One of my favorite pieces of the Utica area I did last winter. On Court street looking SE towards Grace Church. It shows the decay, yet also captures the glimmer of hope, and also the wealth and dignity that was Utica's strength at one time. Many landmark buildings that were remnants of the textile industrial/Erie Canal heyday in Utica have been torn down. The Devereux Building, Old City Hall (Designed by Upjohn), The Globe Building to name a few. It is a shame because destroying our landmark buildings is like erasing our history, erasing who we are. No wonder so many people leave this area, many of whom are 3rd, 4th, 5th or greater generations of MV residents. Often never to return, only perhaps to die here or be buried here.
This areas only hope is to rebuild this rotting core, maintain it's cultural identity through restoration and maintenance of architecturally significant buildings, hold onto ethnic neighborhoods, provide more assistance for the development and growth of hi-tech companies like: Black River Systems. Utica with a vision and a plan that is shared with all, can be the catalyst to the rebuilding and controlled growth of the whole community.
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