Oswego economic director briefs commission on site-selection, priorities

Kevin Lighty, Oswego's economic development director, gave commissioners an overview of how the village supports site selection and what drives private developers' and retailers' location choices.

Lighty said the department's role is to support business attraction, retention and expansion by compiling market information, pitching sites and assisting prospective businesses through the zoning and permitting process. He listed key site-selection drivers: commercial frontage and traffic counts for retail, co-tenancy for major retailers, power availability for large users such as data centers, and drive-through capability for quick-service restaurants. He also cited high borrowing costs, rising construction and land costs, and restrictive covenants as obstacles that affect new construction.

Lighty highlighted priority areas for marketing and recruitment, including Route 34, Orchard Road and downtown, and said the village is pursuing industrial development at Kendall Point and promoting specific infill and redevelopment sites such as Harrison Street Square and the Dairy Barn redevelopment. He told commissioners the village has worked on past projects using sales-tax sharing and property acquisition tools to make some projects viable.

Commissioners asked about specific sites and landlord restrictions; Lighty said landlords and private market conditions often constrain what can be recruited and that the village sometimes uses acquisition or tax-sharing tools to bridge financial gaps. He also listed several projects in the pipeline and outreach plans to bring more hospitality and industrial users to the village.