(rshsdepot) Utica, NY

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

Editorial in The Observer-Dispatch 4/24/02

Don't leave county stranded at station
April 24, 2002
The ongoing development at Union Station certainly bodes well for Oneida
County government, which is pressed for space and is making good use of one
of this region's most treasured public facilities. Since the county took
title to the station in 1990, it has spent millions in renovations, a
project that County Executive Ralph Eannace says could be a catalyst for
growth in the oldest section of the city.

Eannace is right. The traffic the county has generated here and expects to
generate in the near future bodes well for additional development. County
government has laid a cornerstone for good things to come.

Now others need to step up and help build the success.

It is fitting that the city would resurrect a "new public square," as
Eannace suggests, at this spot. After all, it was here where in 1758 the
British built Fort Schuyler, a supply fort during the French and Indian
Wars. The spot was strategic - the Mohawk River once flowed nearby - and it
was shallow enough here to allow troops and other travelers to ford the
stream as they made their way through the valley.

Moses Bagg built a hotel here in 1794, and other businesses and homes soon
sprung up as pioneers cleared the surrounding wilderness. By 1820, settlers
had carved out a community in the area we know today as Main, Broad,
Whitesboro, Hotel and Liberty streets. The area around the hotel became
known as Bagg's Square and was the center of public life.

Urban blight swept the area in the '60s, '70s and '80s, but with the county
takeover of Union Station in 1990, there began a slow renaissance. Since
1993, about $17.6 million in federal, state and local funds have been used
for transportation-related improvements and office-space renovations. That
has increased public traffic in the area, and that will grow signifcantly
this summer once the county's Department of Motor Vehicles office relocates
here from the County Office Building.

But government can't carry the load. As with any successful municipal
operation, there needs to be private investment. That has happened to an
extent in the Union Station area, but to realize the area's full potential,
there needs to be more.

Lupino's Trackside Restaurant is a pioneer, having been at its Main Street
site for 13 years. More recently, John Adasek opened The Station Restaurant
and Martini Bar inside the train station, and has since added a comedy club
that is doing well. Additional restaurants and things like a coffeehouse,
brew pub, jazz club and, as Eannace suggests, antique shops, would add
significant traffic in the area and could be a great complement to this "new
public square." Many old buildings in that area are ripe for development,
and a little creativity could be catalyst for that growth.

Surely part of the package is the Children's Museum. The museum has come a
long way since its founding in 1963. It's one of the oldest children's
museums in the country, and moved to its current site at 311 Main St. in
1979. The building was built in 1893.

The museum has grown significantly, but has had a rough go of it in recent
years. Frankly, it's a shame a community asset with such incredible
potential needs to struggle at all. Similar operations in places like
Bangor, Maine; Providence, R.I., and Rochester's Strong Museum are bursting
with energy, largely thanks to corporate sponsors. While there has been some
corporate support for Utica's museum, there's room for much more. While it
isn't likely to ever reach the level of say, Rochester's museum, better
business support could ensure the museum's vitality and contribute to its
growth.

It's good news, too, that train ridership is up over 2001, for that
certainly stirs activity. And the opening of the overpass to the Adirondack
Scenic Railroad for destinations in the North Country can be another big
draw.

Finally, those who think the Bagg's Square area is not safe really need to
pay it a visit. This area - and others downtown - have few safety issues
compared to some other parts of the city, says Utica Police Chief C. Allen
Pylman.

One issue that will need to be addressed as the Union Station area grows is
parking. The county Board of Legislators recently passed a local law
designating specific areas for various parking needs and providing for
enforcement by Utica police. Increasing parking is something the city and
county will need to address as more and more traffic is drawn to the area.

In the meantime, kudos to government leaders for laying down a track at
Union Station. But this can't be a one-way ticket. It's now time for those
in the private sector to climb board and help make this a successful trip.


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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #355
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org