In collaboration with the Westchester County village of Ossining the village of Haverstraw will share a $20 million New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) grant awarded in November 2021. As part of the DRI, each village will receive $10 million and will share equally in the cost to expand weekday commuter ferry service to include weekend trips between the two riverfront communities. Haverstraw”™s DRI committee has already held several meetings with stakeholders and the public, identifying 14 potential projects for the incoming $10 million in funding. In addition to the expanding ferry service, Haverstraw would like to add amenities that include rental bikes and expanded parking on the site. The village also seeks to build a 55-and-over community apartment complex that will include recreation and shopping on a 9 ½ acre waterfront parcel.
Once the site of a thriving chair factory, the village obtained the property through eminent domain. Kohut is also working with Ginsberg Development Corp. (GDC) to incorporate a brewery and restaurant in an historic stone building in the busy downtown area. GDC is currently building a 250-unit rental apartment complex, Admiral”™s Cove, adjacent to its condo complex, Harbors at Haverstraw.
“It took us four years to get to the final round of the DRI,” said Kohut, “and when Covid hit in 2020, no awards were given; as a result, it was doubled in 2021 to $20 million, and our joint application with Ossining was approved. We”™ve been working with Ossining Mayor Rika Levin and Village Manager Karen D”™Attore on the ferry project. We”™re going to seek major improvements both to the launch site and surrounding area.
