The Oswego Renaissance Association is offering matching funds (up to $2,000) to owners of eligible businesses, in Oswego's Traditional Downtown area, to create attractive and vibrant Outdoor Seating Environments (OaSEs) for customers.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a challenging environment for restaurants and other human service retail in Oswego, NY. OaSEs are needed to keep customers safe and for businesses to remain healthy. Space for customers to sit outdoors is at a premium. While human service retail in Oswego has created some outdoor seating on sidewalks, it has not realized its full potential.
Various types of OaSEs, such as sidewalk cafes and parklets, are more than tables and chairs on the sidewalk. OaSEs buffer customers from the sight and sounds of traffic, protect them from sun, and are attractive environments that people want to be in.
The goal of the Renaissance Downtown Challenge is to incentivize eligible downtown businesses to significantly expand and/or improve their outdoor seating through the creation of OaSEs in front of their businesses.
To find out if your business is located in the target zone, if your type of business is eligible and how to apply, visit the ORA website.
The Renaissance Downtown Challenge was made possible in 2020 by financial support from the following (growing) list:
- The Richard S. Shineman Foundation,
- Pathfinder Bank,
- SUNY Oswego, and
- Operation Oswego County.
