Potsdam Food Co-op Commercial Store Expansion

24 Elm Street, Potsdam, NY 13676

Approved

What is it? · Identity & scale

Project type: Commercial
Review stage: Approved
Commercial sq ft: 3,000

Who & what? · Context & documents

Developer / applicant entity: Potsdam Food Co-op
Estimated investment / project cost: $5M
Reviewing board: State Agency / ESD

Site notes

Commercial grocery store expansion at 24 Elm Street in downtown Potsdam featuring 3,000 SF of retail floor area. Reconstructs origin to the 2021 Potsdam Downtown Revitalization Initiative () $1.659M grant award and October 2024 Village of Potsdam design grant application; Co-op board formally accepted grant terms in May 2025, secured nearly $2M in total grant funding toward the $5M project budget, and cleared state historic/environmental regulatory review (Finding of No Adverse Impact) in summer 2026.

Source

North Country Now / Village of Potsdam DRI· May 30, 2026

Public record & decisions

Applicant Claims

Expands downtown natural foods grocery and local farm-to-table retail capacity with $2M in state/ grant support.

Staff / Agency Concerns

State historic preservation and environmental regulatory clearance (resolved with Finding of No Adverse Impact) and capital campaign financing to minimize commercial debt load.

Public Testimony

Employee and co-op member public commentary documented in January 2026 regarding project financial structure.