Downtown Building Getting a Facelift

The 19th Century building housing a variety of Oswego businesses will soon get a facade facelift with an assist from the village.

The building at 27-29 Main St. is home to American Male Co., The Village Grind, Editions, The Prom Shoppe and Bella-Gia Boutique. It is owned by businessman and property owner Greg Kaleel.

Kaleel applied for and received by a unanimous vote of the Oswego Village Board Wednesday night a $20,000 grant from the village’s Façade Improvement Program that was established in 2004.

According to village documents the American Male building was constructed in 1845 out of stone. About 100 years later a one-story building was added to the north. That building originally housed Oswego Community Bank.

Kaleel’s planned improvements were made in concert with the village’s Historic Preservation Commission, which reviewed the proposal. The improvements should be completed in the next few months.

“This is an example of using taxpayer funds for the betterment of the community and the downtown and is something the board can come together on,” said Village President Brian LeClercq. “I think this shows we have a real commitment to our downtown.”

The grant program is funded through the village’s recycling fund, which was established in the interest of public improvements, LeClercq said.

“I would love to see more of our businesses owners making the request for these funds,” LeClercq said.

The village’s Public Works Department will be working in the coming months on more beautification projects downtown, including removing and replacing some of the trees, LeClercq said.