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Community Survey

NYS has announced another round of funding for downtown revitalization!

Building on learnings from past applications (2019, 2021) the Village is preparing to apply for this year’s cycle, the sixth round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and New York Forward.

To help, please spend a few minutes responding to the questions that follow!  Your input and contributions are greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

 

Downtown Perry is the heart of a compact, walkable community, and a cherished regional recreation hub woven into the itinerary of many of Letchworth’s 800,000 annual visitors. Silver Lake and Letchworth are linked by a well-appointed trail, passing through downtown, along which new housing, hospitality and public amenities abound. Available childcare and housing nurtures entrepreneurship, community, and job growth. A diverse community of downtown residents, creative professionals, and seasonal visitors choose our restored historic buildings to enjoy a variety of culinary experiences and retail businesses, our rich arts and culture offerings, and our year-round schedule of signature events.

Please share any comments you have on the Draft Downtown Vision Statement

Please share your ideas for amenities, businesses or improvements that the community would benefit from adding downtown.

Possible Projects

Renovate the Perry Academy (former Elementary School) for a mix of uses. Possible scope: Add 12-15 market-rate apartments, Childcare Services, Artisan Studios, Additional Commercial Units. Convert the heating system from gas to electrical to reduce the building's carbon footprint and save money for tenants.

Renovate this underutilized building into a mixed-use building including 12 market rate apartments, retail/commercial ground-floor units, connections to the Silver Lake Trail, and facade upgrades. The project would not only revitalize an underutilized building but it would also complement the adjacent Farmers' Market, and the recently renovated Silver Lake Brewing Project building.

Unlike many other communities, The Village of Perry has one of its historic hotels still standing and in good condition. The owner has prepared a market and financial analysis to revitalize the building. The analysis indicated a need for housing and vacation rentals in the Village and Wyoming County. Based on the analysis, the owner is proposing to create six new upper-floor apartments and the return of vacation rentals in restored 1920’s hotel rooms on the first floor. The renovation would involve interior upgrades for the apartments to attract new tenants. The first floor former hotel rooms would be restored and the entryways and lobbies would also be enhanced. Window upgrades and masonry repairs would bring the historic façade back to life.

The Village of Perry completed the Silver Lake Outlet Trail Feasibility Study in 2017 to assess the completion of the trail from Silver Lake to Letchworth State Park. In 2018 the Village was awarded a $1 million Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant to improve and extend the trail from Silver Lake to Downtown. DRI Funding would be used to extend the remainder of the downtown portion of the trail as the next phase in advancing future connections to Letchworth State Park. The funding would also be used to formalize a downtown “hub” for the trail including bike amenities, resting areas, and parking. A trail alignment, cost estimate, ROW assessment, and feasibility evaluation were completed as part of the Feasibility Study.

The Village Hall, built in 1912, anchors the North end of Main Street and has been designated an eligible historic building by SHPO. The building’s second floor has been disused since the 1990s due to building code concerns and lack of accessibility. The Village Hall is currently undergoing an initial phase of construction in accordance with a Master Plan to address accessibility and code compliance concerns, with the goal of reactivating the second-floor assembly hall by constructing a new interior elevator and exterior egress stair. Additional work is needed to activate the upper floor including ADA accessible restrooms, constructing a new exercise room for the fire department with increased ventilation, creation of a break room for employees, renovation of the Assembly Hall for community use, and reconstruction of the historic bell tower that once graced Village Hall.

The Village of Perry will develop the alley behind the core arts district to create an art park that includes performing arts assets like outdoor stages, interactive art sculptures, and topographic improvements to create green space. The goal is to create several performance areas for multimedia art, including stages, walls to serve as shadow puppet screens, interactive sculptures, murals, and a trail. The interactive trail components planned for the perimeter art park include permanent interactive musical sculptures. The park will be designed in conjunction with performing artists who specialize in dance, physical theater, and physical improv. In 2021, the New York State Puppet Festival and Shake on the Lake held a prototype festival for the art park concept. The Storefront Theatre Festival was designed to socially distant performances while the audience progressed through a performing arts trail. In addition to local audiences, guests came from Rochester and Buffalo to experience Perry as an arts destination.

Having recently completed an accessibility project on the front of the historic Carnegie building, attention now turns to inside and improving access through the installation of an elevator to the existing Children's and Teen spaces currently housed in the basement. The library also plans to expand programming and community space by repurposing existing storage space to create a new multi-purpose room that incorporates current and future technology essentials. The project will also address sightlines by opening up the space where the three areas meet to create an open and welcoming entryway for added safety & supervision of the new spaces.

The Walkley Farm Equipment building sits around the corner from Main Street, but also just across the creek from the new Silver Lake Trail under construction. It has more recently been used as warehouse space but is now vacant. There has been some difficulty rehabbing the space due to its location in a residential district, as commercial uses may impact the neighborhood in a negative way. With clear spanning steel girders and open on all sides, the owner is excited to proceed with architect-developed plans that have been shelved for years due to cost and condition of the building. DRI funding fills the gap to permit 8 new, high-ceilinged residential units close to Main Street.

The 3-acre property in the middle of the village with its iconic grain elevator, is uniquely situated. Along its front is a ROW for the Silver Lake Trail. Its back fronts Silver Creek and a quiet wooded area. The project includes stabilizing and repairing the envelope, creating a retail business in the forward facing bay, and at least 6 residential units in a clear-span addition to the north of the restored grain elevator. Property qualifies for listing for the National Register. Architectural plans have been commissioned to develop preliminary construction cost estimates and concept plan towards a feasibility study.

The Village of Perry implemented a streetscape improvement plan on Main Street within the last decade with the assistance of a Transportation Enhancements Program (TEP) grant. With DRI funding the Village would like to continue the program along key side streets in the historic downtown area including: Decorative pavement, Period lighting, Banners, Signage, and Public art. The improvements would help to unify the appearance of downtown streets, advance placemaking and complement private building upgrades.

One of the largest and most successful developers in Upstate New York, the Cornerstone Group, is proposing to construct a 24-unit apartment building at 33 Tempest Street. The building will include an elevator and provide full accessibility for all age groups. It would also meet the significant demand for housing in Perry and Wyoming County. The apartments will be located near Silver Lake Trail that is currently being upgraded with a connection to the historic core of Downtown Perry. The proximity will allow future residents to access the trail, which also leads to Silver Lake. The project will create much-needed housing for the residents of Perry, allowing residents to prosper within the Village while maintaining the Village’s population.

The JW Olin rehab project is actually multiple buildings creating a formidable block at the gateway into downtown from the west. The DRI will allow viable a business plan that includes new apartments plus renovated commercial space. The sponsor has measured and drafted existing conditions and completed a feasibility study and schematic design. The building will require extensive structural work along with two forms of egress for apartments, fire separation between uses, and complete fire protection and alarm systems.

In 2007, the 1856 Rufus Smith Building was the first building renovated using the Main Street LLC model, including upper floor professional office space. This is an opportunity to fill Perry’s unmet housing demand with 7 new upper floor residential units in the heart of downtown. Other recent, carefully-executed upper floor residential has drawn new residents who are seeking the downtown living and convenience to recreational amenities that are Perry’s hallmark. Off-street parking already is with the parcel, and architect-commissioned design work has already been completed.

This long-vacant, high-visibility corner (39 Gardeau, at Main St) is one of the few downtown opportunities for new build. A detailed feasibility study and business plan was launched last year that confirmed the viability of the project but only with DRI gap funding to create 10 new units - five townhouses, each with a two-story upper unit and a walk-out lower level unit. The objective is to INFILL this important piece of missing urban fabric, bridge Perry’s downtown and the civic/residential neighborhood to the north, and provide desirable housing to increase the density, vibrancy and sustainability of the downtown core. Off-street parking is available and architect has completed concept-level work.

Laken Holdings LLC will continue renovation and re-purposing of three underutilized properties to provide services and amenities for the growing number of Letchworth Park visitors including a camping outfitter retail space, an art gallery, vacation rentals, and unique camping opportunities. Laken Holdings LLCs investment in the “Silverlaken Estate, Glampground & Tiny House Village” on Silver Lake has pioneered the art of providing unique accommodations to the 800,000 tourists visiting Letchworth State Park. The developer will leverage this expertise to bring an Urban Camping concept to downtown Perry. Think: “Outfitter meets Art Gallery meets Urban Camping”.

The Village of Perry has assisted 16 building owners with New York Main Street grants to upgrade their mixed-use buildings over the last decade. Total investments in those buildings exceeded $1.8 million. The Village would like to establish a similar program, with larger funding limits, to assist more building owners in the DRI boundary to improve both commercial and residential units. The program would provide matching funds for interior and exterior building improvements. Improvements will need to be consistent with the Perry Main Street Association’s Design Guidelines. A local committee will be select program participants based on a set of ranking criteria.

Perry is fortunate to be powered by the efforts of many volunteers, but there's always room and need for more. You're invited to get involved. We would be glad to help you connect to a team that matches your interests, for this project or something else!

Masonic Temple in Spring
Perry Public Library, home of the Stowell-Wiles Gallery
His 'N Hers & Jake's Barber Shop on Main Street
Looking South from Burlingham Books, on Main Street
Rachel says Hello! from Olive & Ink, on Main Street
Arts Council for Wyoming County, on Main Street
Artworks by PCS kids on display at the Wyoming County Fair
A sunset over Silver Lake in Winter
Reading at the Bookstore
Read Around Perry (RAP) 5K Medals
Pitching in at the Village Park on Clean Sweep Day
Hold onto your hat...at Last Night Perry!
Hello Honeycombers!
Milk! on Main Street.
Reading with Rotary, oh my!

Trees

Perfectly located in WNY, between Letchworth State Park and Silver Lake.

Explore Perry