Oneonta historic district listed in 'Seven to Save'
May 17—There are 57 historic buildings in downtown Oneonta, according to the National Register of Historic Places. That is one key reason that the Preservation League of New York has selected the Downtown Oneonta Historic District as one of the most important and at-risk historic places in the state, the organization announced Monday, May 16.
The Preservation League of New York, a statewide historic preservation nonprofit, publishes a biennial list of "Seven to Save," highlighting endangered historic sites.
Oneonta is the only Central New York location listed on the 2022-2023 list, according to a media release from the league.
"Downtown Oneonta is a remarkably intact historic district, but public perception of preservation has made it difficult for the community to fully embrace its historic fabric," the release said.
The Preservation League will work with property owners, elected officials and the local community to craft and implement a preservation strategy for Oneonta.
"From the negative environmental impact of senseless demolition to bringing little-known but important histories to light, the League is excited to work alongside on-the-ground advocates to save each of these seven at-risk places," said organization president Jay DiLorenzo.
Oneonta has "an architecturally significant collection of commercial, converted residential, and civic buildings.
The downtown district characterizes broader trends in small urban areas where disinvestment and rural poverty are a direct threat to historic resources," according to the organization.
Stephen Yerly, Oneonta's code enforcement officer, said he hoped the recognition would help promote interest in the city's historic architecture.
As he sat in his office in City Hall — a Neoclassical limestone and granite building constructed as the city's post office in 1915 — he talked about why he thinks historic preservation is important.
"We want to ensure that downtown's successful and, I mean, that's what people come to see," Yerly said. "When we advertise, when we market Oneonta, we market our historic downtown. No one takes a picture of the Speedway and goes 'hey, come to downtown Oneonta, we have a Speedway."
The Downtown Oneonta Historic District is primarily "that stretch of Main Street that we all know as downtown," from Chestnut Street to Elm Street, Yerly said. There are additional buildings outside that main corridor included in the district, such as the Oneonta Theater, the Armory, the North Baptist Church and Wilber mansion.
The area is representative of a late 19th-early 20th century business corridor from the railroad era, "and it's largely intact. Other than a couple buildings lost to urban renewal, our Main Street is mostly intact," Yerly said.
Demolition is the most sudden threat but not the only way that old buildings get lost, he said.
The Preservation League lists five threats facing Oneonta's downtown: demolition, deterioration, vacancy, lack of public awareness and a loss of visual and architectural integrity.
"There is kind of a misconception that well, we're not going to bulldoze any of these buildings ... that because they don't appear to be in immediate danger of removal, they must be OK," Yerly said. He pointed out that the large Oneonta Hotel is dilapidated and currently vacant, and the Oneonta Theater has been vacant for years.
"The idea is to bring attention to these buildings and say, 'Hey, we have this great resource,' we're not utilizing it to its full extent. What are ways that we can make it better?," he said.
Yerly said Oneonta should look to places that have been successful in revitalizing their downtowns, such as Saratoga Springs or Ballston Spa. They are using the physical and visual urban fabric created by an authentic historic center to attract people.
"The city of Oneonta has a very important resource in its Main Street that we can market to businesses, developers, new retail, new restaurants," Yerly said. "It's just finding those people and making those connections."
"Urban sprawl does not attract the type of business that will make Oneonta successful. ... We'll never win the 'How quick can you build a Target?'" competition, he argued.
