Norwich community hears step two of Brownfield Opportunity Area Revitalization Plan
NORWICH – Norwich community members and leaders gathered in the firehouse on Wednesday afternoon to hear a presentation on step two of the nomination study for the Brownfields Opportunity Area Revitalization Plan in the City of Norwich.
Tracey Clothier of The LA Group, P.C., Ellen Pemrick of E.M. Pemrick and Company, and Robert Murray of Shelter Planning & Development, Inc. each contributed to the presentation, offering statistics on economic trends in the City of Norwich and potential uses for city properties that could be revitalized.
Clothier said their study focused on the east half of the city, where they established 32 underutilized sites – roughly 127 acres total – that showed potential for re-development of improvement.
Particular properties that could potentially be revitalized for contemporary use, according to Clothier, are: the warehouse on Borden Avenue, the former Unguentine Building, the former ward schools, and the Heritage Block.
Pemrick presented an Economic and Market Analysis for the city, noting a stark decline in the existence of city retail stores.
According to Pemrick, in 1997, the City of Norwich had 90 retail stores, accounting for 52 percent of total retail sales in Chenango County. But as of 2012, there were only 38 retail stores in the city, accounting for less than 20 percent of retail sales in the county.
"There's only 3,100 households in Norwich, it's really not enough to support stores and restaurants without trying to draw from the outside communities," said Pemrick.
Clothier highlighted 11 opportunities that the study found to be most feasible for the city to capitalize on: implementing strategy and site assessments to apply for funding through step three of the Brownfields Program, creating a marketing message for the city, developing and implementing a city museum district, implementing the Heritage Block redevelopment plan, developing a plan for the Borden Avenue industrial area, recapturing lost corporate lodging, supporting local entrepreneurship, bringing recreation to the city waterfronts, improving the condition of existing housing, enhancing Norwich's streetscape, and developing a population action plan.
As for acquiring the funding to make these opportunities possible, Clothier recommended the city apply for Local Waterfront Revitalization Program funding. Attending community members Joe Angelino and Todd Dreyer noted that state regulations prevent the construction of even a flood wall in the designated flood zone, but Clothier said it would be the task of the state to iron out those details.
Norwich business owner Anna McLaughlin asked Clothier if other cities had a designated paid position in place for planning to improve the chance of the study's recommendations being employed. Clothier said that in her experience, the planning committees are all voluntary, though they rely heavily on consultants.
"Some communities do keep a committee involved and make it an implementation committee, and that's just one of the ways this doesn't just die by the wind," said Clothier. "The only way to keep it going is to have someone responsible going with it."
Pictured: (L-R) Norwich community member Todd Dreyer, Tracey Clothier of The LA Group, and Ellen Pemrick of E.M. Pemrick and Company.
Tracey Clothier of The LA Group, P.C., Ellen Pemrick of E.M. Pemrick and Company, and Robert Murray of Shelter Planning & Development, Inc. each contributed to the presentation, offering statistics on economic trends in the City of Norwich and potential uses for city properties that could be revitalized.
Clothier said their study focused on the east half of the city, where they established 32 underutilized sites – roughly 127 acres total – that showed potential for re-development of improvement.
Particular properties that could potentially be revitalized for contemporary use, according to Clothier, are: the warehouse on Borden Avenue, the former Unguentine Building, the former ward schools, and the Heritage Block.
Pemrick presented an Economic and Market Analysis for the city, noting a stark decline in the existence of city retail stores.
According to Pemrick, in 1997, the City of Norwich had 90 retail stores, accounting for 52 percent of total retail sales in Chenango County. But as of 2012, there were only 38 retail stores in the city, accounting for less than 20 percent of retail sales in the county.
"There's only 3,100 households in Norwich, it's really not enough to support stores and restaurants without trying to draw from the outside communities," said Pemrick.
Clothier highlighted 11 opportunities that the study found to be most feasible for the city to capitalize on: implementing strategy and site assessments to apply for funding through step three of the Brownfields Program, creating a marketing message for the city, developing and implementing a city museum district, implementing the Heritage Block redevelopment plan, developing a plan for the Borden Avenue industrial area, recapturing lost corporate lodging, supporting local entrepreneurship, bringing recreation to the city waterfronts, improving the condition of existing housing, enhancing Norwich's streetscape, and developing a population action plan.
As for acquiring the funding to make these opportunities possible, Clothier recommended the city apply for Local Waterfront Revitalization Program funding. Attending community members Joe Angelino and Todd Dreyer noted that state regulations prevent the construction of even a flood wall in the designated flood zone, but Clothier said it would be the task of the state to iron out those details.
Norwich business owner Anna McLaughlin asked Clothier if other cities had a designated paid position in place for planning to improve the chance of the study's recommendations being employed. Clothier said that in her experience, the planning committees are all voluntary, though they rely heavily on consultants.
"Some communities do keep a committee involved and make it an implementation committee, and that's just one of the ways this doesn't just die by the wind," said Clothier. "The only way to keep it going is to have someone responsible going with it."
Pictured: (L-R) Norwich community member Todd Dreyer, Tracey Clothier of The LA Group, and Ellen Pemrick of E.M. Pemrick and Company.
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