Little Italy area looks bigger on paper Ambitious plan has lured only 3 Italian businesses BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
The day was warm and pleasant, not quite as sunny as Tuscany, but perfect enough for Dawn Guay to enjoy a sandwich outside Perreca’s Bakery while listening to Italian music over loudspeakers. “I love the food and music,” Guay said Thursday afternoon. “We don’t have this in Burnt Hills.” Guay was drinking up the atmosphere of Little Italy, what little there is of it, on North Jay Street. Some six years ago, city and economic development leaders pitched the idea to turn a block between Union Street and South Avenue into an enclave of speciality stores and restaurants with an Italian flavor. To date, Little Italy contains core Italian businesses Civitello’s and Perreca’s, both of which have been open for business there for nearly 100 years, and Cornell’s Restaurant, the newest addition. As envisioned in the Little Italy design plan, created by Synthesis Architects and the Williams Group Real Estate Advisers, the neighborhood was to include bakeries, restaurants and possibly a tailor and a shoemaker. The Sons of Italy would add soccer fields and a bocce ball court. It was part of a $2.8 million plan to preserve and expand upon the neighborhood’s ethnic roots. The promise of state money spawned the Little Italy idea, said Maureen Gebert, Schenectady Heritage Area coordinator. The state Empire Opportunity Fund pledged $500,000 to the project to help increase the number of park- ing spaces in the proposed business district. To serve as the main attraction for the proposed Little Italy neighborhood, city and local economic development officials in 2001 offered special incentives to lure JoAnn Cornell-Aragosa’s restaurant to move from Van Vranken Avenue to North Jay Street. Cornell-Aragosa received a $100,000 loan from the city’s Economic Development Fund and a $100,000 loan from the Schenectady Economic Development Corp. She also received a $440,000 loan from the state Business Development Corporation and a $230,00 loan and $230,000 grant from Metroplex in 2003, then under the chairmanship of John Manning. Her own investment was approximately $120,000. “She would be the first of many attractions” in Little Italy, said Cornell-Aragosa’s attorney, Gary Lombardi. Cornell-Aragosa bought a building at 39 North Jay St., leaving a structure on Van Vranken she had rented since 1973. Her family opened the Van Vranken Avenue restaurant in 1943 and sold it 30 years later. She took over the business then. She said at the time of the relocation that she needed to expand to accommodate more customers. The city and Metroplex spent more than $900,000 to put in new sidewalks and lamp posts along North Jay Street. A brick and metal Little Italy archway was installed at the entrance of North Jay Street. And earlier this year, the city repaired a dip in North Jay Street next to the Saw Mill bar, which flooded during rainstorms. But the other attractions have not arrived. Instead, the block currently contains the Saw Mill, a biker’s bar, and the Blythwood Tavern, a gay bar, as well as several buildings under repair and several that are empty. Building across from and adjacent to Perreca’s are boarded up, with one sporting the spray-painted message “Keep Out.” Little Italy offers little else for visitors, said Lillian Papa, 82, whose parents opened Perreca’s in 1925. “There is nothing here. People come here and are disappointed because there is nothing here,” she said. On Mondays, Perreca’s is the only business open in Little Italy, she said. “I’m not happy. They did everything backward. They should have bought the buildings first and then put in the sidewalks. We do not need sidewalks; we need businesses,” Papa said. Making matters worse, neighborhood housing prices have increased due to speculation on the neighborhood’s future, Papa said. The prices have put some buildings out of reach of small business owners, who were supposed to locate to Little Italy, she said. LITTLE MOMENTUM Former city Mayor Al Jurczyinski, who was involved in initial plans for Little Italy, said “all the plans and funding were put in place before I left office. Nothing has happened since.” When the plan was produced, he said, “There were businessmen interested in the project. I am quite certain that there could be a vibrant and prosperous Little Italy if there is motivation and the will to make it work. I am not sure that the motivation exists with the powers that be that are developing Schenectady.” Metroplex Development Authority Chairman Ray Gillen said Little Italy is not a failed project. “They have branded the area and marketed the area,” he said. Gillen said Little Italy will come into its own once two major development projects are completed: the rehabilitation of the former Alco property on Erie Boulevard and the build-out of the former Big N Plaza off Nott Street. Both projects, however, are years from completion. “We think these developments will be a tremendous benefit to the In 2006, Cornell-Aragosa restructured the loans received from the New York Business Development Corp. The corporation is a private agency that receives money from more than 160 New York state commercial banks and thrift institutions. It helps creditworthy small- and medium-sized business, especially minority- and female-owned businesses. Little Italy area. People will have to traverse Little Italy to connect CONTINUING CHALLENGES to downtown,” Gillen said. Michael Petta, owner of Petta’s In the meantime, Cornell’s con- Restaurant, said he sympathizes tinues to struggle with financial problems associated with the re- with Cornell-Aragosa’s financial location. While the restaurant re- problems. The restaurant business is tough, run on thinly sliced volume mains a ” draw with , its is doing dinner “excellent business profit margins. Utility and labor are major cost centers and are difand is current on loans, Gillen said, it is dealing with a heavy debt load totaling nearly $1 million. “The building is heavily financed, and it takes a while to work it out. The capital expense of the business was more than imagined,” Lombardi said. To add to the problems, the state Department of Taxation and Finance has filed warrants against Cornell’s. It reports that the restaurant owes nearly $155,000 in withholding and sales taxes, dating back to 2006. Lombardi said Cornell-Aragosa has worked out a payment plan with the state. ficult to control, he said. Like Cornell’s, Petta said he ended his lunch menu because of the lack of demand and is considering cutting back his hours just to weekends in order to remain profitable. Gebert, who promotes the annual Little Italy street festival, believes the neighborhood will reach its potential. “There is a lot of potential, and there is a long way to go. I am not saying it will happen in my lifetime,” she said. “We are taking small steps.” Papa said she would like to see stores selling coffee and novelties. “It would have been wonderful if we had businesses,” she said. “You can’t make a Little Italy out of nothing. There is a lot of things that could have been done.” Papa said she tried to share her vision with local leaders: “They don’t listen to old people. They listen to college people,” she said. Guay, who has visited Little Italy for years, said she would like to see more attractions along North Jay Street. “It is better than it was,” she said. “It would be great with a few more businesses.” Barbara Blanchard, current City Council member and former president of the Schenectady Heritage Foundation, a preservationist group, said the Little Italy idea faced challenges from the start. “The most successful places exist organically, and they become popular because they are loaded with services and products that come from that culture already. It is hard to impose that on a place,” she said. “In Schenectady, Italian is not unique — there is so much of it. There are lots of good Italian restaurants and Cornell’s is one of them, but it is one of many.” A Little Italy concept requires more than restaurants to succeed, Blanchard said: “It is a plus, but it does not make Little Italy the one special place to go for Italian.” At the time Cornell’s relocated, the Van Vranken neighborhood was already known as Little Italy for its many Italian establishments, and it was developing a reputation as “restaurant row,” Blanchard said. “The challenge with Cornell’s was the move. They were well-established, and they moved. It is in a place harder for people to fi nd,” Blanchard said. Roie Angerami, owner of Civitello’s, said she still believes in Little Italy as “something that can and will grow.” She just doesn’t know how it will happen. The city and Metroplex spent more than $900,000 to put in new sidewalks and lamp posts along North Jay Street. MARC SCHULTZ/ GAZETTE PHOTOGRAPHER MARC SCHULTZ/GAZETTE PHOTOGRAPHER Lyne Metz cuts cheese in Perreca’s Bakery on North Jay Street in the Little Italy section of Schenectady on Friday afternoon MARC SCHULTZ/GAZETTE PHOTOGRAPHER At left, Angela Angerami fills canolis at Civitello’s on North Jay Street in the Little Italy section of Schenectady on Friday afternoon. Civitello’s has been in business for nearly 100 years. At right, one of the run-down houses on the street.
I have been to Cornells for dinner. And I have been to Luigi's many times, even as a teenager. (sorry it closed) And this self proclaimed 'little italy' looks like a slum area. Putting a label on an area does not change that fact. Three businesses, Perecca's, Civitellos and the financially hindered Cornells does not constitute the name of 'little italy'. For that matter, they miight as well call Rottedam 'little italy'. If this 'little italy' was going to end up being this booming business section, why didn't Villa Italia re-locate there? They were clearly the smarter business people.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
it starts: I sure hope nobody headed over to Schenectady's La Piccola Italia for Halloween 2007, dressed in Old-World costumes and hoping to meld into the ambiance of our "Italian Heritage District." It ends musing over the cultural heritage of Dinky Dogs.
Well Dave, I just linked to your blog about 'treats or tricks'...and I'm certainly glad you held yourself back while directing you thoughts to Ray Gillen! Little Italy is just another failed attempt by Metroplex trying to make sh** shine. Ya don't make it shine by throwing money at it. Ya gotta clean up the mess first for heaven's sake!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Well Dave, I just linked to your blog about 'treats or tricks'...and I'm certainly glad you held yourself back while directing you thoughts to Ray Gillen! Little Italy is just another failed attempt by Metroplex trying to make sh** shine. Ya don't make it shine by throwing money at it. Ya gotta clean up the mess first for heaven's sake!
It's called keeping the past alive.....it just becomes a play/charade......the culture is not down there anymore.....they are in local nursing homes.......there are new immigrants in town......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Re Oct. 21 article, “Little Italy area looks bigger on paper,” by reporter Michael Lamendola, I would like to correct some erroneous facts that were made. He stated that my parents, Nicholas and Pasqualina Cornell, sold Cornell’s in 1973, at which time I took it over. My parents, in fact, sold the restaurant in 1977 after 34 years of success, making a name for themselves in Schenectady. My children and I went into business at that same location in 1997. However we rented and did not own the property. When it became apparent that we could not negotiate a purchase agreement with the owner of the property, we knew that we had to relocate. It was time to own our own building. We then decided to purchase the former Vita Rich Bakery on North Jay Street and built our restaurant. I strongly disagree with City Council member Barbara Blanchard’s comments about our move to “a place harder to find than our previous location.” We are two blocks from City Hall, three blocks from Union College and fi ve blocks from Proctors. We have wonderful businesses and residents on North Jay Street and look forward to further development on our street, Nott Street and Erie Boulvard. I cannot think of a better location in this city to have relocated. JOANN CORNELL ARAGOSA Schenectady
SCHENECTADY City’s Little Italy to come alive for annual fest Event also showcases improvements BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Goot at 395-3105 or mgoot@dailygazette.net.
People flocking to the Little Italy Street Festival will be able to see the changes to the area since it underwent a million dollar facelift four years ago. The city added new sidewalks, street lights and a gateway arch at Union and North Jay streets as part of a $1.16 million project. Business owners like the appearance and hope people can check out the third annual festival, which will be held on Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. on North Jay Street. People can buy traditional Italian foods including tomato pie and panini from Perreca’s Bakery, homemade cavatelli at Cornell’s Restaurant and Civitello’s lemonice. There will also be fried dough, pasta fagioli, sausage and peppers, homemade pastries, biscotti and Italian cookies and fresh vegetables. In addition, there will be crafts and live entertainment. Maria Papa, owner of Perreca’s Bakery, said the new antique looking lamps and new sidewalks and curbing made a more inviting atmosphere. “I think since the streetscape came along, we get a lot of new customers,” she said. “The old-timers knew about us. New people were reluctant to get out of their cars.” Papa is investing in the area further. She bought the building next door at 31 N. Jay St. and plans to renovate it into a retail business on the fi rst floor with apartments on the upper floors. Other businesses are coming to the area as well. Papa said an Italian barbershop is going to open on the street. Cornell’s owner JoAnn Aragosa said construction of a nearby parking lot have helped business. Aragosa said the restaurant will serve its popular calamari marinara at the festival. “We did close to 200 pounds of calamari marinara last year and we went through it,” she said. The festival is free and open to the public. Live entertainment includes The Good Times from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., vocalist Nick Tripoli performing standards from Sinatra, Darin and other popular Italian-American crooners from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Benny Cannavo & the Accents from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Papa said the festival ordinarily has a casual atmosphere. “People bring their lawn chairs. They listen to the music, they relax. … It’s like being in Italy,” she said.
People flocking to the Little Italy Street Festival will be able to see the changes to the area since it underwent a million dollar facelift four years ago.
"Flocking"? The reporter is editorializing not reporting as attendance at this future event isn't known nor can it be predicted. The more pro-Metroplex and pro-Democratic led government stories that are published by the Daily Gazette, the more it seems to me that the "reporters" are not journalists, but rather public relations specialists. There is no investigative reporting of the events of our government, only press releases that are published to appear as news.
As for the Italian fest, I hope that the merchants do well. I have fond memories of eating at Mother Ferro's and Mama Bianchi's (?) in the 1960s. I make special trips to the area for Perreca's Bakery Italian bread. In my opinion, the area of Little Italy has not been revived to what it once was. I would like to see other successful businesses (e.g., Capiello's, Capri Imports, Pedi Brothers) that specialize in Italian foods open a location in Little Italy. The area needs more than a few storefronts and a restaurant or two to attract the public in large number.
Three Italian businesses, in my opinion, do not constitute an area of a city to be named for it's ethnicticity. I frequent these businesses and they do offer great food and dedicated service. But in agreeing with Brad, there should be more Italian businesses in that area to attract more customers. Villa Italia would have been a good fit for the area and I often wondered why they didn't relocate there.
Logged
Little Italy is just another failed attempt by Metroplex trying to make sh** shine. Ya don't make it shine by throwing money at it. Ya gotta clean up the mess first for heaven's sake!
