“Pocket Neighborhoods” and “Erie Armada” win New York's Reimagine the Canals competition

As part of New York's centennial celebration of the Barge Canal — now known as the New York State Canal System, the New York Power Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation launched the Reimagine the Canals competition last year. The competition sought design ideas that would transform the Canal System — a 524-mile network comprising the Erie Canal, Oswego Canal, Cayuga-Seneca Canal, and Champlain Canal — into a magnet for tourism and recreation.

Yesterday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the two prize-winning proposals, which the international jury panel selected from seven finalists. The competition attracted 145 entries from nine states and seven countries, which NYPA President Gil C. Quiniones described as “an extremely strong field of candidates”. He added, “If the creativity displayed in this competition is any indication, the future of the canals is in very good hands.” 

The winning teams received cash prizes that would support the development and implementation of their projects. Read more about their proposals below:

“Pocket Neighborhoods”
Team: Madison County Planning Department, STREAM Collaborative, Camoin Associates
Prize: $1.5 million

Summary: “This project seeks to build pocket neighborhoods along the Erie Canal and Erie Canalway Trail. Homes would surround a common greenspace and have direct access to the Canal to respond to the growing preference of millennials, families, and seniors to live in a place that is walkable to shopping, restaurants, and other amenities. A pilot project would be built in the Village of Canastota, Madison County, about 25 miles east of Syracuse. The expectation is this project—which would involve a public-private partnership—could be replicated in other communities.  The judges cited the project as a model for how land use could be shifted away from the canals' industrial past to residential and mixed uses.”

“Erie Armada”
Team: Parks & Trails New York, Area4, Joe Gustainis
Prize: $500,000

Summary: “Erie Armada is a multi-day festival and boat race centered on breweries creating human-powered boats that could be made from items common to the industry, such as barrels and beer cans. The race would include parties at the start and end of each 15-mile race that would feature music, local food offerings and craft beverages, including beers created specifically for the armada. The first armada is planned to go between Baldwinsville and Phoenix, but other locations are being considered for the future. The jury commented that the proposal would support new recreation and tourism in the canal corridor and bring a younger audience to the region, while also supporting the local heritage of the canal system. New York was once a leading grower of hops, which were shipped across the nation and abroad via the Erie Canal. New York is home to 400 breweries, up from 95 just six years ago.”