Mayor Looks to Improve Infrastructure, Open New Police Station

The city of Oswego has seen a lot of improvements in recent years.

“In the last eight or nine years, we cut the ribbon on the Cahill Pier, invested over $2 million in Breitbeck Park, we opened up a dog park, a skate park — all those things were kind of sexy and exciting and made a big splash,” Mayor Robert Corradino said. “I don’t have too many things like that for 2025. I mean we got a lot on our agenda there’s no doubt about that — but it’s more infrastructure, dealing with culverts and sewer pipes and treatment plant upgrades.

But there are some exciting things going on, the mayor added.

“We have a new police station we’re planning on right now. We bought the old Shapiro automotive building. We’re in the design stage right now,” he said. “Estimates are around $10 million for that new police-community center facility.”

The original concept was a police/fire station, but ultimately the mayor favored a police/community center project.

They will knock down the existing building.

“It’s going to be a beautiful one-story building and it will have entrances on the First Street side and Second Street side. That property is a full block wide,” he said.

The city wants to repair its deteriorating former recreation building, which was part of the complex that housed Holocaust refugees at Fort Ontario during World War II.

Mayor Rob Corradino requested to apply for a $1.5 million Restore New York grant to renovate the Anthony “Butch” Ponzi Recreation Building.

“So we are looking forward to doing something with that building,” he said. “If Fort Ontario Park becomes a national park, it will be a great boon the area’s tourism business. Having a national park in our community would be a great feather in our cap.”

He also cited the National Marine Sanctuary designation.

“We have a new committee forming to help create a museum and building that. I am doing my best to lobby for that particular structure to be in the city of Oswego,” he said noting that there are four counties that are involved in the marine sanctuary — Oswego, Jefferson, Cayuga and St. Lawrence.

The Port City has got some infrastructure work it has to do, he added.

“A developer is looking to put in a micro brewery in an old railroad building between Second and Third on Utica Street,” he said. “It’s probably been sitting there decades vacant. So that will be great to see that put back into use. The former Old City Hall will be opening soon, too.”

Upgrades are being done at the high dam, which “will produce electricity and revenue for the city of Oswego,” he said. “We are going to be starting the LED street lighting project probably the first week of February. That’s going to save the city money. I’m sure people are going to be very happy once those lights are replaced.”

He is putting together his five-year capital improvement plan for the city.

“Again, most of it is infrastructure upgrades,” he said. “There are other things as well like upgrading the computer system, for instance.”