Choice Words Serves as Lead Grant Writers for Three Municipal Grant Awards of $2.8 Million in Restore NY Grant Program
May 27, 2025
MID-HUDSON VALLEY, NY–The grant writing and strategic communications firm, Choice Words LLC, served as lead grant writers for three Mid-Hudson Valley municipalities that were recently awarded $2.8 million in awards under the Restore New York Communities Initiative. The three communities—City of Poughkeepsie, Town of Rockland, and the Town of Cornwall—each received significant awards in support of public-private partnerships designed to revive key vacant and underutilized properties in their downtown commercial zones.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced on May 22 that more than $50 million had been awarded to 50 projects through the State’s Restore New York Communities Initiative. Restore New York supports municipal revitalization efforts with funds to help remove and reduce blight, reinvigorate communities and generate new residential and economic opportunities statewide. The program, administered by Empire State Development, is designed to help local governments encourage new commercial investments through community revitalization, growing local housing, and putting properties back on the tax rolls to increase the local tax base.
“Revitalizing and rehabilitating vacant and blighted areas of our communities for housing or development is vital to make downtowns thrive,” Governor Hochul said in a press release last week. “Restore New York helps our municipalities plan for the future by catalyzing economic growth and supporting housing, businesses and cultural spaces. We are further unlocking the potential of these sites and communities across New York.”
The Mid-Hudson Region was awarded more than $4.24 million to support six projects. Of them, Choice Words handled grant writing for three of them, including:
- City of Poughkeepsie– $1 million: The project, which is being undertaken by Chai Developers, will renovate the upper floors of the historic Bardavon Opera House at 31 Market Street and the adjacent three-story building at 39 Market Street into a single 35,000 square-foot, five-story mixed-use development. This will create 49 new residential units, that range from studio to two-bedroom apartments and make improvements to the building’s mechanical systems and structural stability. The entire ground level will be rehabilitated, activating retail space that has been vacant for years.
- Town of Cornwall – $800,000: The project will transform a long vacant former car dealership at 317 Main Street into a new, upscale 52-unit boutique hotel with a full-service restaurant and bar in the heart of the town. The project, which is being developed by 2 Girls 1 Boy Co., will create 35 new full-time hospitality positions and address a significant shortfall in Orange County lodging options, as determined by a study completed by the Orange County Department of Tourism and Film.
- Town of Rockland – $1 million: The Livingston Legacy Holdings Project will transform seven long vacant, formerly commercial structures on 10 Pleasant Street into a bustling multi-use hospitality campus, featuring a restaurant, a sake brewery and tasting room, open air market, public gardens and multi-use spaces for other community-defined needs. Once complete, this campus will feature a much-needed venue suitable for large gatherings and social events requiring large spaces, parking, and catering capabilities.
Choice Words President & CEO Stephen Densmore applauded the state’s selection of these essential downtown development projects. “The Restore New York grant program represents a stellar example of New York State making critical investments in places that traditionally had been too difficult and expensive for private firms to re-develop feasibly,” said Mr. Densmore, who started the grant writing and strategic communications firm 15 years ago along with current Vice President Briana Maloney. “These awards will help these private developers move confidently forward with these essential projects.”