The Village of Cobleskill could be having second thoughts on its decision to seek Restore NY funding to help rehabilitate Main Street’s Newberry Square Building.
And no, it has nothing to do with windows.
Stella McKenna, who’s operated her Maranatha Fit for Life Health and Fitness Center on Elm Street for about 15 years, last Tuesday asked Mayor Mike Sellers and trustees to withdraw their support for the Newberry’s grant.
Ms. McKenna is hoping to build a $4.2 million sports and fitness complex on 23 acres off Route 7 in Warnerville.
Financing the complex would be impossible without grants like Restore NY’s, Ms. McKenna said, and those grants are so competitive, she’s afraid Schoharie County is too small to ever get funding for more than one request.
If the village backs a grant request for the Newberry’s rehabilitation, she argued, it’s likely her chances of getting a grant for her project, which is much closer to becoming a reality, will be jeopardized.
“Stella isn’t in the Village of Cobleskill,” said Trustee Mark Galasso, who brought the request to the rest of the board, “but it’s clearly a community facility. We might want to reconsider Newberry’s…”
Two weeks ago, trustees agreed to hire a grant writer to apply for Restore NY funding for the old Newberry’s building. Tuesday, they tabled a budget change that would have allotted $4,500 to pay for it.
“I’m not ready to make a decision without talking to the other guy,” said Mayor Sellers.
The Town of Richmondville was unsuccessful in getting a $2.5 million Restore NY grant for Ms. McKenna’s project in 2007 funding, but she said she’s been encouraged to reapply for the third of three rounds; the application period for that hasn’t yet been announced.
Ms. McKenna also said she’s been told getting Empire Zone status for her property is essential for getting the Restore NY money; the local Empire Zone board made that change in July and final state approval is pending.
The Newberry’s building is not in an Empire Zone, Ms. McKenna said, arguing there are different funding sources for downtown rehab projects.
“My project is not about the Village of Richmondville, it’s about Schoharie County,” she said.
If the project is built, Ms. McKenna plans to move her Elm Street business to it and sell that building.
The complex would then include physical therapy, a gym, a 45,000 square-foot sports arena, 5,000 square-feet in rental offices—some of that space could be available free to the Schoharie County Youth Bureau, she said—a SUNY Cobleskill-run restaurant, and a gift shop.”
“If it looks like we’ve got a divided community…”
Trustee Sandy MacKay agreed that Ms. McKenna’s is a quality project, but said rehabbing Newberry’s is exactly the kind of project Restore NY monies are intended for.
Mayor Sellers and trustees promised a decision on the request at their next meeting.