Program Funding Included in FY 2025 Enacted Budget to Support Transformation of State Properties for Housing
Request for Proposals Places Emphasis on Region's Housing Needs
Empire State Development (ESD) today announced that up to $16 million in funding through the Redevelopment of Underutilized Sites for Housing (NY-RUSH) program is available to support redevelopment efforts at the former Watertown Correctional Facility in Jefferson County through the competitive Request for Proposals. The RFP advances recommendations made by the state's Prison Redevelopment Commission and supports Governor Kathy Hochul’s ongoing efforts to identify state-owned sites for potential residential uses to address New York's housing crisis.
ESD President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The redevelopment of the Watertown Correctional Facility represents a unique opportunity to reimagine and reinvest in the North Country, and providing support from the NY-RUSH program reinforces our commitment making this project a true public-private partnership. ESD continues to make meaningful progress on Governor Hochul’s broad vision of transforming underutilized state-owned sites, like this facility in Watertown, into vibrant, community-enhancing economic and residential hubs.”
As part of the 2024 State of the State, Governor Hochul introduced the NY-RUSH program - a multifaceted plan to develop up to 15,000 new homes on state land. The FY2025 Enacted Budget included a $500 million capital fund to help State agencies in the repurposing of existing State sites and properties for housing. NY-RUSH funding is available to meaningfully offset the costs incurred by the Designated Developer in demolishing existing structures on the site. Any proposals that request more than $16 million in RUSH funding may be eliminated from consideration.
The Watertown Correctional Facility RFP is designed to encourage the development of housing in a mix of unit sizes and affordability ranges on the 108-acre site. This will not only increase housing options, but also grow the community and place a vacant state-owned property back into productive use. The RFP prioritizes proposals that create more affordable housing and financial support may be available to the designated developer for eligible costs.
The NY-RUSH funding complements up to $8 million in Empire State Development grant funds that may be available to the designated developer or developers for eligible capital costs related to site redevelopment. The RFP is available on the Empire State Development website.
Contact:
ESD Press Office | [email protected] | (800) 260-7313