The award was presented in a 10:30 a.m. ceremony at the building by Judy Calogero, deputy commissioner, Kimberly LaMay, assistant commissioner, and John Conway, deputy regional director of the DHCR.

Thursday night, Frontier Housing Corp. of Dexter was presented with an award for its rejuvenation of the former Dexter Sulphite Pulp & Paper Co. into an industrial center. The St. Lawrence Housing Council was also recognized for its work on tourism and housing in Star Lake.

The two agencies were among 10 Empire Award winners. Neighbors of Watertown was one of six honorable mentions.

"It's quite an honor," said Gary C. Beasley, NOW's executive director. "It's nothing we submitted for. This is the first year of these."

NOW was recognized for its use of historic and Empire Zone tax credits to fund the Marcy Building's renovation. The agency also has been successful in using residential tax credits to do renovations like the Burdick and Brighton apartment buildings.

Because the buildings NOW has rehabilitated were all historic structures and it did the renovations accordingly, it was able to raise money by selling historic tax credits to investors, who take the exemptions on their income taxes.

"It is relatively straightforward once you understand it," said Mr. Beasley, who has given presentations around the state on the financing method. "It's all the rules that go with it that I think a lot of people are unsure of and leery of. We do what others have been afraid to do."

NOW is looking at doing similar projects with the Emerson Place Apartments and Paddock Arcade.

The state has put all of the award winners into a booklet called "Blueprints for Success" so that other communities can use them as models.