NEW BERLIN – The Village of New Berlin is set to receive almost a million dollars in donations, about half of it from Chobani, allowing the municipality to create a new firehouse and community center, offering an opportunity to reshape the local downtown.

Village of New Berlin Mayor Terry Potter said the charity represented years of investment and interest from local businesses in helping New Berlin grow.

In total about $902,000 has been promised to the village.

A public forum about the projects will be held at 6 p.m., Wednesday, at the New Berlin Fire Department.

The Preferred Mutual Insurance Company donated about $150,000 to the village to help build a new firehouse. The company began as a fire insurance company more than a 100-years-ago.

“We’ve been proud to call New Berlin home since our inception as The Preferred Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Chenango County in 1896,” said Preferred Marketing Manager Beth DeMarco.

“The New Berlin Firehouse has special meaning to us, as our legacy is deeply embedded in fire prevention, safety and a strong sense of community. To say we are proud supporters of firefighters and the work they do to serve families, friends, neighbors, and businesses, and to protect lives and property is an understatement. We are honored to be able to show our unwavering support to the New Berlin community by leading the development of a new firehouse.”