River View Pediatrics recently celebrated its official opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception. It relocated to the site of the former Tops market at 909 W. First St. in Fulton.
River View is an equal partnership among physicians Sarah Finocchiaro, Carla Overton and Christopher Delaney. Finocchiaro is the partnership president.
“We are overjoyed to finally be open at this wonderful new location,” said Finocchiaro. “It’s a dream come true. In addition, we are now better equipped to help our patients and we have more resources on site to optimize our response and treatment.”
In Architects of Syracuse designed the new offices and construction was contracted by Construction Design and Management, (CDM), Syracuse.
The property, which had been vacant since 2018, was a local supermarket for nearly 60 years. The practice occupies the majority of the building, approximately 8,000 square feet, which also includes two separate 3,500-sq.-ft. spaces flanking the main entrance for tenant businesses. This more than doubles the practice’s current space.
Mirabito Financial Group is the property’s first tenant with a tentative move-in date of late fall 2023.
“We are so grateful to Mayor Michaels and the City of Fulton for their support, as well as Operation Oswego County and our county legislators to help make this new office a reality,” Finocchiaro said.
Among the benefits to patients at the new location is ample parking, and easy wheelchair and stroller access. There are large bathrooms with changing tables and a private, separate room for nursing moms. The practice currently treats approximately 6,000 patients and is accepting new patients (birth to 18 years of age).
Other features of the new offices include a large central nursing station, and the number of examination rooms has increased from nine to 16. Patients will follow a circular pattern that affords greater privacy, starting with check-in, then a move to an exam room, and exit. The new offices also have a separate, private consultation area. In addition to the three partner pediatricians, the practice includes one part-time pediatrician, one full-time pediatric nurse practitioner, four licensed practical nurses, four full-time office staff, and one full-time office manager. “We plan to add more doctors and nurses as we grow, while still keeping the warm, one-on-one attention that our patients expect, and this practice is built on,” Finocchiaro said. “Our goal is to get sick patients in on the same day they contact us. COVID and a lack of space didn’t always make this possible in recent years.”
River View Pediatrics was formed in 2017, and provides well childcare, sports and employment physicals, treats acute illness and injuries, provides immunizations and behavioral health. “River View Pediatrics is an extension of the 40-year practice and tradition of excellent and compassionate pediatric care founded by Dr. Stuart Trust,” Finocchiaro said.
According to Jerome Mirabito, Fulton Savings Bank senior vice president and a son of one of the original property owners, the 909 W. First St. site started as a Mirabito’s Supermarket that opened in 1959 or 1960, owned by Ross Mirabito and operated by Jerome’s parents, Angelo and Pauline Mirabito. It became Angelo’s Big M Supermarket in December 1967, and its square footage doubled when the store expanded in 1977. Angelo and Pauline’s entire family were involved in operating the store, which provided employment and valuable work experience to countless high school students from Fulton for many years. In 1990, Angelo and Pauline Mirabito retired and sold the business to John Struppler. It then became Struppler’s Shur Fine Market.
Struppler’s operated for 25 years until it was acquired by Tops Markets in August 2015. Tops closed in October 2018, and the building has been vacant since then.
