LIST OF OTSEGO COUNTY’S FUNDED PROJECTS
D&H Yards, Oneonta Ag Hub
Win NY State Ec-Dev Grants
No $1/2 Billion, But $3.3 Million As Consolation;
Cooperstown Gets Nothing, But Hall, NYSHA Win
ALBANY – While Otsego County’s economic development region failed to gain $1/2 billion from the governor’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative, the county itself did the best in five years of the state’s CFA program for distributing economic development funding – $3,317,658 in all.
“The region got a record amount of money,” said state Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford. “And I think Otsego County received a fair share. We have needs, and we have good projects.”
“Because we were a top performer, we got a lot of great projects funded that we didn’t think we’d fund otherwise,” said Elizabeth Horvath, COO of Otsego Now. “I like to think of us as the first runner-up.”
VIEW SLIDE SHOW EXPLAINING CUOMO PROGRAM
Oneonta, in particular, did well:
- $700,000 to demolish the former Oneonta Ford building at Chestnut and Market streets, now owned by the Twelve Tribes, for the Upper Susquehanna Regional Ag Center.
- $500,000 to complete the infrastructure planning necessary to redevelop the D&H yards.
“We had strong projects and an excellent application,” said Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig. “And we were rewarded.”
Also, Oneonta will receive:
-
Cuomo setting the stage this morning for the Upstate Revitalization Initiative funding. $600,000 for a sewer-line upgrade.
- $400,000 for Arc Otsego to improve its residences.
- $250,000 for a barley and malting operation at the new Northern Eagle Beverage plant on Browne Street.
- $120,000 for Chip Klugo, as he did with the former Bresee’s, to renovate the former Stevens Hardware into a first-floor grocery and apartments upstairs.
- $50,000 for improvements for the Oneonta Municipal Airport.
“These projects are very exciting,” said Herzig. “The Stevens Building project will add to what we’ve already done with Bresee’s. The pipes we’re relining are 100 years old and have needed upgrades for some time. And I’m particularly excited about Market Street. We’re getting close to awarding a contractor to do a study of the Food Hub, so we’re hoping in next year’s CFA applications, we will be positioned to move forward with building projects.”
While the Village of Cooperstown failed to win funding for its Village Hall renovations or improvements at Fairy Spring park, the Baseball Hall of Fame received $131,400 to target its promotions and exhibits for the Latino market, and The Fenimore Art Museum for marketing “Ansel Adams: Early Works,” planned in the 2016 season.
“Out of all the projects that didn’t win, we got the most,” said Cooperstown Mayor Jeff Katz. “That says something about how the state views us.”