City of Fulton Celebrates Completion of Eastern Shore Insurance Agency DRI Project

Fulton, NY – The City of Fulton hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of new awnings and signage for Eastern Shore Insurance Agency. This project was a part of several downtown business assistance projects and a vital component of the city’s broader Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), supported by a $10 million investment from New York State.

"I want to extend our gratitude to Eastern Shore Insurance Agency for their steadfast presence and dedication to our community. As an established business in downtown Fulton, you have not only served the insurance needs of our residents but also provided stability, opportunity and leadership for our region. This project would not have been possible without the partnership and support of the NYS Department of State (DOS) and Empire State Development (ESD), your investment in this initiative reflects a confidence in the future of Fulton and a recognition of keeping business’ thriving in the heart of our city,” said James Rice, Mayor of the City of Fulton.

Under Mayor Jim Rice's leadership and the City of Fulton Downtown Revitalization (DRI) Committee, the city’s DRI projects have driven significant impact to the City of Fulton.

“We were excited to partner with the City in this revitalization project; an awning upgrade for us. It was a pleasure working closely with the Community Development Agency (CDA) on the various details for the project.  Additionally, we had refreshed our brand last year and needed to change our exterior signage as a result. Our vision to update our building also included removing all the light fixtures which are at least 50 years old and match the lampposts on Cayuga and South First streets. The light fixtures were repainted and reinstalled; new signs hung and even the brick repointed. We are very pleased to have a new look at our Fulton headquarters, which lends to the beautification of downtown Fulton,” said Kimberly Allen, Director of Operations at Eastern Shore.

“I look forward to the ongoing progress and continued success of the City’s DRI implementation in close partnership with the NYS Department of State, Empire State Development Corporation, and NYS Homes and Community Renewal,” said Holly Granat, Revitalization Specialist, New York State Department of State

“We are thrilled to see the momentum happening in Fulton,” said Taylor Davis, Member Engagement and Operations Manager at the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce. “These projects are the result of many years of collaboration, and we are grateful for everyone that played a part in bringing them to fruition. We look forward to seeing continued progress in this community.”

Other projects underway include LorBird, a restaurant owned and operated by Laurie and Will O’Brien, located at the former GJP and Dandee’s Donuts location, which began construction in 2023 and is set to open by the end of this year. Additional DRI projects in progress include the Oswego Health Expansion and Downtown Historic Marker & Signage Program, along with several Business Assistance projects. In total, there were 16 projects awarded–a combination of municipal, non-profit, and private with grants totaling $9.7 million. The city was initially awarded the DRI in 2019 for its vision and for project synergy but each project is contracted separately with New York State. The Fulton DRI Strategic Investment Plan can be found here.