Durkee Street Downtown Revitalization

At the center of the City of Plattsburgh’s downtown along the Saranac River is the Durkee Street site. The former brownfield site, which is currently used for public parking, represents a pivotal redevelopment opportunity to reconnect the downtown to the waterfront and create opportunities for mixed-use development as well as an active economic hub.

LaBella developed a series of reuse concepts, building on site-based market analysis and input from the project’s advisory committee. Our team conducted meaningful public engagement, developed multiple concepts, built a consensus around a preferred design, and established a funding and implementation plan.

Early concepts focused on the creation of downtown residences, a food hub and culinary incubator, and a variety of flexible spaces for young/small business startups. Site concepts were tested against financial proformas, and a preferred plan was selected. The initial concept was refined with input from the Advisory Committee, and a final preferred concept was developed and presented to the public at several highly attended and distinctive local gatherings. Public feedback, including likes, dislikes, questions, concerns, and recommendations, was gathered to further inform the viability of the design direction.

The project was a key factor in Plattsburgh’s success in securing $10 million in New York State Downtown Revitalization funds to implement the Durkee Street project.