Canandaigua, Brockport and Phelps will each receive millions of dollars to improve their communities as part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday.

Brockport and Phelps will each receive $4.4 million from the NY Forward Program, while Canandaigua will receive $10 million as the Finger Lakes winner as part of the eighth round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

There are some towns across upstate New York that are struggling to spruce up Main Street and the aging buildings that line it, unless you happen to be chosen to win millions of dollars.

“It's like winning the Oscars," Hochul said. "And there's such an energy because a community comes together. They put forth a vision and the state funds it.”

Towns across the state apply for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and the New York Forward Program.

“We have the Regional Economic Development Councils review all the applications," Hochul said. "There's 10 regions every year.”

“Well, that's great news," Canandaigua Mayor Bob Palumbo said. "It's great for Canandaigua and great for the city.”

The mayor says he is thrilled to be able to able to make improvements in Canandaigua.

"The buildings that are from the turn of the century, they've got charm, but sometimes they get a little rundown," Hochul said. "They need to be spruced up and making it more pedestrian friendly. It's a busy highway through their busy road, and you want to make sure people feel safe. And it feels more like a downtown area. And to connect that ultimately to the waterfront, which is one of the most beautiful waterfronts in the entire state."

"So with this plan, we had several building owners that committed to working with this process if we got it," Palumbo said. 

"We feel we feel great because this is only the second time we applied know we and we know the record of communities applying," Brockport Mayor Margay Blackman said. "They've applied multiple times.”

“We're just ecstatic that we got this," Phelps Mayor James Cheney said. "It absolutely is a game changer for a small community like that to have this kind of influx of capital that's going to transform folks into a whole different place, and it's going to be beautiful. And we just want to attract people to Phelps and share what we have.”

The governor’s office says the programs will offer each region in the state funding for a total state commitment of $200 million to help communities boost their economies by transforming their downtowns into vibrant neighborhoods.

“What she’s doing for the state, helping communities and getting some money back is wonderful," Palumbo said.

"This is critically important to revitalize downtowns across the state of New York," Hochul said.