Oswego Common Council Seeking Public Input On Old City Hall Renovation Funding

by Shea O'Malley | September 13, 2022 12:00 pm

OSWEGO – The Old City Hall building will find itself under a complete transformation in the not to distant future; the Oswego Common Council voting unanimously last night to hold a public session on securing grant money for the old structure’s rehabilitation purposes.

The next Common Council meeting’s public session will be open for residents’ input on moving forward with the grant application for renovations to the former City Hall. 

Known as The Markethouse 1836 Project or “Old City Hall” in the recent past, the historical structure was formerly established as a very popular bar/restaurant located on Water Street in Oswego.

The former attraction shut its doors during the COVID pandemic, remaining closed for good. The building has been long overdue for repairs, the aged building in dire need of a complete overhaul. 

The recent sale of the structure to Riverwalk Apartments Owner Ed Alberts solidifies the building’s reemergence as a functional historic landmark in downtown Oswego.

Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow said Albert’s initial plans for the building is to revive it as a brewery, with plans still ongoing.

“He had approached the previous owner of Old City, and Ed and I had talked about how important that building is to the downtown area and how historical it is,” Barlow said. “It was one of the few buildings left really to renovate here, and it’s a major project that I’d like to at least get started before leaving office. So, luckily he stepped up to buy that building and he plans to put a brewery in the building. So, it’s a great project and I think it’s exactly what downtown needs; it preserves a unique and historical property right here in the core downtown.”

The city is beginning the process of applying for a grant to get the project started; the cost for complete renovations slated at around $10,000,000. 

The city will have no financial ties to the grant; only procedural duties in applying for the monies. Albert will be responsible for all financial transactions involving the grant. 

The public forum will be held during the next Common Council meeting, Monday, September 26 at 7:15 p.m.

Also passed during last night’s meeting was an agreement with the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance – the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program. 

According to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) helps low income households pay the cost of water and sewer services. The program can assist households who have past due bills (arrears) for water and/or sewer services.

According to Councilor Susan Mc Brearty from the Sept. 6 Committee meeting, payments are made directly to the city for the current year’s taxes, water and sewer fees. There is no cost to the city government.

This year the city is participating in the temporary program, the plan funded through the 2022-23 year. For more information about the program, please click here[1].

All items on last night’s agenda were unanimously passed. All  Common Council meetings are held the second and fourth Monday of every month, the next meeting to be held on Monday, September 26 at 7:15 p.m. To view the full agenda, please click here[2].

 

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/oswego/oswego-common-council-seeking-public-input-on-old-city-hall-renovation-funding/

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