The Tioga County Department of Economic Development and Planning (ED&P) sent out a press release on Thursday detailing the construction of the Gateway building on Front Street in Owego.
In the release, they stated that the intent of this $2.9 million dollar project is to help revitalize the Village of Owego’s historic downtown central business district by reconstructing an anchor building located at 200-204 Front St. The previous buildings at the site were destroyed by an early morning fire on July 1, 2000.
After 17 years, the property will now be in-filled with a new construction mixed-use development building, and will offer retail and office space on the 1st floor to encourage commercial development in the downtown area as well as create eight two-bedroom apartments on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Public restrooms for shopping, local events and River Walk patrons are also included in the design.
Tioga County ED&P in conjunction with developer, Bruce Nelson of Nelson Development Group, LLC, began work on this project in early 2016. There were many moving pieces to this project, according to the release, and a tremendous amount of time, resources and collaboration went into making it a reality, including the successful submission and award of several different funding sources.
According to Nelson, “Community support from the onset of this project was instrumental in bringing this building to life.” Nelson went on to state, “We are very excited and proud to be a part of the revitalization efforts in the Owego community.”
Brittany Woodburn, Economic Development specialist with Tioga County ED&P added, “There are many wonderful community revitalization initiatives and projects taking place all across Tioga County. We are very fortunate to have residents, local business owners and developers, such as Mr. Nelson, who take great pride in re-investing in their local communities. Ultimately, this project will support and strengthen the Village of Owego’s vibrant downtown, as well as grow economic opportunity in Tioga County.”
The release further explained that in 2008, Nelson founded Nelson Development Group LLC, for the express purpose of restoring historical buildings and adapting them for a new life. They added, in the release, that after 30 years of experience in the construction field, Nelson is now focusing on this vital aspect of preserving our history with an eye to the future, breathing new life into Owego’s downtown with projects such as the Tioga County Jail/Sheriff’s House located at 176 Main St. (Owego), The Estates located at 231 Main St. (Owego), and now Gateway Owego.
Earlier this year Governor Cuomo announced that the Village of Owego, on behalf of the Gateway Project, was awarded $500,000 through Round IV of Empire State Development’s Restore New York Communities Initiative. Restore NY supports municipal revitalization efforts across the state, helping to reinvigorate downtowns and generate economic opportunity in communities.
Additionally, the project was awarded $1,600,000 through the Small Project Affordable Rental Construction Program (SPARC). This program helps rebuild and repair residential properties affected by natural disasters and ensure that neighborhoods return stronger and more resilient than before. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to New York State by way of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds. The grant is administered on behalf of New York State by the Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC), the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR) and the Community Preservation Corporation (CPC). CPC, a leading nonprofit affordable housing and community revitalization finance company, will also provide the project with construction and permanent financing.
Steven May, mayor of the Village of Owego, stated, “I was proud to invest nearly $70,000 to help transform the Village eyesore that the 200-204 vacant ‘hole’ became after the 2000 fire into an attractive and well used open air forum for the Village and visitors to congregate and socialize while enjoying the wares of our splendid shops. That open air venue will be missed, but it was always understood that the goal by many was that the missing buildings be replaced to fully restore that section of Front Street. The addition of this new building will reclaim not only the aesthetic and structural integrity of the Village’s historic downtown, but also brings great benefits to residents, business owners and visitors alike.”
Construction on the Gateway building began on Sept. 5, and the projected completion date is December 2018. During construction, off-site parking will be arranged for construction vehicles, and the project will only occupy the parking spaces directly in front of the site on Front Street. The sidewalk will remain open under scaffolding, and a small window will allow a peek of the construction activity.
Open houses will be held the third Friday of every month from 5 to 7 p.m. to encourage community involvement and interest in the project. An official ground breaking ceremony is also planned for Sept. 22, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Hope to get on the list for potential residents. Love Owego so happy and excited about the continued development of downtown.