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By Michael Hill

The Associated Press

鈥� A聽tornado聽that hit this small, upstate city tore off rooftops, leveled brick buildings and toppled the steeples of two historic churches. No one was killed, but the twister left a debris-strewn scar through downtown and nearby areas. More than 370 homes were damaged.

Residents are vowing to rebuild. But some of the damage suffered July 16 was so severe that the path forward is uncertain for many people in this old manufacturing city, where they are more accustomed to digging out from snowstorms than from piles of rubble.

A week after the storm, Scott Smith stood by the wreckage of his storage space for his hot dog, catering and event business. He gazed at the ruined structure, which collapsed onto much of his equipment, including tables, amusement rides and smokers. The 65-year-old owner of Scotty’s Hot Dogs plans to forge ahead and find a new warehouse space.

鈥淚 do plan on rebuilding,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚s it going to be Rome? I would like to believe that.鈥�

A 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, his first car, was crushed in the disaster. So was his first hot dog cart, which sat among a pile of bricks.

鈥淚 was hoping to save it for my first grandchild one day, you know, start him or her out,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of sad to see it sitting in that debris right now.鈥�

The tornado in Rome, which is home to about 32,000 people, was unusually destructive for this region, with peak winds reaching 135 mph. It聽traveled聽for more than 5 miles and had an EF2 rating 鈥� considered 鈥渟ignificant,鈥� on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which rates tornadoes based on estimated wind speed and damage.

Only about one in six tornadoes in New York are EF2 or greater, said Nick Bassill, director of the State Weather Risk Communications Center at the University at Albany.

The Rome tornado was among 10 confirmed in the state that day. One of them killed an 82-year-old man about 20 miles west of Rome when he was struck by storm debris.

The tornado roared through Rome like a locomotive, Smith said. He and his girlfriend, Wendy Goldenbaum, sheltered in his catering kitchen, holding each other as the building shuddered.

In one particularly hard-hit area, four of the five homes that landlord Richard Secor owns likely will have to be demolished, he said, noting that one had its roof ripped off without occupants suffering harm.

鈥淓verything just lifted up like 鈥楾he Wizard of Oz鈥� and disappeared,鈥� Secor said.

Dozens of business owners already have sought relief funds, Mayor Jeffrey Lanigan said.

Allison Graves has been working to haul stuff out of her New York Dance Academy studio, which adjoins a building that collapsed along with a local landmark mural of a Revolutionary War hero on horseback. That left her building unusable and her business鈥� future up in the air.

鈥淲here can we go? What can we do?鈥� Graves said. 鈥淚 have been offered by some local studios some space if I want to go in and use their studios for the time being.鈥�

Homeowner Willard Harvey is waiting for insurance information to decide how to address his severely damaged house. He has a rural place up north where he and his wife can live. But he has memories of growing up in the Rome home, which his parents owned previously. He thinks he would like to rebuild.

鈥淛ust my roots,鈥� Harvey said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been here all my life.鈥�

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente estimates demolition of uninhabitable and unsound structures could cost up to $25 million, and a couple of buildings need to come down soon. The county and the city have asked the state for help meeting the costs.

Some older buildings, including two 19th-century churches with extensively damaged steeples and roofs, are at risk. One, St. Mary鈥檚, was sold by the local Catholic diocese several years ago and was not being used. The current owner said insurance would not cover the cost of reconstruction or demolition.

At the other church, First Presbyterian, crews recently used a giant crane to remove debris. The Rev. Edwina Landry remains hopeful for full reconstruction but said it鈥檚 too soon to say what is possible.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so much history here,鈥� she said. 鈥淧eople have grown up in this church. They were baptized here, married here, just experienced so many big life changes in this church building. And so that鈥檚 something that we want to hold on to.鈥�

In the wake of the tornado, First Presbyterian held Sunday services in a nearby church that opened its doors to the congregation.

Lanigan, the mayor, said that if some buildings can鈥檛 be saved, officials at least want to pay homage to them in a way that honors Rome鈥檚 long history. He is confident the city will bounce back.

鈥淩ome wasn鈥檛 built in a day,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is definitely going to take a little bit of time and a whole lot of effort from us, the community and our outside partners.鈥�

Editor鈥檚 note: Associated Press writer Cedar Attanasio in New York City contributed to this report.