Write a commentThe award honors the renovation and management team for successfully extending the life and purpose of the historic building through adaptive reuse.
The Market House (frequently referred to as Old City Hall) has been a central hub throughout Oswego’s history since its construction in 1836, and Alberts Group—which has managed the property since 2022—sought to preserve its historical elements while supporting new uses.
MacKnight Architects and VIP Structures led the effort to redesign and renovate the building, which had lain vacant for over two years when work began in 2022.
The property includes Old City Hall Brewery, which opened in March of 2025, and Market House Apartments. At various times throughout its 189-year history, Market House Oswego has served as a public market, City Hall, jail, music hall, restaurant and bar, and community gathering space. For the team behind the restoration, the project was not merely about saving a structure, but also about reconnecting the community with a tangible piece of Oswego's history and identity.
iHeart Oswego spoke with Keara Argentieri, VP Of Operations at Alberts Group (the company currently managing the property) about the project. Argentieri told iHeart that, at the outset of the renovation, “Much of the infrastructure was outdated or non-functional, and significant portions of the interior needed to be reworked… We worked closely with MacKnight Architects to stabilize the structure, modernize utilities, reinforce floors, etc. without compromising its historic integrity,” Argentieri said.
When the Preservation Association of CNY (PACNY) reached out to them with news of the award, the team reacted “with a mix of pride and gratitude,” per Argentieri. “Pride in the quality of work completed, and gratitude for the collaboration between ownership, architects, contractors, and preservation advocates who all shared the same goal—creat[ing] a space that honored the building's past while allowing it to function in a modern, meaningful way, bringing people back downtown and giving the building daily relevance again.”
According to the PACNY website, the Paul Malo Award is given to projects that juxtapose old and new to honor the past and promote the future of our community. This project certainly fits the bill—congratulations and thank you for revitalizing this piece of Oswego’s history!
