South Street DRI Ceremonial Groundbreaking
On the drizzly Friday afternoon of October 20th at 3:00 PM, the city of Glens Falls held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Glens Falls Event & Market Center on South Street. This $5-million development is the signature project of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), and the groundbreaking was a celebration marking the economic comeback of the city, as well as a recognition of the DRI project’s role in the city’s ongoing growth.
Mayor Collins spoke at the event: “Today, developers, business owners and entrepreneurs are moving into the downtown area, restoring buildings, setting up businesses, directly and indirectly supported by the shot in the arm the DRI has provided,” He said.
The area of South Street where the Event & Market Center will be built has already attracted investment along the corridor – two businesses, the Golden Monkey Lounge and Taco Kings Jalisco, are now open across the street from where the Event & Market Center will be located.
The groundbreaking was attended by State Senator Dan Stec, who remarked: “It’s a lot easier to advocate for a community when a community delivers, and does a great job with previous grants. So, Mayor to you and your team, you make it very easy for us to go to and talk to our former colleague, current Secretary of State, Robert Rodriquez and say ‘Hey, the money and investment that the state makes in Glens Falls is a good risk and great return on investment, and just look at what they have done in the past.’ I’m thrilled that you mentioned all of the work that you have done here.”
Assembly member Carrie Woerner also spoke at the event: “Congratulations Mayor Collins and the City of Glens Falls on this great occasion. I know that you have worked for many years to make this happen ,and it’s great to be here on the cusp of this brand new development,” she said. Assemblywoman Woerner went on to highlight Governor Hochul’s leadership in securing the DRI funds, and Empire State Development for their leadership.
The event space is expected to be the new home of the Glens Falls Farmers Market, and host community events… However, The Glens Falls Farmers Market voiced concerns over the Event & Market Center via a press release the same day as the ground breaking event: “Despite the city portraying the new venue as progress, the Farmers Market board and its members view many aspects of this project as setbacks. The proposed space is notably smaller, reducing the market’s current size and offering little to no room for future growth. Other issues include logistical hurdles with loading and unloading, traffic & parking, (and) absence of heating within the facility while being advertised as year-round,” The Glens Falls Farmers Market press release stated.
The Farmers Market board will be convening a meeting with its members to decide the market’s future, and the possibility of relocating the market to a new venue either in Glens Falls or elsewhere.