Waterfront Redevelopment Project, Village of Marathon

The Village of Marathon is located in the southeastern corner of Cortland County. The Tioughnioga River, Cortland's main waterway, runs north to south through the center of the Village.  Marathon was an early supporter of Cortland County's efforts to develop a Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan to manage the river corridor.  The Village was subsequently included in Cortland County's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program(LWRP) boundaries.  Marathon recognized that the connection between their waterfront area and Main Street needed to be strengthened so that residents and visitors could enjoy all that the Village has to offer, from canoeing, hiking, and kayaking to shopping, and enjoying local restaurants.  Connecting the waterfront and Main Street was an important component to the Village's overall economic redevelopment efforts.

In 2008, the NYS DOT completed a reconstruction of Route 221, which runs through the heart of downtown Marathon.  LWRP funding allowed the Village to leverage the non-federal portion of the Route 221 project as the required match for the LWRP grant ($515,000).  This allowed the Village to undertake a Waterfront Redevelopment Project without having to commit local funds.  The project included enhancing Peck Street, which connects Main Street with Lovell Field, adjacent to the River.  Improvements included new pavement, sidewalks, street trees, street lights, curbs, and signage.  The project also included the installation of new playground equipment in Lovell Field for children of all ages.  The project was completed in early 2012.