While the neighbors were commenting on the Riverview Project, Rich Jarvis was supervising the excavation for Rich & Gardner Construction Company, Inc., of Syracuse. The worker at the controls, Covert, works for Cunningham Excavation of Cazenovia.
As Jarvis spoke, Covert’s Caterpillar machine kept grinding away. It scooped up everything: concrete chunks from the old fishpond, buried rags and wood, and pieces of the old driveway.
An observer was dazzled by the machine, but Jarvis said, “That’s the small one.”
He recalled that an even bigger machine ripped tall trees out of the site as if they were twigs.
Two days after the groundbreaking, Jarvis reported that the excavation was going well. He hoped to get all the footing for the walls poured –800 feet of concrete –by midweek this week.
Jarvis thinks the apartment complex is a good idea: “They’ve got to have a place to go.”
“The neighbors like it too,” he said.
Nuggets from a Groundbreaking
Providing “shelter and housing for people is certainly part of the Corporal Works of Mercy that Pope Francis is calling us to be aware of during this year.” – Bishop Robert J. Cunningham, Diocese of Syracuse
“I think it’s tremendous. I think it’s only one of three [such projects] in the state being developed. … Based on the success of this, we’d love to be able to model this elsewhere in the diocese, especially in the rural communities, if possible.” – Joseph Slavik, president/CEO, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Syracuse
“It’s a fun project.” — Fredrick Zolna, vice president of development for Christopher Community, Inc., the housing arm of the Diocese of Syracuse Catholic Diocese
“There’s even studies that show that doing altruistic activities is actually beneficial and healthy. … This is just part of making sure a little bit at a time, one step at a time, one building at a time, one street at a time, that we can just make the world a better place.” — Douglas J. Reicher, president, Christopher Community, Inc.
“The roots of our organizations are in the Catholic faith, and in that tradition, we serve people of all faiths and ethnicities.” — Reicher
“When you think about altruism, Beth Graham, from Enterprise Community Investment — that’s what their mission is, and that’s what the mission of CPC (Community Preservation Corp.) is: Let’s end homelessness. Why? Because it’s good for all of us.” — Attorney Matthew V. Byrne, Costello & Pickard, P.C.
“The opportunity for new construction in a city that’s built out doesn’t come along very often. But watching the partnership between Christopher Community and Catholic Charities coming together for this has been very impressive. … We’re very appreciative.” – Cortland Mayor Brian Tobin
“Individuals recover more quickly when integrated into a welcoming community.” –Sharon Frisbie, housing specialist, New York State Office of Mental Health
