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Cuomo Announces $10 Million Investment in the South Bronx

By Kate Pastor | September 20, 2017 5:58pm
 Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Governor Andrew Cuomo.
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DNAinfo/Rosa Goldensohn

THE BRONX — The state has awarded the borough with $10 million to "revitalize" its Civic Center, a first place prize from the state's Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

"You are a first place winner. You won $10 million. You did it. You earned it. It's just more momentum for The Bronx. You've been hitting it out of the park every time you get up," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said from a podium at the Bronx Museum of the Arts with the words "The Bronx is Back" on it.

“I believe in The Bronx, I believe in the potential of The Bronx," he said.

The Civic Center "revitalization" area includes the section of the South Bronx bounded by 144th Street on the south, 165th Street on the north, the Harlem River on the west and St. Ann's Avenue/East-Third Avenue on the east, according to the governor's office.

But the big money prize comes with few details on how it will be spent.

The first $300,000 of the money will be used to develop a revitalization plan by a group of community stakeholders and government representatives, supported by "private sector experts and state planners," according to the governor's office. The plan is expected to be completed by early 2018.

The application for the money called the area as “an attractive and livable community for diverse populations of all ages, as demonstrated by new developments,” including Somerset Partners’ waterfront complex.

 

The Downtown Revitalization Initiative is billed as "a comprehensive plan to transform local neighborhoods into vibrant communities where the next generation of New Yorkers will want to live and work."

 

Cuomo noted that there were 100 applicants for the grant and that 10 came in first place, including The Bronx. Second, third and fourth prizes or lesser amounts were awarded to other localities.

Jamaica, Queens was the New York City region's winner in the first round of grants in 2016.