TOMAINOS CONSIDER SHOPS

TO SERVE WESTCOTT PLAZA

Mysterious Project

Linked To Artspace

By LIBBY CUDMORE • HOMETOWN ONEONTA & The Freeman’s Journal

ONEONTA – The mystery is clearing: A privately developed – and thus taxable – Artspace may rise above the Westcott Parking Lot, and Anna and Jim Tomaino’s “transformative” project may open perhaps related shops along the side of the building next door.

Mayor Gary Herzig was interviewed from Australia, where he is vacationing, to provide details that had not been available previously.

“We have $1.45 million in DRI incentive money for a developer to construct a public plaza and a mixed-use building over the top of the Westcott Lot,” said Herzig.

The redevelopment of the Westcott Lot was one of the main objectives of the original Downtown Revitalization Initiative. While the city originally asked for $3.2 million in funding, the state gave them $1.45 million, which will be available to a developer as a grant.

However, there are some provisions for the project. “We’re looking for a small, mixed-use building that includes upper-floor housing and non-retail space on the first floor.”

The first-floor space, Herzig said, would be ideal for one of the two colleges to do programming, or to attract artists to downtown.

“There is potential for an Artspace-type building,” Herzig said. “Gallery space or artist workspace would fit the established goals for that space.”

From the plaza, Herzig said, there will be a pedestrian boardwalk connecting Main Street to Market. “It will be much wider than the one next to Muller Plaza,” he said. “You’ll be able to look straight down and see Stella Luna.”

That boardwalk will also allow the Tomainos, who received $225,000 for a “transformative” project, to open up the side of their 218-244 Main St., building to retail space.

In their application for a piece of $2.3 million in funding made available through the state Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), the Tomainos asked for the funds for a “complete renovation” of the building, which currently houses Jimmy T’s.

“Our goal for/in applying for the DRI finding is to help fully convert the building for current and future market use,” they wrote in the application made public by Community Development Director Judy Pangman at Herzig’s direction.

“Complete first floor renovation to convert the current space into a large clear span that is ready to accommodate tenants, with façade work on the side of the building facing the easterly entrance to the City.”

The building currently has 7,500 square feet of vacant space. “The location can provide a link to South Main Street and Market Street, creating a pedestrian corridor to these areas and the city parks beyond.”

“They could make the boardwalk a vibrant place for retail operations,” said Herzig.

The Tomainos’ funding application and all 64 of the applications are contingent upon an approved final plan, an environmental review and the ability of the owners to come up with matching funding as necessary. “For projects like new signage, we would fund 100 percent,” said Herzig. “But for a large-scale project, the owner may have to come up with as much as 50 percent of the cost.”

Out of the initial $2.3 million, only $1.9 million was awarded.

Herzig said that a second round of funding is being launched with the remaining funds. “This money will only be awarded for the development of upper-floor housing,” said Herzig.

Though market-rate upper floor housing was one of the goals of the DFI, only two awards were made; the first, to Attorney Michael Getman’s Forunion Corp. received the highest single award, $301,000 to develop upper-story one- and two-bedroom apartments at 16 Dietz St., where his offices are located. Eric Peter Hansen, owner of the Oneonta Optical building at 207-209 Main St., received $91,000 to develop the upper floors of that building into apartments.

“We received a very small amount of applications for upper floor housing,” said Herzig. “And we funded all of the projects that were eligible.”

To be eligible for the funding, the housing must be market-rate, meaning no specialty housing, such as student or seniors only, and it must be for year-round living, not rented to tourists. Herzig believes those applications will be opened later in the spring.