During a tour with the media on Wednesday, Tioga State Bank President and CEO, Robert M. Fisher, pointed out some of the details inside of the Lake Street building that their company is renovating. The building, upon completion of renovations, will house Tioga State Investment Services and four upscale apartments. Pictured, is the etched ceiling that is being maintained within the architecture. (Photos by Wendy Post)
During a tour with the media on Wednesday, Tioga State Bank President and CEO, Robert M. Fisher, pointed out some of the details inside of the Lake Street building that their company is renovating. The building, upon completion of renovations, will house Tioga State Investment Services and four upscale apartments. This photo is of the staircase that will lead up to the upscale apartments. According to Fisher, the stairwell will be covered over from the inside of the building, and accessible from the side lot.
During a tour with the media on Wednesday, Tioga State Bank President and CEO, Robert M. Fisher, pointed out some of the details inside of the Lake Street building that their company is renovating. The building, upon completion of renovations, will house Tioga State Investment Services and four upscale apartments. Pictured, are some of the older windows inside of the structure.
Tioga State Bank is underway with renovations to the historic building located at 18 Lake St. in Owego, and will be bringing investment services, upscale apartments, and an ATM upon the building’s completion. On Wednesday, the media gathered for a tour of the building, in which renovations are underway.
Met by Robert M. Fisher, president and CEO of Tioga State Bank, the media was led on a tour of the approximate 5,000-square foot structure, which had been gutted to the studs. With work being performed by PJF Enterprises Inc., and engineering conducted by Keystone Associates, Fisher is hoping that the building will be ready for use by June, weather dependent.
Inside the historic building will be office space for investment management professionals on the first floor, and then four upscale apartments on the second and third floor of the building.
According to Fisher, this is an exciting venture for Tioga State Bank. “We have always wanted to have a presence in the downtown area,” said Fisher.
He added, “We are pleased to be involved in this renovation project, and feel this will be a good thing for the community.”
Fisher estimates that work to the interior will be completed by the end of April, with the exterior work to follow.
The 18 Lake St. building was formerly occupied by First Niagara and HSBC, but has remained vacant for several years.
According to Emma Sedore, county historian, the building dates back to 1868, and served over the years as a saloon, a hotel, agriculture store, and eventually a bank.
Sedore’s records revealed that the building at 18 Lake St. was built in 1868. Matthew Robinson was listed as the building’s owner in 1872, according to records. In 1878, the building housed Regan Grocery and Liquor Store. From 1889 until 1920, the building operated as a hotel, and remained under the ownership of Matthew Robinson.
From 1930 to 1942, the building housed Agricultural Implements, and was owned by Fred C. Daily. By 1947, Owego Federal Savings and Loan Association purchased and then occupied the building through the 1990’s. Later, HSBC and First Niagara occupied the historic building.
Sedore also noted that there were various tenants that occupied the upstairs, including the USDA and also the Farmers Home Administration (1960).
In fact, signs of its former occupancy dating back to 1951 were evident through items that were discovered during the renovation project – such as an Endicott newspaper from 1951, and an old copy of the Star Gazette.
Fisher talked on Wednesday of the building’s architecture, stating that they are working with the historic preservation group, locally, to ensure that many of the building’s historic features remain intact.
Upon completion, the building will be operational as an investment service, will provide the convenience of an automated teller machine (ATM), and will offer apartments, which Fisher stated will have a rental fee of approximately $1,100.00 a month.
Tioga State Bank provides financial services to the Southern Tier of New York State and Northern Pennsylvania with eleven conveniently located offices in Broome, Tioga, Chemung and Tompkins counties. The bank’s website address is www.tiogabank.com and phone number is 1-888-303-4872.
