More parking for downtown Oswego? Village board backs plan for 28 more spaces

STORY UPDATED AT 10:30 A.M. FRIDAY, AUG. 20

The village of Oswego will move forward with a plan to develop additional public parking spaces in the village’s downtown.

Village board members voiced support for the plan as presented by Development Services Director Rod Zenner and Village Project Manager Susan Quasney during a committee-of-the-whole meeting Aug. 17.

Parking has been continuing concern for village officials as more new businesses and restaurants move forward with plans to locate in the downtown area.

According to Zenner and Quasney there are currently 1,291 parking spaces within the downtown, including street spaces, surface parking lots and the parking garage located within The Reserve at Hudson Crossing at Washington Street (Route 34) and Harrison Street.

Village staff identified several potential new parking spaces located in the village-owned public right-of-way near the intersection of Main and Van Buren streets, not far from the site of the new Dairy Barn ice cream shop and restaurant.

According to a diagram provided by the village, the new spaces would be located near businesses at 57 Van Buren Street, 126 Main Street, and 76 Van Buren Street. Village staff have also reached out to the owner of 73 Van Buren Street to see if additional parking could be created near their business. The Oswego Area Chamber of Commerce is a tenant at 73 Van Buren Street, but does not own the building.

To create the spaces, the village would modify existing spaces by re-striping them on diagonal angles and constructing asphalt bases, curbs, gutters, sidewalks and ADA-accessible ramps. The existing stop sign on the west side of Van Buren Street would also need to be relocated as new sidewalks are constructed.

Village Administrator Daniel DiSanto explained the construction of the parking spaces and accompanying modifications near Van Buren and Main streets would cost an estimated $200,000.

DiSanto said that the hope is to begin construction in the spring, as the village works on a water main project along Van Buren Street.