Nyack Receives 4.5 Million Dollars in Grants

The money comes too little too late for some 

Several weeks ago, Nyack received $4.5 million in grants to revitalize  and renovate the village. While this is fantastic news for the village that has struggled significantly post-Covid, the money will not have an affect on the businesses that have been forced to shutter for good. It seems as though every week Nyack has earned another gap in it’s increasingly toothless smile, the latest ones including indie bookstore Big Red Books, restaurant by 3-time Chopped Champion Chris Holland  Kantina Kita, Nyack mainstay Antique Masters, and The Editor clothing boutique. 

Chunks of the money will be used towards boosting tourism, marking, and building restoration. Hopefully this will help already exisitng businesses maintain and sustain their existance in Nyack, and with time, encourage a full-fledged smile. 

1. Renovate the Angel Nyack Sanctuary Space to Expand Use for Arts and Events Programming ($951,000): Renovate the building’s former sanctuary space to include new HVAC system, flooring, millwork, and electrical upgrades to facilitate use for arts and performance programs, weddings and other events.

2. Activate the Waterfront by Constructing a Restaurant and Open Space ($1,250,000): Construct a one-story casual restaurant building with outdoor dining deck and public open space with seating, landscaping, and game areas to activate waterfront and provide connections to the marina.

3. Improve and Restore Downtown Buildings with a Small Project Fund ($540,000): Establish a Small Project Fund dedicated to revitalizing building facades, upgrading building interiors, purchasing permanent equipment or installing public art.

4. Connect Downtown Nyack and Boost Tourism with a Comprehensive Branding, Marketing, and Wayfinding Initiative ($450,000): Develop a new brand for downtown Nyack accompanied by a marketing strategy and wayfinding signage to encourage visitation to and circulation within downtown.

 5. Renovate the Nyack Center to Enhance Use of the Auditorium ($138,000): Modernize the auditorium’s stage and sound and lighting systems to create a professional-grade space and upgrade outdoor lighting.

6. Renovate the Edward Hopper House Museum and Study Center to Expand Programming ($305,000): Restore the Edward Hopper House exterior, upgrade garden theater and infrastructure, and renovate the art lab to expand programming.

7. Modernize the Elmwood Community Playhouse ($305,000): Conduct an exterior facade renovation and technical upgrade of the existing lighting and sound systems to enable expansion of programming.

8. Improve Pedestrian Experience in Downtown Nyack with Lighting and Sidewalk Upgrades ($480,000): Add approximately antique light poles along North and South Broadway and enhance a portion of Main Street slightly east of Broadway with a widened sidewalk and two tree pits.

9. Create a Mural on the Rockland County Pride Center to Celebrate the History of Nyack ($81,000): Celebrate the history of Nyack by engaging the community in the creation of a mural on three sides of the Rockland County Pride Center building.