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Friends of the Public Square outlines Phase 1 work, grant timeline
Summary
Catherine Kaneda, co‑chair of Friends of the Public Square, told the council Phase 1 bids for the public‑square redesign are due Aug. 11 and described a phased approach driven by grant funding; the group seeks state and HUD grants for later fountain work.
Catherine Kaneda, co‑chair of Friends of the Public Square, told the council the group has pursued community input and raised most funds from public sources as it advances a multi‑phase park redesign. "Just as a reminder, we started Friends of the Public Square 5 years ago," Kaneda said, describing outreach, online surveys and a plan driven by community input.
Kaneda said Phase 1 bids are due Aug. 11 and that the first phase will include new pathways, a repositioned Veterans Memorial to Warren Street to improve accessibility, additional lighting and new benches. She said the project team met with interested contractors and the landscape architect on site. "It will be more visible, more accessible," Kaneda said, adding the team is seeking to replace trees removed by construction and to fence areas for contractor staging during work.
Kaneda outlined grant efforts for later phases. She said the group is preparing a New York State Parks application for a fountain phase (seeking the state's maximum, which she referenced as $675,000) and noted the project has an earlier allocation she called "Riley money" of $250,000 for the fountain through HUD. She also cited an additional Hinchey award of $125,000 toward the fountain phase and emphasized that most grants are reimbursement‑based and restricted to specified design elements. "All grants are on a reimbursable basis," she said, noting the city must spend before being reimbursed.
Council members asked whether sidewalks and Warren Street alignment would be included; Kaneda said sidewalks were planned for Phase 3 and that the mayor's office is applying for a CFA grant to expand sidewalks. She said timing depends on contractor availability but added the team hopes to complete work in the fall or winter when the park could be fenced for construction.
The council did not take formal action on the presentation; Kaneda said contractors will be selected after the Aug. 11 bid deadline and the group will return with further updates when available.
