Case Study

City of Oswego LWRP

Community Name & Location:
Oswego, New York, Oswego County, Lake Ontario

Challenge:
Bring underused waterfront sites into more productive use by developing a combination of water-dependent or water-enhanced industrial, commercial, and recreational activities that would provide employment opportunities and other economic benefits as well as public access for recreation and tourism.

Vision:
To become a tourist destination by capitalizing on its waterfront heritage and the linkage of the waterfront to downtown.
  The City determined the best use of the riverfront by using community focus groups. The LWRP has been the "guiding light" to move forward on redevelopment at opportunity sites. The City has worked aggressively and creatively to convert neglected areas into a thriving mix of community parks, marinas and waterfront walkway. Projects have strengthened waterfront commercial, industrial, and residential uses.
 
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Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
  Completed projects include: mile-long recreation areas on both sides of the Oswego River; improvements to Wright’s Landing, including breakwater construction, removal of old boat houses, development of aquatic education building, construction of a pedestrian walkways, entrance road and parking lot; finger piers and additional boat slips; structure and infrastructure improvements to increase the efficiency and use of the Port of Oswego; improvements to an existing coal pier to provide additional public access and boating facilities with pedestrian connections to pier and linear parks; and construction of East Side Riverfront Linear Park. The City has also adopted Coastal Erosion Hazard Area Management regulations and a new waterfront consistency law; completed a housing site analysis; developed a priority listing of developable sites; completed feasibility analyses for key waterfront buildings; and analyzed the feasibility of establishing a foreign trade zone.
Continue access projects to link the Oswego River to Lake Ontario waterfront.
 

While necessary guidance came from State agencies, the primary direction came from the citizens of Oswego. When people feel good about their community it is easier to convince investors to spend time and money in the community. The City used creative grant funding match opportunities to implement projects.

How/why is this a success?
Oswego has realized its original vision and is building on its success. Oswego's public improvements have leveraged nearly sixteen million dollars in private investment, and new projects continue to spin off from the activity that surrounds the waterfront.
 

Partners
City of Oswego, Oswego Port Authority; NYS DOS.

Project Dates
LWRP approved in 1986, currently preparing an amendment.
 

Community Contact Information
Mary Vanouse, Community Development Director
City of Oswego
20 West Oneida Street
Oswego, NY 13126
(315) 343-3795
mvanouse@oswegony.org

DOS Contact Information
Kevin Millington
NYS Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources
99 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12231-0001
(518) 473-2479
kmilling@dos.ny.gov

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