Syracuse Downtown Living Tour returns in September

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Those who enjoy the annual Downtown Living Tour in Syracuse should plan for a Saturday in mid-to-late September. The Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. tells CNYBJ that it will hold this year’s tour in September for the second straight year. The organization will determine the specific date as the event draws closer […]

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Construction project visible from Taft Road will include WellNow Urgent Care as tenant

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

CLAY, N.Y. — A building that is under construction across Taft Road from the Wegmans store in Clay will include a location of WellNow Urgent Care. The project is located at 4995 Wintersweet Drive in Clay (Liverpool mailing address), a spokesperson for Chicago, Illinois–based WellNow tells CNYBJ in an email. Founded as Five Star Urgent

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Construction-law attorney joins Hancock Estabrook

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Attorney Michael Balestra has joined Syracuse–based law firm Hancock Estabrook, LLP as a partner in the firm’s construction, commercial litigation, and cannabis practice areas. Balestra represents owners, contractors, and design professionals in matters related to public and private construction projects, the law firm said in a release. He assists clients in reviewing,

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C.K. Construction leases industrial building on Factory Avenue

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

SALINA, N.Y. — C.K. Construction Unlimited, LLC recently leased a 6,615-square-foot freestanding industrial building at 209 Factory Ave. in the town of Salina. Gary Cottet from Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company represented the tenant and Chris Savage & Sam Vulcano from Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage represented the landlord in this transaction. No lease terms were

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VIEWPOINT: U.S. DOL Withdraws Independent-Contractor Regulations

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

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On May 6, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) withdrew its final regulations that would have revised the standard for determining whether a worker is an employee covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) or an independent contractor who is not subject to the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime requirements. According to the USDOL, the independent-contractor rule that was withdrawn “is inconsistent with the FLSA’s text and purpose, and would have a confusing and disruptive effect on workers and businesses alike due to its departure from longstanding judicial precedent.”

The USDOL’s independent-contractor regulations were published on Jan. 7 and were initially supposed to become effective on March 8. The effective date of the regulations was then delayed until May 7, and the USDOL published a proposed rule on March 12 to withdraw the regulations. After receiving more than 1,000 comments on its proposed withdrawal of its independent-contractor regulations, the USDOL formally withdrew those regulations on May 6.

The result of this withdrawal is that the USDOL will likely continue to take an expansive view of employee status under the FLSA. Even if the final regulations had taken effect on May 7 as scheduled, those regulations would have only been applicable to the independent-contractor analysis under the FLSA, and would not have affected the independent-contractor analysis under New York wage and hour laws. There are many branches of the New York State Department of Labor (such as the Division of Labor Standards, the Unemployment Insurance Division, and the Workers’ Compensation Board) that have historically taken a more expansive view of employee status under New York law. So, for employers in New York, the USDOL’s withdrawal of its regulations should not drastically change the manner in which potential independent-contractor relationships are analyzed. Employers should continue to be cautious when classifying an individual worker as an independent contractor and should consult with legal counsel to assess the risks of such a classification.

Subhash Viswanathan is a member (partner) at Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC in Syracuse. Viswanathan represents employers in many different industries on labor and employment issues. Contact him at suba@bsk.com. This viewpoint is drawn from the firm’s New York Labor and Employment Law Report.

Construction underway on $19M housing development in Oneonta

Construction, Design & Real Estate, New York News, Regional News, Subscriber Only

ONEONTA, N.Y. — Construction has begun on Dietz Street Lofts, a $19 million mixed-use, mixed-income affordable-housing development in Oneonta that will create 64 affordable homes. The project supports the economic-development efforts underway in Oneonta, as part of the city’s selection as a winner of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) for the Mohawk Valley,

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ONEONTA, N.Y. — Construction has begun on Dietz Street Lofts, a $19 million mixed-use, mixed-income affordable-housing development in Oneonta that will create 64 affordable homes.

The project supports the economic-development efforts underway in Oneonta, as part of the city’s selection as a winner of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) for the Mohawk Valley, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in an April 30 news release.

Oneonta was named a DRI round 1 winner in 2016.

Crews are building the four-story Dietz Street Lofts on the site of a municipal parking lot in Oneonta’s DRI strategic-plan area. The developer is Parkview Development & Construction and Kearney Realty and Development Group of Baldwin Place in Westchester County will be the management agent.

Dietz Street Lofts will include 40 one-bedroom apartments and 24 two-bedroom apartments. The structure will include 42 apartments, with a preference for tenants involved in artistic or literary activities. Seven apartments will be fully adaptable for persons with mobility impairment and three will be adapted for persons with hearing or vision impairment.

All apartments will be affordable to households earning between 60 and 100 percent of the area median income or less, Cuomo’s office said.

In addition, Dietz Street Lofts will be home to Hartwick College’s Grain Innovation Center, which will be a regional source for studying the quality of potential wheat cultivars for whole-grain milling and baking. The educational facility will be located on the building’s first floor. The Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council awarded a grant for $180,000 through Empire State Development in support of this project.

New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) says the financing for the Dietz Street Lofts project includes federal and state low-income housing tax credits that will generate $11.1 million in equity, $2.8 million from the Housing Trust Fund, $975,000 through the Rural and Urban Community Investment Fund, and $665,000 through the Middle-Income Housing Program.

Additional state support includes a $1.4 million DRI grant administered by Empire State Development and $58,400 provided by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The Community Preservation Corporation is providing a SONYMA-insured $1.6 million permanent loan through their partnership with the New York State Common Retirement Fund. SONYMA is short for State of New York Mortgage Agency.

“Dietz Street Lofts will offer 64 households, including those in the artistic community and those with disabilities, the opportunity to live affordably in new energy-efficient homes that blend with the design and architecture of the surrounding historic community,” HCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said in the release. “We are pleased to partner with Parkview Development and Construction on this $19 million project that will advance Oneonta’s community renewal, enhance downtown revitalization and provide workforce housing that is convenient to public transportation, close to government services, health care and shopping opportunities.”

Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig thanked state officials for their support of Oneonta’s downtown revitalization efforts.

“In addition to addressing our need for affordable middle-income housing, the Dietz Street Lofts will provide affordable live/workspace for local artists,” Herzig said. “This project will not only support Oneonta’s thriving arts community as part of our walkable downtown, it will also be home to the Hartwick College Grain Innovation Center — an Innovation Center which will support our local agribusinesses while providing hands-on training for the students of Hartwick College.”

Construction begins on REDI project in Sterling, finishes in Little Sodus Bay

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

STERLING — Construction is underway on a $1.5 million project awarded to the town of Sterling in Cayuga County to deal with flooding issues. At the same time, a dredging project in Little Sodus Bay is now finished. The funding for both projects comes through the Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI), the office of

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STERLING — Construction is underway on a $1.5 million project awarded to the town of Sterling in Cayuga County to deal with flooding issues.

At the same time, a dredging project in Little Sodus Bay is now finished.

The funding for both projects comes through the Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI), the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

The existing double culvert carrying McIntyre Road over Sterling Valley Creek is the only access route for local homes and agricultural properties north of Sterling Creek. Flooding in 2019 caused inundation of the culvert and erosion of the roadway embankment at both the inlet and the outlet of the culvert.

Emergency repairs were needed to keep this roadway open. Improvements included in this project will “ensure uninterrupted” residential and emergency vehicle passage, Cuomo’s office said.

Mitigation measures for this project include the removal of the existing double-barrel culvert. Crews will replace the structure with a 71-foot single-span bridge. Workers will also install stone fill in front of the abutments and along the wingwalls to protect the structure against future erosion.

“In 2019, intense flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario caused sections of roadway to be fully submerged in water, making travel hazardous and in some cases forcing emergency closures,” Cuomo said. “The safety of New Yorkers is our top priority. Through REDI, we will ensure that when high water events occur, roadways remain clear and open allowing continued safe travel for residents and emergency vehicles.”

“Through the governor’s REDI program, vital upgrades will be made to ensure that we do not have to close the road during times of high water,” Town of Sterling Supervisor Scott Crawford said. “These improvements will protect the residents of Sterling and visitors, by allowing safe passage as well as ensuring emergency vehicles are able to respond quickly to calls.”

Little Sodus Bay project complete

Besides the Sterling project, Cuomo announced the completion of dredging at Little Sodus Bay in Cayuga County as part of the state’s $15 million REDI regional dredging project, which removed built-up sediment from the bottom of the waterway to allow for continued safe passage of watercraft.

The Little Sodus Bay project removed approximately 6,000 cubic yards of sediment, which was then deposited on the shoreline east of the navigation channel to rebuild and protect the beach.

About REDI

In response to the extended pattern of flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, Cuomo created REDI to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and “bolster” economic development in the region.

Five REDI regional planning committees — which included representatives from eight counties, Niagara and Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga, and Oswego, and Jefferson and St. Lawrence — were established to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public-safety concerns.

The REDI Commission allocated $20 million for homeowner assistance, $30 million to improve the resiliency of businesses, and $15 million toward a regional dredging effort that will benefit each of the eight counties in the REDI regions.

The remaining $235 million has been allocated towards local and regional projects that advance and embody the REDI mission.

NBT names Brown to board of directors

Banks & Credit Unions, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, People on the Move, Regional News, Subscriber Only

NORWICH, N.Y. — NBT Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ: NBTB) recently announced that J. David Brown has joined the boards of directors for NBT Bancorp and its primary subsidiary, NBT Bank, N.A. Brown is president and CEO of the Capital District YMCA, where he has worked for 28 years to “create better opportunities for all through community

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ConMed to pay Q2 dividend of 20 cents a share in early July

Manufacturing & Engineering, Regional News, Subscriber Only

ConMed Corp. (NYSE: CNMD), a surgical-device maker founded in the Utica area, recently announced that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 20 cents a share for the second quarter. The dividend is payable on July 6 to all shareholders of record as of June 15. ConMed manufactures surgical devices and

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New York egg production up more than 2 percent in April

Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only

New York farms produced 142.7 million eggs in April, up 2.3 percent from 139.5 million eggs in the year-prior period, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported. The number of layers in the Empire State averaged under 5.74 million in April, up more than 3.7 percent from nearly 5.53 million layers a year ago.

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