More than $1 million granted to Port Leyden school reuse project

Julie Abbass, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

May 28—PORT LEYDEN — The Port Leyden Portal project has won a $1.06 million award through the state Restore NY grant program to move to the next phases of the project to redevelop the village's former elementary school.

"It's rewarding that Empire State Development is aware of small towns and villages and are willing to assist in the restoration of them because the grant not only assists the property owner. It obviously assists the municipality — the village will greatly benefit — but local contractors, local hardware stores; there's a lot of people that are going to benefit from what seems like it will only be the property owner that benefits," said Mark Lemieux, who owns the building and the business with his wife Kimberly.

The Lemieuxs purchased the 40,000-square-foot, 100-year-old building early in 2022 and have been working on making their vision a reality ever since, naming their venture Port Leyden Portal. Mr. Lemieux said they continue to buy materials locally and hire local contractors as much as possible for the project and he believes "people really appreciate it. That's why we do it."

The Lemieuxs, like all grant awardees, will need to pay for all of the work to transform upstairs classrooms at the back of the building nine furnished rental apartments and the downstairs rooms into multi-use commercial space and be reimbursed for that work by Empire State Development once it is completed.

The entrepreneur said they have already secured the funding to cover that significant financial outlay.

In Phase 3 of the project, the couple will work to create a community center out of the gymnasium and playground area.

The project has previously been awarded $24,000 through the county Facade & Streetscape Improvement Program for brick re-pointing and, recently, $20,000 from the county Development Corporation's Vacant Property Revitalization grant program that is also targeted for the fully furnished rentals in the back of the building.

Phase one of the Port Leyden Portal project creating a number of one- and two-bedroom apartments for rent by people at least 55 years old are expected to be move-in ready by the end of June or early July, according to Mr. Lemieux.

The grant was applied for on behalf of and awarded through the village with the help of the county Planning Department's negotiation of the complicated process.