Oneonta Receives Grant To Rehabilitate Building

ONEONTA

On May 22, Governor Kathy Hochul ann-ounced that the City of Oneonta will receive a $900,000.00 grant through the Restore New York Communities Initiative to assist with the rehabilitation of the Fred VanWie Building, 14-18 Dietz Street. The project will create four affordable residential units on the second floor, as well as a workshare space that may be used by tenants of the building or local makers as an office or conference area. The main floor will be redeveloped into three commercial tenant spaces.

This additional public funding will leverage $275,000.00 previously dedicated to the VanWie Building project by the city through its Downtown Revitalization Initiative Downtown Improvement Fund, which was established with the goal of rehabilitating downtown upper-floor housing. The remainder of the project will be funded by the building owners, Wayne and Rebecca Carrington, with an estimated $625,000.00 of private investment.

“I know I speak for everyone in the City of Oneonta when I offer my deepest thanks to Governor Hochul for her support of our housing efforts,” said Mayor Mark Drnek. “The development of our long underutilized upper floors will allow us to welcome new neighbors and further enhance the vitality of our downtown. Thanks as well to the Carringtons for their continuing commitment to Oneonta. You are enriching our lives and our quality of place, and we appreciate it.”

“The City of Oneonta is excited to have the opportunity to support local developers, such as the Carringtons, in their efforts to expand their businesses within our vibrant downtown area,” said Deputy Community Director Stephen Yerly. “Further, the revitalization of a historic structure like the VanWie Building breathes new life into our community and encourages a walkable urban center.

“Partnerships such as these showcase the city’s commitment to preserving and utilizing the rich historic heritage of our city while fostering economic growth and creating a dynamic and thriving downtown environment for our city’s residents and visitors alike.”