Jon Campbell

jcampbell1@gannett.com

ALBANY – Projects in the Lower Hudson Valley were major winners in the round of Regional Economic Development Council awards announced Thursday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The developer who wants to put a Legoland on 175 acres of town-owned property in Haverstraw received $3.1 million for the $250 million theme park. The development would be followed by a water park and hotel.

"This is a wonderful way to begin," said Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips. "We still have to work out many details ... But this is an excellent and exciting beginning."

Jawonio, which provides services for the disabled and people with special needs, received a $2.5 million grant for expansion of its New City campus.

Executive Director and CEO Jill Warner said Thursday the grant was "a wonderful endorsement" that will enable Jawonio to create 180 new jobs and expand services for residents in Rockland and the region.

The four-year, $24 million construction project will create roughly 90,000 square feet of new space, doubling the size of Jawonio's current building. The additional space will be used as an integrated health center and a job training site for people with special needs, allowing the organization to consolidate some services from its New Hempstead and Yonkers locations. Construction is expected to begin in 12 to 14 months.

"It integrates physical health with our behavioral health, developmental disabilities and special needs program as well as wellness," Warner said. "So we're taking care of the whole person."

Jawonio has operated in Rockland for 67 years and serves more than 6,000 people annually.

Efforts to continue the daylighting of the Saw Mill River in Yonkers received a $2.5 million award. This phase of the restoration project focuses on the development and construction of a river-themed park.

In total, the council announced $709 million in tax breaks and grants Thursday. The Mid-Hudson region, which includes both the Lower Hudson Valley and Poughkeepsie area, took home $82.8 million for 112 projects.

In 2011, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers largely reworked the way the state distributes economic-development grants and tax breaks, with most of its existing subsidies pooled together and distributed at an annual awards ceremony. Both private developers and public entities now submit a single application to apply for aid.

The state created 10 regional panels of business leaders, college presidents and lawmakers to put together a strategic plan for their respective region and identify "priority projects" worthy of funding. The panels then compete for a larger slice of the pot.

JCAMPBELL1@gannett.com

Twitter: @JonCampbellGAN

Staff writers Akiko Matsuda and Mareesa Nicosia contributed to this article.





Here are some of the other regional awards:

• $1.5 million for revitalizing the Ashburton Avenue corridor.

• $935,000 toward the Hudson Highlands Fijord trail project - $500,000 for constructing a multi-use trail between Breakneck Ridge Trailhead and the Breakneck Ridge train stop; $335,000 to construct a new Hudson Highlands visitors' center, a new parking lot at the train stop and an ADA-accessible multi-use trail.

• $750,000 for an expansion at Green Chimneys School in Brewster to add seven new classrooms in two existing buildings.

• $500,000 to restore 1.5 acres of stone walled gardens at the Jay Heritage Center.

• $400,000 for 1,900 feet of sidewalks in New Square.

• $340,000 to consolidate the village of Mount Kisco police department into the Westchester County police.

• $400,000 to consolidate five business and non-academic functions between the city of Yonkers and its schools.

• $250,000 for a feasibility/planning study for the Sing Sing Historic Prison Museum

To view a full list of the awards, visit here