Main Street closures and parking garage top Oneonta's agenda

Vicky Klukkert, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
·4 min read

Apr. 4—The approval of three Main Street closures during the summer, and repairs to the parking garage were discussed at the Oneonta Common Council meeting Tuesday, April 4.

Representatives from the Second Annual Blend-A-Rama 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, City of the Hills Festival and Pridefest gave presentations about their upcoming events at the beginning of the meeting.

The basketball tournament will be held July 29 and 30. Organizer Cam Hayes said during last year's inaugural event, Downtown restaurants did well but businesses didn't do as well so he's thinking of giving a coupon sheet to people for Downtown businesses. He also said all of the backboards are portable and can be taken down quickly if there's an emergency, to let emergency vehicles through.

Hope Von Stengel, executive director of Community Arts Network of Oneonta said last year's City of the Hills Festival was well attended and they asked the city to close Main Street for two days this year — Sept. 16 and 17. She said last year Huntington Memorial Library, Oneonta World of Learning and the Greater Oneonta Historical Society all participated and will again this year, as will SUNY Oneonta.

Two members of the Otsego Pride Alliance said they decided to move Pridefest to Main Street, because they wanted to be closer to the Downtown businesses. In previous years, there was a parade down Main Street and the festival was held in Neahwa Park.

The three events were unanimously approved during the meeting.

At the end of the meeting, council members discussed whether or not to repair the ramp to the third tier of the parking garage. The ramp was closed Monday, March 20, due to structural concerns about it leading to Market Street. Director of Public Works Chris Yacobucci told members of the council during the March 21, meeting that an I-beam on the ramp needs to have supports welded on either side of it, at a cost of $6,000 to $12,000.

During the March 21, meeting, Council Member David Rissberger, D-Third Ward, raised concerns about handicapped parking, as the top tier of the parking garage is one of the easiest ways for people with mobility restrictions to access Main Street. He asked if handicapped spaces could be added along Main Street and in the Wall Street parking lot.

Yacobucci said six handicapped spaces were eliminated due to the closure, and he gave the council a proposed map to eight handicapped spots. Two would be along Main Street, two along Dietz Street and four in the Wall Street parking lot; however, he said the spots along Main and Dietz streets did not have ramps nearby.

Council Member Kaytee Lipari Shue, D-Fourth Ward, asked if any of the Wall Street parking lot spaces were accessible for handicapped vans. Yacobucci said no. After some discussion, it was decided two of the handicapped spots in the parking lot will become one van-accessible spot.

Council Member Len Carson, R-Fifth Ward, asked if once Springbrook is up and running there would be access to the elevator from the middle tier of the parking garage. There would not, he was told.

Mayor Mark Drnek asked if there was a consensus on repairing the garage. Council Member Scott Harrington, R-Sixth Ward, said he wanted more information about the structure itself, to see if other costly repairs would be needed prior to the city either rehabilitating or demolishing and rebuilding. The engineers working for the city proposed demolishing the three-tier garage and building a two-tier garage in its place. Closing the top tier this summer would give the city information about whether there is parking, especially on dates when Main Street is closed for events, several council members said.

Council Member Mark Davies, D-Second Ward, said he was torn and didn't know the answer; however, he advocated that the city needs to help Downtown business owners if the top tier is to remained closed.

It was decided to have someone look at the ramp to see if any other repairs would be needed.

The council also voted unanimously to eliminate the park service fees for 2023 and use money from the Housing Visions Fund to pay for the porta potties in Neahwa Park for the summer.

The council also declared itself as lead agency for State Environmental Quality Review Act for the partial parallel taxiway project at the Albert S. Nader Regional Airport.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.