“Can I borrow a cup of sugar?”
Neighbors who know neighbors. Neighborhoods that are welcoming — a throwback to earlier times and better days. That’s the goal for our city.
This is a report on a new and evolving neighborhood and its progress in becoming a positive contributor to the character and economy of Oneonta.
Betsy and I were invited to attend an open mic event and join a gathering of new residents. Scheduled for 3 p.m. in a large communal space, it would be my first time getting to know this community — the Dietz Street Lofts.
I have been aware and concerned at the rocky start for this major addition to our city and upset at the reputation it was developing.
Everyone in our community deserves to live in and adjacent to safe, secure homes and neighborhoods. For reasons that were informed by the pandemic, by supply chain issues, and a slow lease-up, some disruptive individuals found new residence in the building. Everyone deserves a place to live, but when actions of a few impact the quality of life of others, there is only one option.
I’ve joined with the police, the building management, and an active tenant that I’ve appointed “liaison to the mayor’s office” to flip the script. The Common Council will be discussing the installation of high-def cameras for the adjacent parking lots, and security of access has become a management priority.
As you can imagine, I was very interested to see the effect of our efforts, and so looked forward to the visit.
Several minutes passed before we were able to gain entrance to the building. It took the flagging down of a passing resident. Building access seems very secure.
We were led to the second floor and the meeting space, where there were already several people milling about, in little groups and in conversation.
It reminded me of a familiar scene where folks in their lawn chairs on a Sunday afternoon gather around and catch each other up on the week’s news.
There were writers and artists, educators and performers. The vibe was welcoming and inclusive, but also clearly neighborly.
In the center of the room there were microphones and speakers and a collection of musicians in creative collaboration.
What I learned by my visit, is that there is a culture developing in the building — and it has me genuinely excited.
In a city, the neighborhoods have character. The concentration of people living together, building-alongside-building, in a small footprint aids the creation of that character. (In my experience, a walk along Columbus is different from Amsterdam, which is different from Broadway.)
Oneonta is such a small city that we can change our character and enliven our economy with nimble planning and the smart addition of new housing.
The Dietz Lofts is an excellent example of how quickly a neighborhood can develop. 64 new homes. Not strung along the length of three blocks, but in a more tightly intertwined geography. The energy in an apartment building is palpable.
I spoke with many who were there, and I also asked that people consider answering a survey.
We collected more than 34% — a pretty good return on a survey.
Despite bumpy first months, a significant percentage of people expressed a very positive connection to their new homes. A majority expressed willingness to volunteer to help the city. With 29 artists living there, you can be assured they will contributors to our renaissance.
And of interest to some, are shopping and dining preferences. (The survey is posted on the city website.)
We are joined by a new community.
Welcome to the neighborhood!