$103,000 Awarded to the Village to Reconstruct Real Street Seawall; Promote Safety of Residents and Visitors 

Community-Identified REDI Projects Selected after Expert Evaluation and Review

Total $300 Million for Shoreline Communities Includes $15 Million for Regional Dredging, $30 Million for Private Businesses, and $20 Million for Homeowner Assistance 

The New York State Department of State (DOS) announced today the start of construction of the second of seven projects awarded to the Village of Cape Vincent, Jefferson County through the State’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI). During the high-water flood events that took place in the summer of 2017 and again in 2019, the Real Street seawall, located directly on the St. Lawrence River, suffered extensive damage. Flooding coupled with intense wave action scoured the wall, leaving the bedding stone displaced, and the wall blocks uneven and unstable. Support materials behind the wall have been washed away by storm action leaving the top of the wall system tilted back into the shoreline. The present condition of the seawall presents a hazard for residents and visitors to the Village. The REDI Commission awarded the village $103,000 to reconstruct and raise the seawall. The wall will be rebuilt using stacked limestone rock and new bedding stone. An apron will be constructed of quarry stone behind the seawall. 

New York State Secretary of State Rossana Rosado said, "New York State is committed to improving resilience to extreme weather events and protect the health and safety of its residents and visitors. Through the REDI program, we are helping Lake Ontario communities revitalize their waterfronts and strengthen resiliency against future flooding. This new seawall in the Village of Cape Vincent will help keep residents and visitors safe while enjoying the waterfront." 

Senator Patty Ritchie said, “As we look to the future, it is critically important that we strengthen our shorelines and protect our communities from high water events. I am pleased that ground is being broken on Cape Vincent’s Real St. Seawall Project. This important effort will help reduce any further damage to the seawall, stabilize the area shoreline and help to ensure the area remains usable by anglers, boaters and other members of the public for many years to come.”

Assemblyman Mark Walczyk said, "If communities along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River want to be better prepared for possible future flood events, regional infrastructure needs to be hardened and fortified to better withstand the crippling effects of high water. Projects like the Real Street Seawall in the Village of Cape Vincent are a prime example of strengthening our shoreline to protect area residents and keep the Village's infrastructure sound." 

Jefferson County Legislative Chairman Scott Gray said, “The REDI program continues to prove the importance of partnership between state and local government. Projects like the Village of Cape Vincent Real Street Seawall will benefit not only the Village, but the entire region, as tourists are able to safely visit their favorite destinations. Through REDI, New York State is ensuring that even in future high-water events, the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River shorelines will continue to be accessible, which is vital to the County’s tourism industry”

Cape Vincent Mayor Jerry Golden said, “The Village of Cape Vincent took a hard hit during the flooding of 2019, with many of our businesses feeling the repercussions of the damage that was left in its wake. With the State’s partnership, and through the REDI program, we are reimagining and rebuilding critical infrastructure within our community. When completed, these projects will ensure that we are better equipped to handle future flooding events. Our shoreline will be able to remain open, allowing visitors to enjoy all that Cape Vincent has to offer. On behalf of the Village, I would like to extend our gratitude to Governor Hochul for her continued support throughout this process.”

In response to the extended pattern of flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, New York State established REDI to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and bolster economic development in the region. Five REDI Regional Planning Committees, comprised of representatives from eight counties (Niagara and Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego, and Jefferson and St. Lawrence) were established to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public safety concerns. 

The REDI Commission allocated $20 million for homeowner assistance, $30 million to improve the resiliency of businesses, and $15 million toward a regional dredging effort that will benefit each of the eight counties in the REDI regions. The remaining $235 million has been allocated towards local and regional projects that advance and exemplify the REDI mission.

For additional information, project profiles and REDI news, click here. 

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