The $173,250 Plan is Part of a Grant from the Department of State, Supported by the NYS Environmental Protection Fund

Designation Opens up Brownfield Redevelopment Opportunities in the Village 

To Learn More About the Herkimer Plan Go Here

New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley and Village of Herkimer Mayor Dana Sherry today announced the State’s official approval and designation of the Village of Herkimer’s Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) plan and study.  The BOA designation entitles the Village to priority funding for projects consistent with the plan, as well as additional funding opportunities from the Department of State and the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Brownfield Cleanup Program.  The DOS BOA program, which is funded through the State’s Environmental Protection Fund, provided a $173,250 award to the Village for the BOA Plan.  

“The Village of Herkimer continues to impress as they take yet another major step toward revitalizing and redeveloping their downtown,” said New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley.  “Between this BOA accomplishment and their Downtown Revitalization Initiative award, the Village is on a path toward a vibrant and prosperous future for residents, visitors and businesses alike.  The future is indeed bright for both the Village of Herkimer and the entire Mohawk Valley region.” 

With the BOA designation, the Village is now eligible to apply for further funding through the BOA program for pre-development activities, which includes supportive studies for projects, including economic and building conditions, housing, infrastructure, as well as development of marketing strategies, legal and financial services, real estate services and public outreach.  Additionally, projects that are consistent with the BOA plan and are part of the DEC Brownfield Cleanup Program can receive an additional 5% developer tax credit for eligible project costs. With this designation, there are currently 86 designated BOAs throughout the State.       

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “DEC commends the Department of State’s approval and designation of the Village of Herkimer’s Brownfield Opportunity Area plan that unlocks new funding opportunities to enhance environmental cleanup and redevelopment efforts. This program and designation complement DEC’s successful Brownfield Cleanup Program, which continues to be a critical tool for villages like Herkimer and others statewide for addressing environmental contamination, supporting construction of affordable housing, strengthening neighborhood revitalization and local economies, while also protecting communities.”

Empire State Development CEO, President and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "The official approval of the BOA plan marks a turning point for the Village of Herkimer, as this designation includes access to the tools, tax incentives, and priority funding needed to clean up and reclaim the community's downtown core. Coupled with the DRI award, these state investments will help actively promote the prosperous, vibrant future that residents and business owners there deserve."

New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “This $173,000 investment in the Village of Herkimer’s designation as a Brownfield Opportunity Area complements HCR’s work to address blight and redevelop underutilized areas, while using every tool available to create and preserve affordable housing. As a certified Pro-Housing Community, the Village of Herkimer has also pledged to remove barriers to housing creation in exchange for access to State funds. Thank you to the Department of State, with support from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund, for assisting Herkimer in charting a dynamic path forward.” 

The BOA plan is a comprehensive planning and development tool to revitalize the historic downtown core of the Village. The plan focuses on projects and strategies to drive redevelopment of the BOA area, including visions for four key strategic sites and a host of implementable and supportive local action items.

Village of Herkimer Mayor Dana Sherry said, “The Village of Herkimer is thrilled to receive a Brownfield Opportunity Area designation. We would like to thank everyone involved in this process, especially the NY State Department of State and the Herkimer County IDA, for their partnership and support. This designation aligns directly with the Village's Downtown Revitalization Initiative award and will further strengthen our efforts to promote economic development, urban renewal and long-term revitalization throughout our community.” 

Herkimer County IDA CEO John Piseck, Jr. said, “The Herkimer County IDA is pleased to receive notice of the BOA designation for the Village of Herkimer. This designation represents an important step toward supporting future revitalization efforts, economic development opportunities, and long-term community planning within the Village. We extend our sincere appreciation to LaBella Associates, the Department of State, and HRP Associates, for their partnership, guidance, and support throughout the entire process.”

DOS also granted a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) award to the Village in 2025.  The DRI Area overlaps significantly with the BOA area, which means both programs can reinforce one another as the Village of Herkimer seeks to implement the community’s vision for the future.   

About the BOA Program

The Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) program transforms known or suspected brownfield sites from liabilities to community assets, which in turn generate and support new businesses, jobs, housing and public amenities. The program provides grants for BOA plans which, once completed, are submitted to the New York State Secretary of State for approval, or "designation." Such designated BOA plans then entitle projects that are consistent with the plan to priority funding among certain state programs and an additional 5 percent brownfield developer tax credit. The BOA program also provides grants for pre-development activities in State-designated BOAs, such as environmental, housing and economic studies, infrastructure analyses, marketing strategies, public engagement and zoning, countywide brownfield inventories and assessments, phase II environmental site assessments and regulatory updates, among others.

About the Brownfield Cleanup Program

The New York DEC’s Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) offers several tax credit incentives to encourage the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties, known as brownfields. This credit is a significant incentive for developers, with rates ranging from 10% to 22% of eligible costs, depending on factors like the site's location and cleanup level. The credit amount is calculated based on the eligible real property taxes, a benefit period factor, and an employment number factor. For sites located within designated Brownfield Opportunity Areas (BOAs) and meeting specific criteria, there's a potential increase of up to 5% in the allowable tangible property tax credit component of the Brownfield Redevelopment Tax Credit.