IRS grants Brockport Development Corp.
not for profit status

Dovetailing with the village's plans for construction of a new museum and other revitalization plans along the Erie Canal, Brockport's Development Corporation has been granted 501(c)(3) status.

The 501(c)(3) status means the development corp. is now viewed as a not for profit organization when it comes to applying for grant funding, Economic Development Coordinator Scott Winner said. "We can apply for, and accept, funding from the private, public and government sectors for our projects," he said. "The new museum will be one activity we will be focusing on."

Village officials plan to revamp property at 60 Clinton Street and open it as a museum. The present museum, located above Village Hall, is not climate controlled, nor is it handicapped accessible, Winner said.

The new not for profit status takes much of the cost of economic development off the shoulders of the village taxpayers, Winner said. "It will allow us to go after grants for educational, job retention and creation purposes," he said. "We can maximize the potential for grant money that is out there."

Winner said there have been a lot of people working behind the scenes to make this designation happen.

In addition to the new IRS rating, Winner said the construction of a visitor center will help the village obtain money from the government sector when they see the strides the village is making in revitalization. Winner also said the owner of the Canalside Pub has received approval to construct a new restaurant that would feature deck seating, boat docking facilities and a boardwalk. "There is a synergy in the village ... when people see the government investing in revitalization they are more willing to commit to their businesses and our downtown," he explained.