In January, Ryon Fogarty of Situational Homes purchased 397 W. First Street South in Fulton.
The Phoenix, NY native has big dreams for the 6,519 sq. ft. space. Fogarty is planning to open a free community center for kids and teens after a complete rehabilitation of the building. Programming is still in the early stages, but he’s hoping to include boxing, wrestling, possibly yoga, and a reading room. “I’m open to new things,” he said.
His vision for the center began as a place to host non-competitive youth boxing and wrestling. “Not because of the physical aspect of those sports,” he told iHeart, “but because they build teamwork and a sense of accomplishment.”
His commitment to this particular project isn’t about business; it’s about investing in a better, safer community for teens who remind him of his past self. “I was a troubled kid,” he told iHeart Oswego. “So I want to build something that gives troubled kids a place to go, whether they need a safe place away from their home life or something constructive to do.”
He’s still working through the logistics of how the center will operate, and is hoping to collaborate with those in the community who know more about non-profit and youth programming. “I’m very new to that part,” Fogarty said. His plan is to use revenue from renting apartments on the second floor to help offset the cost of running the center on the first floor.
Located next to the former CYO building, the two-story structure was built in 1962. For many years, the first floor was home to Hometown Diner, which was operated by a husband-and-wife team; there were several apartments located on the second floor.
The building has sat vacant for much of the 21st century, resulting in many unsafe areas. For the safety of the community and his crew, Fogarty and his team are working closely with the Fulton Code Enforcement Office to complete demolition carefully and quickly. Upon concern from the community, he also had his crew install a fence around the front of the building.
“Matt and Noah [of Code Enforcement] don’t cut corners,” Fogarty said of the office. “We are doing this the right way.” He is working step by step with them on structural plans for the interior, creating blueprints for electrical, HVAC, and plumbing, as well as the exterior. Layout for the apartments on the second floor have yet to be determined, so he’s not sure how many apartments will be available for rent upon the project’s completion.
Fogarty made a point to note how thankful he is for the entire City of Fulton Code Enforcement Office, telling our team that the administrative staff is far more supportive than in other towns he’s worked in. “The [administrative staff] sat with me and guided me on how to fill out a lot of the paperwork, when other offices just throw the forms at you without any direction. You can tell they want to make this city better.” He also noted that the Fulton Police Department has been incredibly responsive in having an increased presence in the area after his crew’s tools were stolen—two factors that he’s said make him want to continue building and investing in Fulton.
While Fogarty is experienced in rehabilitating both residential and commercial properties that are in rough shape, he’s grateful for the help on what seems to be quite an intimidating renovation.
“It’s a big project,” Fogarty said with a chuckle. “One of the biggest I’ve taken on so far.”
While Fogarty asks the community to have patience with the process, results will be coming down the pike sooner than many may expect. Demolition is on track to be complete by the time warmer weather hits. “Then, we expect to have construction over the finish line in about nine months,” Fogarty said.
He hopes to save as much as possible of the look and feel of the building, especially the exterior. “I know people value that history… and I want the building to continue to fit in [in the community].”
To follow along with this and other projects across Fulton, Phoenix, and Granby, you can find Fogarty on Instagram and TikTok as @RealEstateRyon.
Find more local news at iheartoswego.com.
