Finalists announced for the Village of Owego’s North Avenue art project

By JoAnn R. Walter —

The Village of Owego congratulates the four finalists of the Permanent Public Art Installation project, and what had been previously referred to as the Art Park.

Originally, the vacant lot along the North Avenue corridor, referred to by many as “The Pit,” was to be transformed into the North Avenue Art Park. The Art Park was one of 17 projects that won N.Y.S. approval for Owego’s DRI, a $10 million grant in 2019.

A number of challenges occurred to get to this point, including a delay of contracts released by the Department of State due to COVID, and in 2023 Mayor Mike Baratta shared that following ground testing, contamination was found on the property and assistance was sought from the DEC.

In February of 2025, Mayor Baratta gave an update about all of the DRI projects, and specific to the Art Park, stated, “The Art Park was originally in the DRI scope, then cut due to finding some contamination at the site. Things have shifted, and it is back on the table now, but for a different scope. 

The streetscape along North Avenue “will be cleaned up with DRI funding to make things flow better and look better as you approach downtown. This project will include artistic elements to clean up the view from North Avenue, and with a total budget of $219,704.”

In November, the Village announced that it was looking for individual artists or a team of collaborators to help beautify the streetscape along North Avenue. Artists, landscape architects, design professionals, and collaborative teams were invited to submit concepts for the public art installation by a Dec. 4 deadline. 

In January, via a press release, the Village of Owego’s Art Review Committee stated that they “enjoyed exploring the unique village-specific designs that were entered.” 

Fourteen design submissions were received, and four were selected by the Art Review Committee to proceed to Phase 2 of the project. The committee noted that they are looking for durable, low-maintenance designs, and also appropriate for outdoor display.

The permanent outdoor art installation project, located along a high-traffic area, will serve as a visual focal point designed to engage the public and celebrate the history and culture of Owego while also contributing to the aesthetic of the downtown district.

Submission requirements for the four finalists include a detailed proposal, which should include a description of the artwork, concept, materials, and installation process, visual representations of the artwork from various angles, a timeline for design, fabrication, and installation, and lastly, budget information.

The four finalists, in order of submission receipt, are Sam Castner and Paulina Garces Reid for “Forged by the Water,” Amos Robinson with “Kinetic Sculptures,” Sheamus Burns for “The North Avenue Riverwall and Willow Pavilion,” and Nelson Development Group (with Karen Kucharski, Bryan Meeks and Julie Ammon) for “Owego: Great Trees of Peace.”

The four finalist submissions were awarded a draft design fee of $1,000. The deadline for their submissions was set for Feb. 27.

Looking back to the 1800’s, the vacant property was once home to Dodd’s Pond, a popular spot for families in the community, where children ice-skated in winter and floated on homemade rafts in the summer. The pond offered accessible water for the early fire department and was part of the Pumpelly Estate, as well as home to multiple early Owego businesses.

Today, it is hoped that the property’s transformation from an eyesore into a soon-to-be permanent public art installation will be enjoyed by the community and visitors for years to come. 

The final notice of award is scheduled for March 27.  Once announced, the contract is to be executed on April 10, with construction targeted for May 1.  Work is expected to be completed by Aug. 31.

For updates, visit the Village of Owego’s website, https://villageofowegony.gov/boards___committees/dri/north_ave_park.php.