Tag: planning

(BROOME COUNTY, NY) – Broome County, Visit Binghamton, and our participating sites in partnership with I LOVE NY are excited to once again highlight the historical and cultural resources of Broome County during the 2026 October Path Through History Weekend with wonderful events created for this weekend held at various locations in Broome County for all age groups.  This October we highlight and celebrate with our outdoor sculpture tour, mansion tour, historic cemeteries tours, and carousel rides.

This October 2026 Path Through History Weekend we also feature the NYS America 250 logo and our Broome County logo designed to celebrate America 250.

Details for each event can be found in the flyer and in the storybook map here: http://broomecountyny.gov/PathThroughHistory and here: https://visitbinghamton.org/listings/path-through-history-weekends/.

The Path Through History Weekends also showcase the rich and fascinating history across New York State.  Details on this statewide initiative and events happening across New York State can be found here: https://www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/path-through-history/path-through-history-weekend/.

(BROOME COUNTY, NY) – The Broome County Department of Planning and Economic Development is underway on a Countywide Resiliency Plan (CRP) that will strengthen the County’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate hazards that pose economic, environmental, infrastructure, and public health challenges which affect Broome County communities.

The County invites residents to help shape this important plan by visiting the Countywide Resiliency Plan table at the Broome County Parks Fall Festival. Planning staff will be available to discuss with residents their experiences with climate impacts and gather ideas about solutions that residents would like to see implemented in their neighborhoods.

Community input during Fall Fest will help the County:

• Identify resiliency goals and strategies that are a priority for Broome County residents.
• Understand which local assets residents most want to protect.
• Develop practical resiliency solutions and establish short- and long-term priorities.

The 2026 Broome County Parks Fall Festival will take place Saturday, October 10, from 12 – 4 p.m. at Grippen Community Park. Residents are encouraged to stop by the Countywide Resiliency Plan table, share their ideas, and help build a safer, healthier, and more resilient Broome County. For Fall Festival details, visit https://broomecountyny.gov/parks/fallfest. For more information about the Countywide Resiliency Plan, visit https://broomecountyny.gov/planning/sustainability/resiliencyplan.

This press release is prepared for Broome County with funds provided by the New York State Department of State under Title 3 of the Environmental Protection Fund.

Project Funded Through a State/Local Partnership

(VILLAGE OF ENDICOTT, NY) – Today, Broome County, the Village of Endicott, Town of Union, New York Department of State and Empire State Development, and other project partners celebrated the official opening of Strand Commons, a new public gathering space designed to serve as a destination for residents, visitors, and community events in the heart of downtown Endicott.

“Public gathering spaces and public art are essential elements of a downtown’s vibrancy, culture and livability,” said New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley.  “Public spaces provide an ideal opportunity for people of all ages, incomes, backgrounds and abilities to engage with one another and just enjoy the excitement and diversity of this burgeoning downtown.  We are proud to have supported this project through our Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which has been creating public gathering spaces like this throughout the State for the past decade.” 

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Governor Hochul continues to support community-based investments and Strand Commons represents what can be achieved with strong collaboration between local and state partners. This project reimagined and redeveloped a parking lot into an engaging space that invites residents and visitors alike to the heart of Endicott, encouraging new regional growth and opportunities.”

Located at 121-125 Washington Avenue, Strand Commons transformed a former parking lot into a vibrant, multi-functional public space featuring a six-foot illuminated art installation, performance pavilion, lighting, walkways, seating areas, landscaping, and other placemaking amenities.

Construction on the project began in August 2025 and was completed through a collaborative effort involving Broome County, the Village of Endicott, the Town of Union, New York State Empire State Development, and the New York State Department of State.

The project was developed with input from community members through public surveys and stakeholder engagement efforts, helping ensure the final design reflected local priorities and community needs.

Strand Commons advances the goals outlined in several local and regional planning initiatives, including the Endicott iDistrict Revitalization Plan, the Greater Binghamton Fund Strategic Investment Plan, the Village of Endicott Downtown Revitalization Initiative Strategic Investment Plan, and the Imagine Endicott Revitalization Plan Brownfield Opportunity Area Nomination Study.

The total project cost was approximately $1.14 million, including design, engineering, and construction. Funding was made possible through New York State’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative, including approximately $805,000 through Broome County’s Greater Binghamton Fund allocation and approximately $333,000 through the Village of Endicott’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative award.

LaBella Associates provided project design and engineering services, while construction was completed by Boland’s Excavating & Topsoil, Inc.

Strand Commons is now open to the public and available for community use, events, and gatherings.

(BROOME COUNTY, NY) – Broome County, Visit Binghamton, and our participating sites in partnership with I LOVE NY are excited to once again highlight the historical, cultural, and natural resources of Broome County during the 2026 June Path Through History Weekend with wonderful events created for this weekend held at various locations throughout Broome County for all age groups.  This June we highlight and celebrate our outdoor sculptures, museums, mansions, historic cemetery, children’s discovery center, and carousels.

This June 2026 Path Through History Weekend, we also feature the NYS America 250 logo and unveil a new Broome County logo designed to celebrate America 250.

Details for each event can be found in the flyer and in the storybook map here: http://broomecountyny.gov/PathThroughHistory and here: https://visitbinghamton.org/listings/path-through-history-weekends/ .

The Path Through History Weekends also showcase the rich and fascinating history across New York State.  Details on this statewide initiative and events happening across New York State can be found here: https://www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/path-through-history/path-through-history-weekend/

(BROOME COUNTY, NY) – Join us to share your ideas to improve arts and cultural resources throughout Broome and Tioga Counties!

Broome and Tioga Counties are hosting two listening sessions on April 29^th and April 30^th to gather feedback to inform the development of the Arts and Culture Strategic Master Plan.

The listening sessions will provide opportunities for the public and arts and cultural stakeholders to learn more about the plan and engage in discussion to share insights into challenges and opportunities impacting arts, culture, and heritage assets in the region. Two different listening sessions will be offered, one in Broome County and the other in Tioga County. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the scheduled programming will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a presentation, followed by group activities.

• Wednesday, April 29: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Roberson Museum (30 Front St, Binghamton, NY 13905)
• Thursday, April 30: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Neighborhood Depot (146 Central Ave, Owego, NY 13827)

Registration for the listening session is encouraged but not required. To register, please visit: www.artsculturebroometioga.com/get-involved.

If you require any assistive technologies, language translation, American Sign Language interpretation, and/or adaptive strategies to attend and engage at these meetings, please contact Emma Falkenstein with Highland Planning at 585-504-1672 or Emma@highland-planning.com at least three (3) business days in advance of the meeting.  

The Arts and Culture Strategic Master Plan is a collaborative effort to create a unified vision for arts, culture, and creative expression across Broome and Tioga Counties and will build a strategic roadmap to celebrate the region’s cultural diversity, foster economic vitality, and enrich the community. Funding is provided by the Empire State Development Strategic Planning and Feasibility Studies Grant Program, with support from Broome County, The Agency, Tioga County, and Experience Tioga.

Visit the project website, artsculturebroometioga.com, to learn more about the Plan and opportunities to get involved!

(BINGHAMTON, NY) – Broome County’s Department of Planning and Economic Development is producing a Countywide Resiliency Plan (CRP) to enhance the County’s overall resiliency and adaptability to a changing climate. The plan will address climate change risks and vulnerabilities associated with an increase in frequency and severity of storm and precipitation events, drought, extreme heat, severe winter storms, and other climate hazards and their impacts on our communities.

The County invites the public to be an active collaborator of this process. We will be hosting various public engagement opportunities throughout the summer to gather important community feedback for the following components of the Plan:

1. Areas of persistent Issues, such as flooding, heat islands, and infrastructure damage; Needs of residents in those areas, and opportunities for neighborhood resiliency.
2. Important community assets which residents care most about protecting from climate hazards.
3. Establish short and long-term priorities related to resiliency and identify resiliency projects.

To kick-off the public participation process, the County will host a table at Earth Fest this April 26^th from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Binghamton’s Recreation Park. It is a free, family-friendly event where attendees can learn how the County prepares for severe storms, floods, extreme temperatures, and other climate impacts that affect our communities. For additional details, visit www.broomecountyny.gov/planning/sustainability/resiliencyplan.

This press release is prepared for Broome County with funds provided by the New York State Department of State under Title 3 of the Environmental Protection Fund.

(BROOME COUNTY, NY) – Broome and Tioga Counties are pleased to launch the development of a joint Arts and Culture Strategic Master Plan (the Plan). This Plan is a collaborative effort to create a unified vision for arts, culture, and creative expression across the counties and will build a strategic roadmap to celebrate the region’s cultural diversity, foster economic vitality, and enrich the community.

The Plan will also serve as an update to the 2009 Susquehanna Heritage Area Management Plan and seeks to empower stakeholders from arts, cultural, and historic preservation organizations, businesses, local and regional institutions, and municipal entities to maximize the economic and community impact of the arts and cultural sectors in Broome and Tioga Counties. 

The public engagement process for the Plan kicks off with a virtual public meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, 2026, from 12:00 – 1:00 pm via Zoom. The meeting will include a presentation that introduces the Plan, overviews the preliminary arts and culture asset inventory, and gathers input from the public. Register on the project website for the zoom link: artsculturebroometioga.com/get-involved.

The Project Team will also host two in-person listening sessions in April to share information and create opportunities for the public to provide critical feedback on arts and culture assets to inform the Plan’s development. The listening sessions are open to the public and will include interactive activities and group discussions to better understand challenges and opportunities impacting arts, culture, and heritage assets in the region. Two different listening sessions will be offered, one in Broome County and the other in Tioga County. Each listening session will present the same material, so choose the one that is most convenient for you:

• 5:30 – 7:30 pm, Wednesday, April 29 at Roberson Museum (30 Front St, Binghamton, NY 13905)
• 5:30 – 7:30 pm, Thursday, April 30 at Neighborhood Depot (146 Central Ave, Owego, NY 13827)

Registration for the listening session is encouraged but not required. To register please visit: www.artsculturebroometioga.com/get-involved.

If you require any assistive technologies, language translation, American Sign Language interpretation, and/or adaptive strategies to attend and engage at these meetings, please contact Emma Falkenstein with Highland Planning at 585-504-1672 or Emma@highland-planning.com at least three (3) business days in advance of the meeting.  

Take the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Survey on the project website to share additional thoughts. The survey will be open through June 2026. 

Visit the project website, artsculturebroometioga.com to learn more about the Plan and opportunities to get involved! 

This Plan is funded by the Empire State Development Strategic Planning and Feasibility Studies Grant Program, with support from Broome County, The Agency, Tioga County, and Experience Tioga. 

(BROOME COUNTY, NY) – Applications are now being accepted for the ninth round of Broome County’s Small Community Fund grant program. This year, $500,000 has been budgeted for community improvement projects. Last year, grants were awarded to fund 31 total projects. The Small Community Fund is available to municipalities, non-profits, and local economic development entities that are working on projects that complement Broome County’s Comprehensive Plan.

Broome County joined the Vestal Fire District, a past award recipient, at the Fred Singer Training Tower today to highlight one of the many impactful projects supported. Improvements to the tower will strengthen a vital training resource used by numerous fire departments across Broome County to prepare firefighters for real-world emergencies. Investments like this ensure that first responders have the tools and facilities they need to keep our communities safe.

Since it was created in 2018, the Small Community Fund has supported more than 180 projects throughout the county. Most grants range from $10,000 to $50,000, with the average grant being approximately $20,000.

While open to all applicants that meet the stated criteria, the fund is intended to help smaller communities with projects that may not be eligible for alternate funding sources. The emphasis of the Small Community Fund will be on projects which address the goals of the comprehensive plan. More information on Broome County’s Comprehensive Plan can be found here.

Information regarding the Small Community Fund, guidelines, and how to apply can be found on the County Planning and Economic Development Department’s website at gobroomecounty.com/planning/communitygrants. Applications are due by March 31 at 4:00 p.m.

Questions regarding the application process will be accepted through March 27 to ensure applicants have the opportunity to receive clarification prior to the deadline.

Applications should be returned via email, communitygrants@broomecountyny.gov, or by mail: PO Box 1766, Broome County Office Building, Binghamton, NY 13902.

(BROOME COUNTY, NY) – Broome County, Visit Binghamton, and participating sites in partnership with I LOVE NY are excited to highlight the historical, cultural, and natural resources of Broome County during the 2025 June Path Through History Weekend with wonderful events created at various locations throughout Broome County for all age groups. This October, we highlight and celebrate our ethnic heritage, food, and music; performing arts; outdoor sculpture; museums; mansions; train station; children’s discovery center; 150^th anniversary of Ross Park; and more.

Path Through History Weekends showcase New York State’s rich and fascinating history and feature events at historic and cultural destinations throughout the state.

In-person events and exhibits will be held at 16 local heritage sites in Broome County for this upcoming weekend, October 11-13. Details for each event can be found in the flyer and in the storybook map here: https://broomecountyny.gov/PathThroughHistory and here: https://visitbinghamton.org/listings/path-through-history-weekends/.

Details on this statewide initiative and events happening across New York State can also be found at https://www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/path-through-history/path-through-history-weekend/. 

(BINGHAMTON, NY) – Broome County, in partnership with the City of Binghamton and the New York State Department of State, invites neighborhood residents, business owners, and stakeholders to attend the second public meeting for the Brandywine Growth District Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) Revitalization Master Plan.

This is your opportunity to learn about the project and share your ideas. The event will be held on Monday, September 22, 2025, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the Southern Tier Independence Center (STIC), located at 135 E Frederick Street, Binghamton. On and off-street parking is available.

The project team will present the findings from the existing conditions analysis, review the proposed vision statement and goals, and provide opportunities for public input. The public is encouraged to attend and share their ideas.

To learn more about the project, visit: https://broomecountyny.gov/planning/brandywine

This initiative is made possible with funding from the New York State Brownfield Opportunity Areas Program.