Tompkins County has been awarded $1 million through New York State’s County Infrastructure Grant Program to support critical infrastructure construction for The Woods, the first phase of the ambitious SouthWorks Ithaca master-planned community. This award, announced as part of the first round of funding under the County Infrastructure Program, positions Tompkins County to jump-start the development of mixed-income housing units on a long-vacant industrial site that is now ready for new life.

In early 2025, New York State released its first application round for the County Infrastructure Grant Program through Empire State Development (ESD), offering up to $1 million to counties for small to mid-size infrastructure projects, with a strong emphasis on housing-related developments. Tompkins County’s Department of Planning and Sustainability brought the opportunity to the Legislature’s Housing and Economic Development Committee, which directed staff to issue a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) focused on projects supporting housing development, ideally including affordable units. Following a competitive process, the Legislature selected The Woods at SouthWorks Ithaca for submission to ESD.