The Bagg’s Square Association today unveiled their latest mural project as part of a $250,000 National Grid Urban Corridor program incentive. National Grid funding helped to offset the historical timeline mural and assisted the Association to visually brand the neighborhood, create a sense of space, elevate awareness, and promote the area.
Through National Grid’s Urban Corridor grant, the Bagg’s Square neighborhood was able to beautify, revitalize and energize streets and public spaces and extend their brand of “Always Making History.”
Other projects completed include the restoration of the historic entranceway mural above The Tailor & the Cook, custom bike racks and branded litter receptacles created by local artists, pole banners throughout the neighborhood, electrical work in Bagg Commemorate Park, additional lighting on Water Street, wayfinding signage, replicated benches for Union Station and picnic tables for the Park, a directional mural under the Genesee Street overpass and more.
Through National Grid’s Urban Corridor grant, the Bagg’s Square neighborhood was able to beautify, revitalize and energize streets and public spaces and extend their brand of “Always Making History.” Other projects completed include the restoration of the historic entranceway mural above The Tailor & the Cook, custom bike racks and branded litter receptacles created by local artists, pole banners throughout the neighborhood, electrical work in Bagg Commemorate Park, additional lighting on Water Street, wayfinding signage, replicated benches for Union Station and picnic tables for the Park, a directional mural under the Genesee Street overpass and more.
Bagg’s Square Association board president Beth Irons shares, “Projects such as this mural illustrate not only the recent developments of Bagg’s Square as a neighborhood, but the enormous contributions of both early residents and entrepreneurs who had the vision for a neighborhood that would . . . always be making history. We are deeply appreciative to National Grid, the City of Utica and the Cornell Rust to Green (R2G) Urban Studio for their support to help fund and implement this initiative.
Also unveiled today was the last project under the grant – a historic timeline mural, which features over 110 people, places and events that helped shape the Bagg’s Square neighborhood. It is approximately 76 feet long and located on the John Street overpass near Kids Oneida and the Utica Children’s Museum.
The success of the National Grid project and mural campaign was due to the collaborative efforts of the project partners to promote the redevelopment of Bagg’s Square as a tourist attraction based on the history of the neighborhood where Utica began. Other partners include: the Bagg’s Square Association board of directors, Elfun Society of Utica, Inc., The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, area historians, the Oneida County Historical Society, Oneida County, the NYS Department of Transportation, current and past neighborhood business owners, residents and other stakeholders.