NORWICH – A representative from a private development company has been talking to property owners on Cortland Street about relocating to make way for a new business to enter the area.
A representative from Sphere Development out of Cazenovia is reportedly looking to obtain Bilow’s Garage, Cooley Realty and two residences on Cortland Street, along with Enlightened Dentistry and a city-owned parking lot and access road located behind the garage.
While the developer has not yet indicated what the business will be, City of Norwich Mayor Joseph Maiurano has said Sphere is working on behalf of a Fortune 500 retail business. Many property owners in the area have speculated the development will include some kind of drug store.
While the development may be a good thing for the city, some homeowners in the area are concerned about the aesthetic results any development will have.
Rich Stenman of 8 Cortland St. – across the street from the proposed development site – attended Tuesday night’s Common Council meeting to express concerns some area residents had with the plans.
“I have some concerns on the process that is being executed by the city,” Stenman said. Stenman took issue with the city’s active role in the development, which he said included approaching homeowners and encouraging them to sell their properties. “The problem with the city’s involvement is it almost tells the developer de facto that the city will sell the property for development,” Stenman said. Stenman also took issue with the fact the city seemed to be pushing for development without knowing exactly what it was and what it would look like. “How can the city consider selling city property and encourage residents to see without some concept of what this will look like?” Stenman said.
The following day, when questioned about the issues, Maiurano said some of the issues had already been addressed. “When they [Sphere Development] first approached us, we told them the area is bordered by homes. We’re looking for something that aesthetically and historically fits into the community,” Maiurano said. In addition, the mayor explained that before any plans were finalized, they would be submitted to the planning board and the Business Improvement District for approval.
“I’m not against development,” Stenman said, “but being that this development company has come to the city, done the study, and believes they can make money, we can impose restrictions on how they build and what they build,” Stenman said. “My only question for the developers is would Cazenovia allow you to build the same building in downtown Cazenovia or Cooperstown?”
The mayor said the city was aware of those concerns, but believes the development would ultimately benefit the city. “This is a good thing, somebody investing in our area. We welcome people who want to invest. We also want to make sure it won’t disrupt residents’ lives. Our responsibility to our taxpayers comes first – taxpayers in the whole city and those who are adjacent to the property in question,” Maiurano said, explaining the development could boost revenue, sales tax, provide more jobs and increase the number of people working and spending money in the community. “We have to be business friendly. Change is going to happen and we have to be open to it.”
According to Maiurano, developers have been looking at the properties on the corner of Cortland and Broad Street for approximately a year and a half. The area is already zoned for business. The mayor was not sure if the development would be restricted to a single business or include multiple tenants.