Oneonta Officials Celebrate Transit Hub Opening, Capping Years of Downtown Investment

By JULIA DELPOZZO
SUNY Institute for Local News
ONEONTA

City officials, state leaders and residents gathered on Tuesday, April 28 to celebrate the long-awaited grand opening of the Oneonta Public Transit hub, a project that city leaders say represents both a new front door to Oneonta’s downtown and the culmination of nearly a decade of urban revitalization work.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony at 47 Market Street, held shortly after 2 p.m. and in the middle of a four-hour community celebration, marked the official completion of Oneonta’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, a state-funded program that has transformed key parts of the city’s core.

Also known as the Market Street Transit Hub project, the OPT hub was funded in part by $3.25 million from New York State’s DRI program. It is the final of seven projects completed under the initiative, originally awarded to Oneonta in 2016 as part of the state’s first round of the Mohawk Valley Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Other DRI projects in Oneonta included the Dietz Lot mixed-use development, the Water Street boardwalk, and a series of Market Street transportation improvements designed to increase pedestrian activity and safety.

“This is really about revitalization, complete revitalization,” declared Oneonta Mayor Dan Buttermann.

The new facility serves as a multi-modal transportation center and welcome hub, housing Oneonta Public Transit and Trailways bus services while improving connections between Market, Main and Water streets. It includes a public parking lot, pedestrian access points, and a stair and elevator tower linking the site to surrounding downtown destinations.

City officials said those features are critical to improving walkability and access across the downtown corridor—a central goal of the broader DRI strategy.

The celebration itself highlighted both the project and the community it serves. Festivities began at noon and drew a crowd of residents, college students, state officials, and local leaders. Attendees gathered to hear remarks, enjoy live music and visit local food vendors.

Area college students were especially encouraged to join the festivities, with the first 50 students from both Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta awarded a $5.00 token for food.

Entertainment included a performance by indie rock band Planeview, which is made up of SUNY Oneonta students Ryan Bean, Brendan Weatherup, Riley Smith and Sean McLane. Food trucks, including Ty’s Taco-ria, were also on site for the grand opening festivities.

Mayor Buttermann opened the ceremony, emphasizing Oneonta’s growth and future potential as a regional hub.

“Oneonta is the hub in Central New York and will continue to be the place to live, to do business, and to be entertained. This is the City of the Hills, a place for everyone,” Buttermann said, adding, “and we are thankful that our state and our [Otsego] county partners see that too and will continue to help us build and grow Oneonta to be the place and home for even more people.”

Buttermann then introduced New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley, who underscored the collaborative nature of the DRI and its community-driven planning process.

Mosley explained that the transformation was shaped by local input and long-term vision, crediting residents and the planning committee for identifying community needs.

“We are really excited for what’s taking place down here because we are not only transforming lives, we’re transforming a region,” Mosely said.

“This project really is the epitome of what we can do when New Yorkers come together,” Mosely added.

State officials echoed those remarks, noting that the DRI is designed to boost economic development through targeted public investment in infrastructure, housing and small businesses.

Governor Kathy Hochul, in a press release issued the same day, called the completion of Oneonta’s DRI “a major milestone” and highlighted the program’s statewide impact, noting that it has helped communities “reimagine their futures through strategic investments that support local businesses, strengthen infrastructure, and create new opportunities for residents.”

“Oneonta’s success is a powerful example of what can be achieved through strong local vision and state partnership,” Hochul said in the statement.

The Market Street project illustrates those goals in action, according to City of Oneonta officials. In addition to replacing a deteriorating parking garage, the new transit hub improves mobility and encourages economic activity by linking key downtown assets, including Muller Plaza, the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, and nearby retail corridors.

Janet Ho, assistant commissioner of finance and integrated modal services for the New York State Department of Transportation, also spoke at the ceremony, highlighting the DOT’s involvement.

“The State Department of Transportation is so proud to be part of bringing this whole vision to life for your community,” Ho said.

Ho pointed to other regional transportation improvements, including the Lettis Highway roundabout, as part of broader efforts to modernize the city’s infrastructure and improve traffic flow.

Empire State Development Regional Director Allison Madmoune followed, offering a personal anecdote to illustrate the city’s growing appeal.

She told a story about a colleague who recently chose Oneonta for a weekend getaway. She asked him, “Why Oneonta?” to which he replied, “Why not Oneonta?” describing his positive experience exploring the city.

Madmoune said, “I feel like that quick story is the quintessential example of a DRI in action. Because of the DRI’s projects. Because of the accessibility projects of Main Street, Water Street, Muller Plaza. He was able to come here for a weekend getaway. And now people are living here, working here, playing here, and visiting right here in Oneonta.”

She added, “This is just the beginning for Oneonta.”

The hub has been operational since December, yet officials said the April event provided an opportunity to formally recognize its completion and its role within the broader DRI framework.

That framework includes multiple interconnected projects designed to strengthen downtown as a center of commerce, culture and community life. Among them are the Downtown Improvement Fund, which city officials say has provided more than $2 million in grants to local businesses and property owners, as well as streetscape upgrades, pedestrian pathways, and public space enhancements.

Together, those projects reflect a broader strategy to expand downtown activity, encourage tourism and support long-term economic growth.

With the ribbon officially cut by Buttermann, attendees lingered at the site, socializing and celebrating what many described as a landmark achievement for the city.

For local officials and residents alike, the new transit hub is more than a transportation facility—it is a visible symbol of Oneonta’s investment in its future.

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Lab, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.