Friday, August 28, 2009

Yay for Main Street!

I know I usually tend to do a lot of criticizing on this blog but occasionally it behooves me to give credit where credit is due. Over the past few months Cobleskill’s Main Street has come a long way, and this is a really positive example of the power of grassroots coalitions of small business owners and citizens working together to build on their shared assets.

Beginning a few months ago, Cobleskill Partnership, Inc. committed $15,000 to a matching grant program targeted at downtown business owners for lighting, signage and façade improvements. Slowly but surely I began noticing the changes throughout the summer. Some of the more sorely needed improvements include the replacement of that awful corrugated steel paneling above Pizza Shack as well as the plain grey facade on the building at the north-west corner of Main and Union with faux-brickwork.

The long under-utilized space at the western corner of Main and Division will also be undergoing changes as the result of a joint effort between the property owner and SUNY Cobleskill. What once was just a strip of planted trees will now be a small commons area with benches and chessboard tables.

To the shopkeepers who have driven these improvements this summer, way to go! It is now time for village officials to step up and support these efforts by going after additional grant monies for more improvements, to attract new businesses and to implement long-needed streetscape improvements, not to mention bringing Village Hall back downtown.

7 comments:

Marfis said...

Some downtown businessowners finally realized that improvement to their environment depends on their efforts. Absolutely: "...way to go!"
Newberry Square's Ioannou was notably absent from that effort, but chooses to continue to let his building rot while Mark Nadeau pursues private donations and a government bail-out for Ioannou's personal financial benefit.

It is long past time that village board majority promoted the village instead of devoting every effort to dissolving it.

Sean said...

It's really about having an ongoing collaboration. Like you said, business owners have to be able to depend on their own efforts but the village board also needs to start promoting the downtown better.

There are some people (who have posted on this blog) that don't seem to think local government should be helping our business districts. Yet apparently, every big box chain in the country should be able to come to Schoharie County and be subsidized with village water and sewer services while not having to pay the village tax rate like everyone else who uses village water and sewer.

I'm not really sure what Mark Nadeau is all about yet, which is why I hope the other guy gets it.

Anonymous said...

Its too Bad we only have two choices for Mayor. But for president we had none

Anonymous said...

Talk about choices what about supervisor this next november.Dont forget our do nothin know all country club boy that has health issues and needs a mind set change.Maybe in this spot we could get some new good blood outside the existing board that would bring new life to the town board.

Paying Taxes and Attention said...

What about bringing the Village Police department into the village - right on Main Street! Sounds good to me. Community policing in the area where the crimes are actually occuring.

Perhaps we would have fewer broken windows if the delinquents thought a police officer could walk around the corner at any given moment.

Anonymous said...

The Selkirks sign should come down too. After all John sold out and the nobles should be able to put up a huge 'NOBLE ACE' ...in neon too. Get rid of more full time people and get some more part time retards who cant tie there shoes. Got to kellys they know what there doing down there.Went to ace for pipes of corse they were out....but we got baseball mugs???? And a cashier and paint guy who have a problem telling the truth. Thats when she is not insulting customers. She worked for me she would be on the street. She must do something REALY good for andrew.

Friends of the people said...

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