Empire State Development has announced the demolition of Midtown Plaza in downtown Canton, New York, marking a major step toward a mixed-use redevelopment valued at more than $27 million.
The former shopping plaza on Miner Street has been largely vacant since 2000, following the closure of Jubilee. The demolition and environmental abatement work will prepare the site for redevelopment, with this phase expected to be completed by late October 2026.
Developed by Vecino Group, the project calls for a three-story building featuring residential units, an entrepreneurship centre operated by SUNY Canton, and 2,500 square feet of commercial and retail space.
The Entrepreneurship Center is planned as a focal point for business development, with a small-business incubator, co-working stations, conference facilities and resources for entrepreneurs. The project also includes improvements to parking areas and surrounding grounds, creating a 3.76-acre public space connected to Canton’s Main Street corridor.
New York State has committed more than $6.8 million to support the redevelopment through several funding programmes. These include a $2 million Restore NY award for site revitalization, demolition and reconstruction, a $2 million NY Forward award, a $1.5 million New York Power Authority Power Proceeds award, and a $1.322 million Regional Council Capital Fund grant to SUNY Canton.
The project has also received $2.641 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Congressionally Directed Spending programme, supported by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. National Grid contributed a further $300,000 grant for environmental remediation, demolition and site preparation.
State and local officials said the project is intended to return a long-vacant downtown property to productive use while supporting housing, entrepreneurship and economic activity in the North Country region.
Once completed, the development is expected to combine residential accommodation, commercial activity and business-support services at a central downtown location.
Source: ESD.
