OSWEGO NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION STRATEGY
City of Oswego, NY
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HOW CAN A SMALL CITY ENERGIZE ITS NEIGHBORHOODS AND REVERSE YEARS OF DISINVESTMENT?
SUMMARY
czb arrived in Oswego in 2012 after residents contacted us seeking help establishing a neighborhood revitalization project. The city has a number of strengths, including its lakefront, a system of beautiful and walkable neighborhoods, and a number of anchor institutions, including a strong public university. But it had also been experiencing years of decline in its neighborhoods and commercial corridors.
Between 2013 and 2014, we worked with the Oswego Renaissance Association (ORA), a non-profit group, to develop a strategy for neighborhood reinvestment.
NEIGHBORS NOW HAVE THE MEANS TO IMPROVE THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS
The Oswego Renaissance Association (ORA) was founded as a non-profit dedicated to the promotion, development, restoration, and preservation of healthy, vibrant neighborhoods and communities. In addition, the city created a Zoning and Planning Director position at City Hall.
These programs have facilitated the investment of over $1 million in neighborhood improvements. The City of Oswego has been awarded many planning grants, including $10 million for downtown revitalization projects and nearly $1 million for other key planning projects in the city.
"Our confidence and momentum is the highest it’s been in memory. Getting czb to Oswego, NY was the most important decision we ever made."
- Paul Stewart | Executive Director, Oswego Renaissance Association
A Catalyst for Investment in Neighborhoods
Our final report to Oswego identified four middle-market sub-areas that we believed would be key to Oswego’s neighborhood improvement efforts. We advised that these sub-areas should be the springboard for Oswego’s future neighborhood revitalization activities.
Post-Project Impacts
Since the publication of our final report, city officials and residents have made major gains. Hundreds of families have participated in the Oswego Renaissance Association’s new Block Challenge Program, enabling them to make significant investments in their homes.
The program has already encouraged the investment of more than $1 million in local neighborhood improvement activities. The city’s new Zoning and Planning Director position has helped the city successfully apply for more than $10 million in grants in support of planning activities.
Learn more: Oswego Renaissance Association
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