It is the dog days of summer, and the baseball camp season is winding down. The students are returning to SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College. It has been a very dry season for Otsego County, in more ways than one. Especially in certain communities.
Oneonta has seen its four consecutive years of major downtown construction. The Dietz Street Lofts project was first in line, followed by the parking garage demolition. Next was the demolition at 27 Market St. Of course, the Market Street revisioning project as an arts, entertainments and cultural area was next. And this was in conjunction with the new transit hub. And finally, while two of these projects remain in progress, the state Department of Transportation closed Main Street from east of the city to install a traffic circle. That is a long string of major construction and renovation projects. I will not discuss the value of these endeavors here, but I will talk about their effects on downtown businesses.
As of this writing, downtown Oneonta has 23 open and empty storefronts from Elm Street to Market Street. While the construction-thon of the past four years is not the sole reason for the exodus of businesses along Main Street, it is a factor. Traffic patterns have been altered, and in some cases stopped entirely. Downtown has lost 500 parking spaces over this timeframe, causing a number of businesses to look elsewhere. If people go downtown, what are their shopping options today? We currently offer a selection of restaurants, consignment stores, bars, bodegas and barbers. And these establishments are valuable contributors to our economy. But with 23 empty opportunities downtown, it reminds me of the Peggy Lee hit from 1969, “Is That All There Is?” OK, I admit it. I’m old. We as a community can do better. We must. Our future depends on it.
Not all is gloom and doom. A couple from Long Island have purchased the former Oneonta Hotel building with plans for retail at street level and market rate apartments on the upper floors. We applaud this bold investment and look forward to a thriving enterprise for all concerned. DP Dough, a new calzone spot, has opened on Main Street. Sal’s Pizza has reopened under the stewardship of the original owners, the Grigoli Brothers. A few blocks around the corner, a group of investors has purchased the former St. Mary’s School for development into senior housing. And on Center Street, the iconic Center Street Deli is back in business! We seem to have created some business momentum in Oneonta. Now is the time to act upon this momentum and take business development to a new level.
On Sept. 11, I will present a plan to revitalize downtown Oneonta into a specialty retail shopping destination. If you want to see what the goal looks like, please go online and search for Bennington, Vermont. Folks with an eye and a passion for local business development have created a must-visit shopping location of small, “mom & pop” stores offering things you can’t get at Walmart or other big box stores. Think old school bakeries like Five Kids in Gilbertsville, gift shops like The Gatehouse in Morris, women’s clothing that is not consignment, and men’s clothing too. Leather goods, specialty grocery (local produce or imported items), a cigar store, a learning toy store for kids, a real shoe store, fine wines, interior design accessories, chocolates and confections, or even a stationary store. And call me crazy (get in line, it is a long one) how about a couple of baseball related stores? Uniforms, hats, collectibles, etc.? The list of possibilities is nearly endless.
The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce Foundation, is currently working with multiple potential partners in both the public and private sectors to fund this effort. This proposal will incentivize small, unique businesses to locate in downtown Oneonta. We want them to gain a foothold here, gain a solid customer base, and succeed long-term. Businesses that spawn other businesses to come and invest here, hire employees here, pay taxes here, buy a home here, raise their children here, choose a house of worship here and begin their own legacies, right here in Oneonta and Otsego County.
And this will not be the end of the effort. A group of like-minded funders and developers is aiming higher. They have grand ideas for large-scale projects to serve locals and tourists alike. The downtown project is only the beginning. The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce is proudly dedicated to these initiatives that WILL happen and WILL lift all boats with the rising tide they create. We are aware of the past, but we are dedicated to the collective future of this region.
Join us. We have work to do!