In 2016, working with the Otsego County Industrial Development Agency, the City of Oneonta targeted 27 Market Street – a blighted building possessing hazardous materials and in significant structural disrepair – for redevelopment.  The City envisioned demolition and redevelopment of the site as a key part of Oneonta’s $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Originally eyed for redevelopment as part of a regional food hub, the site is now envisioned as a key component of a plan to revitalize Market Street by converting an adjacent parking structure into a regional transit hub, and implementing various streetscape improvements.

Delaware Engineering prepared a Restore NY grant application on the City’s behalf, requesting funding for the demolition of the vacant building and subsequent remediation of the project site. 

The City was successful in securing a grant award in excess of $477,000 for these purposes, but before the City could access the Restore NY grant funds to support the demolition, review and approval by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) was required.  Delaware subcontracted with an architectural historian to document the existing condition of the structure and summarize its history.

The City also engaged Delaware Engineering to conduct a structural condition assessment and code compliance audit of building, as well as an “alternatives analysis” required by SHPO as part of its review.

Delaware is currently in the process of preparing demolition specifications and any bid documents necessary to support competitive bidding of the project.