The city of Oneonta had a plan to knock down some 100 year old brick buildings on main street to make a shopping mall. The city forced out all the stores and people from the buildings. But the plans stalled. The middle of main street - 8 buildings empty, like the city was trying to build a ghost town.
Someone from the city approached me to paint the windows so they didn't look so all abandoned, while they were waiting to tear them all down. They wouldn't pay me, but they would buy the paint.
I painted the old stores where they used to be. In the sandwich shop window I painted a sandwich shop with a little sign in the door, “Sure we're open!” A nice sign to paint on an abandoned building.
I painted “The Klipknockie,” an old bar, next door, one that had been torn down on a perpendicular street. I forgot what I painted in the building next door. Maybe a bookstore or a clothing shop. I painted at least six buildings back to life. They stood there laughing at the city for closing them down.
People missed those shops. People liked those old buildings.
Maybe the federal money for urban renewal fell through. I like to think it was popular demand. In any case the buildings are still there, the heart of Main Street Oneonta all back in business.
