In early December, New York State selected Tupper Lake to receive a Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) grant of $10 million. The state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative is intended to create more vibrant, walkable downtowns and attract investments to the core areas of communities.

The state’s investment strategy aligns perfectly with the Center’s strategy for Attracting New Residents, including the need to ensure that downtowns are interesting, attractive, vital places at the heart of rural communities.  “Tupper Lake, like many other Adirondack communities, has a great deal to offer,” said Adirondack Program Manager Leslie Karasin, “but additional investments from both the public and private sectors offer the opportunity to transform the uptown area to a next-level place to live and work.”

“We’re really looking forward to seeing how this award can effect positive changes in Tupper Lake – and in being a part of those changes along the way,” said Karasin.  Center staff contributed to the program application and are engaged in numerous complementary community development initiatives in the community.  “We see an upwelling of positive developments in Tupper Lake, including the redevelopment efforts of the Oval Wood Dish site being spearheaded by Lahinch Group, and an emerging vision for Tupper Lake to be a first-class recreation community, to draw both visitors and new residents,” said Karasin.

The Center congratulates everyone who contributed to the winning application for Tupper Lake, including Mayor Paul Maroun, Clerk Mary Casagrain, and Community Development Director Melissa McManus. “Tupper Lake’s community leaders have invested so much work in positioning the community for this next step in its positive transformation,” said Karasin. “We’re so pleased to see their hard work rewarded with this Downtown Revitalization grant.”