Governor Cuomo has announced the winning projects in a $10 million state initiative to transform downtown Jamaica by creating jobs and boosting the local economy.

The governor came to Queens last summer to announce Jamaica as winner of the state's Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Now, Cuomo's office has announced the money will go toward 7 projects in the neighborhood. They include creating a co-working space for entrepreneurs and local professionals, strengthening high-speed broadband coverage in the area, expanding pedestrian spaces, creating more public gathering areas, and improving dining options.

Funds will also go to an entrepreneurship training program that helps low-income residents launch or grow businesses, and provide new technical equipment and software at Thomas Edison High School.

Cuomo says the imitative was designed to help underserved or overlooked communities that already have the infrastructure to support growth and development. This grant comes in addition to a $153 million investment from the city’s Economic Development Corporation.

Here is a list of the projects from the governor’s office:

  • Greater Jamaica Development Corporation Co-Working Space: Create a shared workspace for local entrepreneurs and independent professionals at the Moda Building, run by Greater Jamaica Development Corp. A 10,000-square-foot space centrally located in the DRI will be fully built out to provide affordable, flexible workspace and access to business equipment and services to startups, freelancers, and others. In total, the space will accommodate up to 90 users, and will be operated by GJDC in partnership with York College, which is a START-UP NY campus.
  • Bring High-Speed Broadband to Downtown Jamaica: Strengthen Jamaica’s broadband infrastructure to support the delivery of high-speed service to existing businesses and the public. The project will bridge two gaps in the conduit pathway so that new lines can be run to Jamaica, providing needed capacity, allowing for the installation of fixed wireless hubs to support Wi-Fi based broadband connectivity and a broadband market.
  • Conversion of Archer Archways - 159th Street into a Public Space: Create a public space around the Long Island Rail Road underpass at 159th Street - the key pedestrian gateway between York College and downtown Jamaica. Improvements will include overhead lighting, public art, seating, and event space. The space would be designed to allow for vendors to set up temporary stalls for commercial use.
  • Downtown Jamaica Gateway Improvements: Transform Jamaica Center into an inviting downtown gateway with a major expansion of pedestrian space and lighting and streetscape improvements. Enhance pedestrian space on Parsons Boulevard between Jamaica and Archer avenues. The city will fund initial work to temporarily expand pedestrian sidewalk space resulting in a venue for enhanced public programming, later using DRI funds to reconstruct the street to make pedestrian improvements and streetscape elements permanent.
  • Fund for Dining Options Downtown: Improve dining options and nightlife activity in the downtown by establishing a Restaurant Startup Fund and establishing incubator space for new food businesses at the Jamaica Market. More dining options will attract and retain residents and workers. These funds will provide fully outfitted dedicated restaurant space and funding for fit-out and equipment in order to defray high industry startup costs. Four stalls will be provided at the Jamaica Market and a fund will be formed to support restaurant operators seeking to expand or open a new space downtown.
  • Prime Skills Entrepreneurship Fund: Expand Prime Skills, an entrepreneurship training program that helps low-income Jamaica residents launch or grow businesses. Project will support two additional program cohorts, expand mentorship and support to previous program graduates, and provide a fund to purchase equipment for program graduates. This workforce development program will allow the local community to participate in the economic growth of the DRI.
  • Career Prep at Edison High School: Enhance Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Education High School’s nationally recognized Career and Technical Education programs. This project would provide funds for new equipment and software that will enable the CTE programs to stay on the leading edge and ensure graduates are job-ready for employment in the tech, design and health care sectors - growth industries in downtown Jamaica. Availability of a qualified workforce will support continued growth of these industries.