Schumer Secures $2.4M For Peekskill Commercial Kitchen Food Incubator

PEEKSKILL, NY — The Peekskill Facilities Development Corporation was awarded a $2.4 million grant from the United States Economic Development Administration that will transform an abandoned fire station into the Peekskill Commercial Kitchen Food Incubator.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer announced the funding Wednesday, saying the money will support the renovations of the space so entrepreneurs can have the facility and equipment they need to grow their businesses in the Hudson Valley.

He also said it will create new jobs and strengthen the region’s growing culinary community.

“I am proud to deliver this new federal investment to help Peekskill cook up new jobs by transforming the abandoned former Peekskill firehouse into a one-stop shop,” Schumer said.

Peekskill Mayor Vivian McKenzie thanked Schumer for his advocacy and the Peekskill Industrial Development Agency and others for helping to secure the grant.

“The Peekskill Commercial Kitchen Food Incubator will stir up major economic development, new businesses and new jobs while creating a destination to revitalize downtown,” she said.

Specifically, according to Schumer’s office, the project will support the renovation of the old Centennial Hose Municipal Fire Station for adaptive reuse, strengthening the region’s food infrastructure and enabling small and new businesses to access shared facilities, training opportunities, equipment and the technical assistance they need to grow and thrive.

The former firehouse totals 8,000 square feet, including a 2,400-square-foot, two-bay garage.

After renovations, the 4,500-square-foot commercial kitchen portion of the building would house five, fully equipped and licensed commercial kitchens, complete with stations for prep, storage, packaging, shipping and receiving, along with office space.

“Support facilities” in the incubator will include entrepreneurship programming and workforce skills development, emphasizing food-business-oriented training and work-and-learn training.

The federal funding supporting the project was secured through the American Rescue Plan Economic Adjustment Assistance grant program through the U.S. Economic Development Administration. It will be matched with nearly $600,000 in local funds.

Peekskill’s City Council passed a resolution of support for the project in May 2021.

The incubator is a joint project of the Peekskill Industrial Development Agency, Peekskill Facilities Development Corp. and the Westchester County Office of Economic Development.