The Daily Star | Denise Richardson March 6, 2018   ONEONTA – The Oneonta Common Council on Tuesday night adopted a Draft Scoping Document for preparation of a Generic Environmental Impact Statement pertaining to redevelopment of the Oneonta Rail Yards. The Council also set dates for public sessions on the Draft Scoping Document and a period for submission of comments, among other business during a meeting at City Hall. Mayor Gary Herzig said he withdrew a proposed ordinance pertaining to certificates of compliance and inspections for residential and commercial rental properties because some more adjustments were needed to the language … Read More

The Daily Star | Denise Richardson January 16, 2018   ONEONTA — The Common Council declared itself lead agency Tuesday night in the environmental review of the Oneonta Rail Yard project and said development potentially will have some adverse impacts on the site and nearby area. The review and actions were the first formal steps in preparing and working toward redevelopment of the rail yards off of Chestnut Street and North Fonda Avenue. “This is a significant first step,” Mayor Gary Herzig said after the motions were approved. The project is one of the largest job-creation initiatives the city has … Read More

If you attend enough business seminars, you are bound to hear the story — almost certainly more than once — about a certain apocryphal manufacturer of buggy whips. Back in the early 20th century, buggy whips were used to encourage horses to pull wagons and carriages with greater efficiency. Of course, the horses might think that a too-polite way of stating that they were getting smacked whenever it pleased the driver. This one company was prosperous and extremely proud of its buggy whips, proclaiming them the finest in all the land. It had been making them for 100 years, and … Read More

OTSEGO NOW ACQUIRES 80 ACRES IN ONEONTA RAIL YARDS Land Will Be Cornerstone of Rail Yards Redevelopment and Dynamic Shovel-Ready Site April 10, 2017 (ONEONTA, NY) – The newly created local development corporation, Oneonta Rail Yards (“ORY”), has closed on approximately 80 acres of land surrounding the Norfolk Southern rail yards in the City of Oneonta. ORY, a subsidiary of Otsego County’s economic development organization, Otsego Now, plans to move aggressively towards shovel-ready status for any and all of the developable land, and will initiate environmental reviews of the property immediately. Senator James L. Seward said, “Oneonta’s rail yards were … Read More

March 28, 2017 (Oneonta, NY) – In response to repeated communication and economic development frustrations, lack of investment in aging energy infrastructure, energy shortages and an overall weakness in quality power delivery to franchise protected areas, a nine county coalition has been formed to fight back. With a historic coalition partnership including Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Tioga Counties, respective economic development professionals and elected officials have joined together with their respective State Senators to challenge overall New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) business practices. Senator James L. Seward said, “When employers assemble a checklist … Read More