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JumpSMART Small Business Downtown Investment Program

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Suffolk County officials present a check to the staff at the Long Island Game Farm on December 15. Photo by Lori and Steve Biegler
Chela Novak and Steve Bellone at the check presentation. Photo by Lori and Steve Biegler

The Long Island Game Farm in Manorville was awarded a $568,000 grant from Suffolk County in December as part of the JumpSMART Small Business Downtown Investment Program, which provides funding to support downtown growth and to help local businesses and institutions to remain economically competitive. 

“I am sincerely grateful for the generous support from Suffolk County and JumpSMART program awarded to the Long Island Game Farm,” shares Melinda Novak, president of the game farm. “This grant will enable us to renovate our amphitheater and develop a universal access trail, which has been a long-time dream for us to be able to share with all members of our community. This expansion coincides with the efforts of our new nonprofit arm, the Foundation for Wildlife Sustainability, as it develops programs in the cultural, educational, and wellness categories. Knowing Suffolk County believes in us gives us great hope for our future aspirations as the Long Island Game Farm continues to grow.”

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Legislator James Mazzarella, Legislator Nick Caracappa, and Legislator minority leader Jason Richberg visited the game farm on December 15 to present the check to Novak, Foundation for Wildlife Sustainability Tricia Snyder, game farm staff, and even two of the resident goats. Many of those in attendance agreed that the game farm is an iconic piece of Long Island’s history, dating back to 1970, and have fond memories of visiting in their childhood. For more information, visit longislandgamefarm.com or call 631-878-6644. 

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Photo by Samantha Rutt

By Samantha Rutt

The Three Village Historical Society was awarded a $300,000 grant, courtesy of the JumpSMART Small Business Downtown Investment Program on Monday afternoon, Dec. 18. 

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) and other local officials gathered at Gallery North to present the organization with a giant check signifying the donation.

Along with the Three Village Historical Society, the Ward Melville Heritage Organization, LI Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame and Gallery North – Setauket Historic District also received generous grants from the JumpSMART program. The donations’ funding will be used to support downtown revitalization efforts.

“The funding that we’re distributing here is about supporting our downtowns and our cultural institutions that are so important,” Bellone said. “Much of the funding comes out of the award that we received from the federal government — they really are about promoting economic sustainability over the long term, and I can’t think of a better way to do that than investing in our cultural arts and institutions like the ones here.”

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We step into the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic scene, where civic members advocate for adjustments to the site plan of a proposed medical office. The Three Village Historical Society accepts a $300,000 grant as part of the county’s JumpSMART downtown revitalization program. Next, we go inside the Brookhaven Town Board, where we unravel the details surrounding the Edward P. Romaine Nature Preserve and effects of the recent storm on the island’s barrier beaches. And later, we turn our attention to the Three Village Board of Education, where significant changes are on the horizon. 

Join us for a dive into local news on The Pressroom Afterhour: Keeping it Local with TBR.

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Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, at podium, announces new downtown revitalization stimulus funds for Smithtown communities. Photo from Bellone’s Flickr page

By Sabrina Artusa

Suffolk County is giving Kings Park, St. James and Smithtown a sizable chunk of downtown revitalization stimulus.

These funds, made available by the pandemic economic recovery allotments, will help revitalize the downtown districts while investing in developing infrastructure in downtown areas.

Through the JumpSMART Small Business Downtown Investment Program, which awards money to nonprofits, organizations and businesses, and the Jumpstart program, which awards money to towns and municipalities, the county gave $5.5 million to improve the local downtown economies.

“We recognize that our long-term economic prosperity is dependent to an extent on the success of our downtowns,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D). “Our downtowns are the places where we have the vibrancy we need to keep and attract young people in our community.”

The Smithtown Performing Arts Center was awarded $500,000, and Celebrate St. James, a leading organization in preserving arts and culture in St. James, was awarded a $100,000 JumpSMART grant. The town was additionally given a $900,000 JumpStart grant for the acquisition and restoration of the century-old Calderone Theatre, which is currently in disrepair.

Kings Park, Bellone said, has one of the most prosperous downtowns in Suffolk County. The Agape Community Sports Services was awarded a $1.45 million JumpSMART Award. Bellone described the organization as a “major regional tourism asset” expected to attract 350,000 people to Kings Park.

The Town of Smithtown was also awarded $2.5 million for traffic and street improvements in Kings Park.

“Every single penny we receive will be well spent, and it will be to benefit the Smithtown community,” Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) said.

“This is how we are able to raise local talent, invest in local communities and, more importantly, put your tax dollars back in your hands, which is why we are doing it.” Minority Leader Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon) added.

Also in attendance were legislators Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) and Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga), Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), Suffolk County’s commissioner of Economic Development and Planning Sarah Lansdale, and Jonathan Keyes, director of downtown revitalization and transit-oriented development.

“Without the Legislature voting to put these funds in place in this year’s operating budget and in the capital budget over the last couple of years, this wouldn’t be possible,” Bellone said.

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