewhat concerned or very concerned about their online safety. ESD’s ConnectALL Office will address these challenges through a Digital Equity Grant Program and will present the full results of the study and the details of that program in a Digital Equity Plan, which it will make available for public comment this Fall. The BEAD 5 Year Action Plan also notes that the cost of building new fiber infrastructure to the 114,377 unserved addresses identified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would be $1.9 billion. ESD’s ConnectALL Office is now working on a detailed proposal to NTIA, which will be put out for public comment in the Fall and will describe how to most effectively invest the $664 million to attract private investment and reach those locations with a mix of fiber optic and wireless technologies. Contact: Kristin Devoe | [email protected] | 518-414-1087 ESD Press Office | [email protected] | 800-260-7313

Project Features 28 Affordable Housing Units and Free Head Start Child Education Program One Of 11 Projects For Buffalo's $10 Million Broadway-Fillmore Downtown Revitalization Initiative Award, See Renderings Here Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of construction for 950 Broadway LLC in East Buffalo. The $13.5 million project, by Cedarland Development LLC, will renovate and convert a 50,000 square foot, vacant and underutilized building in East Buffalo into a mixed-use development, featuring 28 affordable housing units, a free Head Start child education program and a proposed indoor urban farm. The building has been unused for 18 years, with portions of the building being vacant for decades prior. Once complete, the renovated 950 Broadway will bring new life to the former retail store-turned-office building near one of the most visible intersections in East Buffalo. Governor Hochul previously announced 950 Broadway LLC was chosen with 10 other transformational projects in Buffalo's Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood as part of a $10 Million Downtown Revitalization Initiative Award. “The groundbreaking for 950 Broadway today is a new beginning for this long vacant, prominent structure in East Buffalo,” Governor Hochul said. “Once a blight on the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood, the historic building will now be a community anchor and catalyst for economic development. Homes will be made here, and we look forward to welcoming new neighbors to the Buffalo community.” Located at the corner of Broadway and Fillmore, the former Eckhardt’s and Kobacker’s department store will contain 28 affordable apartments and a Head Start children’s education program run by the Community Action Organization. An indoor urban farm has been proposed for the building’s basement. Apartments in the building will include ten studio apartments,12 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units. Buffalo’s Broadway-Fillmore was a DRI winner in Round 5. Located in East Buffalo and one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, the Broadway-Fillmore Neighborhood is the focus of Buffalo’s plan for a downtown investment. The Broadway-Fillmore Neighborhood, with a relatively dense stock of largely historic commercial buildings, set forth a vision of creating special urban places, key park spaces, retail-oriented streets, improved neighborhood connections, bike and pedestrian connections, streetscape improvements, and public realm improvements. Building on this momentum, Buffalo aims to encourage more redevelopment of vacant structures, provide better connections between anchors and amenities through greenspace, increase affordable housing opportunities, and enhance the streetscape. To assist Cedarland, New York State is providing a loan valued at $900,000 and grant valued at $1.1 million from Empire State Development’s Better Buffalo Fund to support the commercial renovations and building’s stabilization. Additionally, the project was awarded a $427,150 grant for the buildout of the daycare facilities through the Department of State’s Round 5 Downtown Revitalization Initiative for the Broadway Fillmore Neighborhood. New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) is providing $2.1 million in construction and permanent financing toward the affordable housing portion of the project through its Small Building Participation Loan Program. The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) is providing a $7.8 million construction loan, as well as a $3.2 million SONYMA-insured permanent loan financed through its partnership with the New York State Common Retirement Fund. In addition to the developer’s contributions, over $2.9 million in Historic Tax Credit Equity and additional incentives from National Grid round out the project’s sources. The State of New York Mortgage Agency’s Insurance Fund is providing mortgage insurance on CPC’s permanent financing. Read the full press release here.

Site RFP Requires Significant Commitments for Permanently Affordable and Supportive Housing and Prioritizes Services and Amenities for the Local Community Project Aligns with Governor Hochul’s Executive Actions to Redevelop State-Owned Sites That Can Increase New York’s Housing Supply View Request for Proposals Here, Due December 13 by 5 p.m. ET Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a request for proposals to redevelop the former Bayview Correctional Facility, located at 550 West 20th Street in West Chelsea, Manhattan into a primarily residential development providing supportive housing, affordable housing, and onsite community uses that will benefit area residents and reintegrate the structure into the surrounding neighborhood. Applicants can view the Request for Proposals document here and submit a proposal to Empire State Development by December 13, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. ET. "By reimagining the Bayview facility as affordable housing, we are not only creating more housing options for New Yorkers – we are expanding the possibilities of what former prisons and other unused state properties can become,” Governor Hochul said. "New York’s future depends on increasing the state’s housing supply, and between the recommendations of the Prison Redevelopment Commission and executive actions I announced earlier this year, our state is taking leaps forward to repurpose these vacant facilities and leverage them as critical tools to address the housing crisis.” The state-owned 100,000 square-foot site is an opportunity to aggressively advance Governor Hochul’s unprecedented efforts to increase the state’s housing supply, particularly in New York City. Built in 1931, the art deco brick masonry building became a state-run medium-security women’s correctional facility in 1974, that was eventually closed due to flooding sustained during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Recognizing that the West Chelsea neighborhood has a critical shortage of affordable housing options, the redevelopment of Bayview will be a key catalyst for inclusive and sustainable urban development, provide much needed housing for New Yorkers who require services within a supportive living environment, and enhance neighborhood vibrancy and quality of life for residents in the surrounding area. Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "The Bayview Correctional Center's redevelopment offers a unique, forward-thinking opportunity to address New York’s long-term economic and housing priorities. Inspired by Governor Hochul’s unwavering commitment to enhance affordability in New York, this RFP aims to maximize the creation of both affordable and supportive housing, and address real needs expressed by the community.” Read the full press release here.

With videoconferencing to: Empire State Development, 633 Third Avenue – 37th Floor Conference Room, New York, New York 10017 The meeting is open to the public. Please Note: Those attending at either location must RSVP by 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. RSVP press line (800) 260-7313; RSVP Buffalo press line (716) 846-8239; RSVP public line (212) 803-3772 The public may listen to the meeting via webcast by clicking the link below. Members of the public may submit comments on the Agenda items in writing to [email protected] by 9:00 am on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. All comments received by the deadline will be distributed to the Directors prior to the meeting and will be posted online.