Revitalize Syracuse 2025

revSYRACUSE italize 2025 CNY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Endorsed By: Sponsored By:

Downtown Committee of Syracuse

SEPTEMBER 29, 2025 I ISSUE 33 I $9.99

A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Celebrating downtown Syracuse & looking ahead to exciting future

OCC: Where Opportunity Meets Community Onondaga Community College is proud to lead a workforce revolution. As regional employers seek skilled talent for high-demand roles, OCC is preparing students for careers that are both essential and rewarding. In 2025, construction will be complete on the Micron Cleanroom Simulation Lab and new training centers for Welding, CNC Machining, and Diesel/Heavy Equipment Repair. We are also redesigning all of our healthcare training spaces to meet the region’s growing needs.

4 Soul Society serves up refreshments with style 6 INSPYRE Innovation Hub now open for startups, innovators, events 8 New ON-RAMP CEO starts work on workforce-training initiative 10 Developer hopes to start demolition work for Onondaga Hotel later this year 12 Bicentennial gala in Clinton Square to mark 200 years of Erie Canal and Syracuse 14 Renovation work on Chimes Building apartments should be complete in Q1 of 2026 16 VIP building apartments in 2nd phase of The Post redevelopment 18 One year in, BCA Architects is pleased with its Syracuse office 20 Syracuse Adopt-a-Block program is a way for people to get involved

Through the SUNY Reconnect program, adult learners can now attend OCC tuition-free and pursue workforce-focused degrees. In its first semester, more than 135 students enrolled in programs such as Construction Management, Cybersecurity, Engineering Science, Nursing, and Welding, taking the first step toward fulfilling their career goals.

22 VIEWPOINT: Meeting the Demand for Syracuse’s Resurgence

Since 1962, OCC has built a reputation for meeting the evolving needs of Central New York. Today is no different. Partnering closely with local employers and community leaders, we are expanding access to high-quality, affordable education while strengthening the region’s economy. Now more than ever, when the need is greatest, OCC is preparing tomorrow’s workforce and ensuring our community thrives. The Community’s College is ready to serve— and prepared to lead.

28 Latest phase of interior renovation work at Landmark Theatre now complete

Sincerely,

Dr. Warren Hilton President

23 Syracuse mayor unveils playground improvements at Skiddy Park on Near Westside 24 Renovation of Hanover Square fountain to wrap by year’s end 26 Five Iron Golf takes a swing at Syracuse market with downtown venue

30 Redhouse has a new marquee, unveiled after honoring board member Hider 31 THE LISTS: Museums in the City of Syracuse 32 Inner Harbor aquarium should be ready by mid-2026 34 Festivals give downtown revitalization a boost 36 Downtown Committee report chronicles project activity 38 THE LISTS: Cultural & Performing-Arts Organizations in Syracuse 40 City of Syracuse Construction Projects Sponsored By:

Endorsed By:

Onondaga Community College SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

VOL. XXXVIII, NO. 33

NEWS

SALES

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2 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

Celebrating downtown Syracuse & looking ahead to exciting future Downtown Syracuse is a lively and dynamic community. It’s a place where people live, work, and play, at it’s always changing and growing.

T

he revitalization of downtown Syracuse reflects the collaborative efforts of community partners, residents, business owners, and investors, all driven by a shared vision for our city center. This vibrant social hub serves as a connector for people, and this united commitment has played a crucial role in making downtown Syracuse a destination known for its unforgettable experiences.

This year has been an exciting one for the Downtown Committee, as we celebrated our 50th anniversary. As an organization whose mission is downtown Syracuse’s revitalization and continued vibrancy, it’s been inspiring to look back and reflect on the early vision that our community had for downtown and the meaningful work and dedication that paved the way for where we are today.

Numerous projects throughout the years have contributed to this vibrancy, including the transformation of un-

derutilized buildings into housing for new residents and space for emerging retail businesses. Efforts have continuously been made to uncover the original, breathtaking facades that lend our central business district its unique charm.

Additionally, companies have moved to downtown Syracuse to attract talent and retain employees by establishing themselves in an urban environment that offers quality-of-life amenities for their employees.

What truly sets downtown apart is its people.

Although foot traffic has been affected by the rise of hybrid work environments, the data indicates that individuals are returning to shop, dine, and enjoy their time in downtown Syracuse.

We are seeing people return to the district to experience the lively culture that this community has nurtured and developed.

In 2025, downtown Syracuse had $275 million in the development pipeline. There were an anticipated 460

VIEWPOINT: MERIKE TREIER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc.

housing units and 245 new hotel rooms announced. These are positive trends that reflect the commitment, collaboration, and shared vision for a thriving downtown that feels welcoming to all.

Physical changes impact how people experience the downtown area. In September, downtown saw the opening of Central New York’s first STEAM School.

Through partnerships, internships, mentoring, and job shadowing, the school will help prepare students for jobs in our growing STEAM fields.

CenterState CEO’s INSPYRE Innovation Hub will soon open, featuring more than 90,000 square feet of space for innovation and entrepreneurship. This reimagined space is built to spark bold ideas, accelerate growth, and support entrepreneurs at every stage.

For the first time in more than 60 years, Salina Street in downtown features two distinct theater marquees shining brightly. Earlier this summer, the Redhouse Arts Center revealed its brand-new marquee, symbolizing a vibrant future for downtown Syracuse, driven by arts, culture, and community.

As we celebrate a resurgence in downtown Syracuse, it’s essential to recognize the enduring strength of businesses that have thrived in this area for many years.

These establishments form the backbone 4DOWNTOWN, CONTINUED ON PAGE 47 3The revitalization of downtown Syracuse reflects the collaborative efforts of community partners, residents, business owners, and investors, all driven by a shared vision for our city center.

PHOTO CREDIT: ZOEYADVERTISING.COM

REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025 I 3

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Soul Society serves up refreshments with style

BY VANCE MARRINER Journal Staff I vmarriner@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — Salon owner Michaela Kawryga recognized a need for a convenient place downtown for her and her stylists to get quick, nutritious refreshments, so she started a second business to do just that.

In 2022, Kawryga opened Soul Society, a juice bar and raw café, in a space at 230 West Genesee St., adjoining her al-

ready-existing beauty and wellness studio called The Emerson.

“As stylists, we’re on our feet all day,” Kawryga said of the situation that led to what would become her second business.

“We do weddings; we’re working long hours, back-to-back-to-back. [I wondered] how can I get my nutrients quickly?”

The answer Kawryga arrived at was juice and smoothies. She explained, “Working downtown for the past 10 years, we haven’t had a ton of places that did

4 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

fresh-pressed juice and only fresh-pressed juice. So that’s the backbone of how I kind of ran myself. So, I was like, okay, let me implement that in the salon so that when people are sitting, they’re not Grubhubing, you know — pizza or Starbucks or Five Guys. They can walk over, pick something out. They know it’s going to be fresh. They can watch us make it.”

An opportunity to make that vision a reality arose when a space next to the salon she had operated at 230 West Genesee

St. since 2020 became available.

Kawryga took the space for her new business idea.

“I kind of just got to the point in my career where I was like, I’m going to try this out and I’m going to try and do it my way and I’m just going to take a leap. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

The end result was Soul Society — a juice bar and café that serves an array of beverages ranging from fresh-pressed juices to lattes; food options including “small bites,” charcuterie, salads, and sandwiches; a wide variety of smoothies; as well as alcoholic beverage options.

While the cafe does no cooking, everything is freshly prepared.

In addition to serving food and beverages, Soul Society also functions as an event venue.

“We have bridal showers, baby showers, bridal parties,” Kawryga said. “We’ve had networking events.

We’ve worked with the United Way. We do yoga once a month.”

The result of the combined salon/juice bar/event space approach has led to a diverse customer base. According to Kawryga, her customers represent “a broad demographic” including parents who might bring their children for a quick snack, older patrons in search of a smoothie, downtown-office workers, and Syracuse University students looking for a place to hang out.

Soul Society is physically joined to The Emerson salon in a space totaling about 7,000 square feet. The two businesses have separate entrances but connect in the interior, allowing for a number of synergies between them.

The combined operation employs 17 people. Kawryga explained, “Some of them work solely at the juice bar, some of them work at the juice bar and the salon, and some do aesthetics and also do events 4SOUL SOCIETY, CONTINUED ON PAGE 47

3Michaela Kawryga (front, left), owner of The Emerson and Soul Society, with her employees.

PHOTO CREDIT: BRIDGET BELLUCCI/ BRIDGET PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO CREDIT: BRIDGET BELLUCCI/ BRIDGET PHOTOGRAPHY

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REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025 I 5

The Hayner Hoyt Corporation of Syracuse has been working to redevelop the building at 400 S. Salina St. in Syracuse, which is now known as City Center.

ERIC REINHARDT/CNYBJ

The expanded INSPYRE Innovation Hub (the former Tech Garden) at 235 Harrison St. in Syracuse as seen in this photo on Aug. 24.

ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ

INSPYRE Innovation Hub now open for startups, innovators, events It’s the former Tech Garden

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff I ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — After more than two years of work, the INSPYRE Innovation Hub (the former Tech Garden) is now home to the finalists in the Genius NY business accelerator and other tenants, and plans to hold events to welcome other entrepreneurs.

Officials were scheduled to formally open the expanded venue in a ceremony on Sept. 18. The $32 million project added two stories and 46,000 square feet to the facility. CenterState CEO an-

nounced the new name during the April 23 annual meeting at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter.

Buffalo–based M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB) on Sept. 10 announced it will be the founding sponsor of the INSPYRE Innovation Hub. M&T Bank’s sponsorship is for seven years but the bank didn’t disclose financial terms of the deal, a bank spokesperson told CNYBJ. The long-term sponsorship with CenterState CEO will expand efforts to accelerate entrepreneurism and startup growth, “cultivate industry-disrupting” technology, and fuel the region’s ecosys-

6 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

tem for talent development and attraction, M&T Bank said in its announcement.

With more than 90,000 square feet of space dedicated to helping founders grow their vision and bring a business to the next level, INSPYRE is New York’s largest business incubator, CenterState CEO said.

The expansion effort includes a 5,000-square-foot roof terrace for companies focused on uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) to launch and test drones; a 3,000-square-foot meeting room with 4INSPYRE, CONTINUED ON PAGE 47

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New ON-RAMP CEO starts work on workforce-training initiative

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff I ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — The effort to renovate the former Sears building will take about two to three years, and crews from Sutton Real Estate Company, LLC have been working on weatherizing and cleaning the structure ahead of the upcoming winter season.

That’s according to Carlene Lacey, CEO of the ON-RAMP initiative in Syracuse, who spoke with CNYBJ in an Aug. 27 phone interview.

The state’s ON-RAMP is short for One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Projects. New York on March 28 announced the former Sears building at 1300 S. Salina St. in Syracuse as the flagship workforce-innovation hub of the ON-RAMP initiative.

CenterState CEO on July 10 announced it had appointed Lacey as the inaugural CEO of ON-RAMP Syracuse.

In June, CenterState CEO said it officially acquired the former Sears building for the ON-RAMP initiative.

Both Lacey and CenterState CEO are currently working to secure a consulting firm to help them with the community-en-

input,” said Lacey.

She also notes that the community-engagement events haven’t happened yet because CenterState CEO is still evaluating requests for proposals (RFP) to help the organization hold those sessions.

Initial work

Carlene Lacey has started work as the inaugural CEO of ON-RAMP Syracuse.

PHOTO CREDIT: CENTERSTATE CEO

gagement component to help inform local residents about the purpose of the ONRAMP program.

[The goal is] “so that we can … get the input and ideas from the community, particularly those who live around there as to what do they believe … so we’ll be intentional in developing and designing the renderings for that space utilizing the

Since beginning her duties as CEO back in July, Lacey has been working to establish a communications and marketing brand strategy. CenterState CEO is working with three firms to help complete the process by the end of 2025. The company called Such Chaos of Skaneateles is helping with the Syracuse ON-RAMP branding and logo; DD.NYC of New York City is helping with the website; and Phu Concepts of Rochester is assisting with the communications plan, Lacey said.

Besides the communications and branding component, the effort early on involves listening tours, understanding from a workforce programmatic perspective what the community is looking for, working to understand what workforce programming already exists for collaboration purposes, and working with 4ON-RAMP, CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

The former Sears building at 1300 S. Salina St. in Syracuse will be redeveloped to serve as the site for New York State’s first ON-RAMP workforce-innovation hub.

ERIC REINHARDT/CNYBJ

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A rendering of the upcoming Onondaga Hotel that crews plan to build at the corner of East Fayette Street and South Warren Street. The site, which is currently occupied by M. Lemp Park, is owned by the Syracuse Industrial Development Agency (SIDA).

IMAGE CREDIT: CITY OF SYRACUSE

Developer hopes to start demolition work for Onondaga Hotel later this year

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — The Onondaga Hotel project is on track for a tentative parking-garage demolition in late 2025, with a 24month time frame from the groundbreaking to the opening of the facility.

That’s according to an Aug. 26 email from the City of Syracuse to CNYBJ. The developer, Sun Development & Management Corporation, plans to demolish the Warren Street parking garage before beginning work on hotel construction.

City officials and the developer announced the project on Jan. 24 in the City of Syracuse’s office space in One Park Place at 300 S. State St. The Syracuse Industrial Development Agency (SIDA) selected Sun Development & Management Companies — one of the largest Hilton hotel developers in the nation — to build the upcoming 240-room hotel at the corner of East Fayette Street and South Warren Street. M. Lemp Park currently occupies the site, which is just north of the South Warren Street parking garage.

“We’ve had a lot of housing development, which we know we need, but with some of the housing development, we’ve seen some hotel rooms come offline and that’s presented us with some challenges,” Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said to open his remarks at the project

10 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

announcement.

In total, the project will result in about 330 construction jobs, 52 permanent jobs, and $87 million in new investment for downtown Syracuse, according to the city’s announcement.

“Gaining a new full-service hotel in the heart of downtown Syracuse is an indicator of the economic development progress we have all been working hard to achieve,” Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. said. “The Onondaga Hotel will fulfill a critical need in the local tourism and convention sectors, support additional tourism activity, and create a new third space for our downtown residents and businesses.”

The newly constructed nine-story, Onondaga Hotel will be a part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, a high-end boutique brand that focuses on specialty, unique designs rooted in history and local culture. Hotel amenities — including the lobby lounge, restaurant, bar, ballroom, and break-out rooms for conferences and meetings will all be located on the top level — providing a roof-top view of

the city and community space for residents and visitors.

“Founded in 1989, Sun Development and Management Corporation is a family company with a guiding principle to partner with communities to bring world class hospitality that local residents and businesses are proud of,” Suraj Patel, president of Sun Development and Management, said in the city’s announcement.

Project origin

The City of Syracuse had partnered with SIDA, which issued a request for proposals for the site that it owns at the corner of East Fayette Street and South Warren Street.

Crews will build the hotel on both the SIDA property and additional land currently occupied by the “structurally compromised Warren Street Garage right next door,” Walsh said.

As a part of the project, the Sun firm will demolish the privately-owned Warren Street garage, per the city. To support the demolition of the parking garage, Syracuse will provide a $400,000 Restore New York grant, Walsh noted in his remarks.

“By repurposing this publicly owned land, working closely with our partners, we’re not only meeting the growing demand for hotel rooms and hospitality

M. Lemp Park, at the corner of East Fayette Street and South Warren Street, pictured here on Aug. 24, is the site of the upcoming Onondaga Hotel.

ERIC REINHARDT/CNYBJ

services in our city, but [also] we’re activating a new, vibrant space in the heart of downtown,” the mayor said.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon used his remarks to announce a $500,000 grant from the county’s hotel initiative, representing the largest grant the county has awarded from the program.

“I want to congratulate the City, specifically, for having the vision to go out

and look at your real estate and look at how that real estate can perform as we as a community strive to become the hub for memory-technology manufacturing in North America,” McMahon told the gathering in the Burnett Executive Conference Room at One Park Place.

“And that’s our goal and we’re going to achieve that goal. And to do that, you need a thriving hospitality industry.” n

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The Erie Canal Museum is located at 318 Erie Boulevard East in Syracuse.

PHOTO CREDIT: ZOEYADVERTISING

Bicentennial gala in Clinton Square to mark 200 years of Erie Canal and Syracuse

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff I ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — The Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) and the Erie Canal Museum will co-host the “Our Glorious Workplaces: Bicentennial Gala,” presented by Feldmeier Equipment on Oct. 17 from 5:30-10 p.m. in Clinton Square in downtown Syracuse.

The gala commemorates two historic milestones in Central New York: the bicentennial of the Erie Canal and the 200th anniversary of the incorporation of the Village of Syracuse. Guests will enjoy a farm-to-table plated dinner, drinks, and a program featuring local author Marilyn Higgins alongside staff from both organizations, exploring how the Erie Canal shaped the region’s past, present, and future.

“Two hundred years ago, this region was transformed by engineering,

ambition and civic determination,” Lisa Romano Moore, executive director of the OHA, said in the Sept. 4 announcement.

“This event is an opportunity to reflect on that legacy and demonstrate our common mission to examine those stories in full.”

Tickets cost $250 per person and are available at bit.ly/ BicentennialGala Proceeds from the event will benefit both the OHA and the Erie Canal Museum, supporting their missions to preserve and share the history of Central New York.

“The Erie Canal Museum is thrilled to be partnering with the Onondaga Historical Association to commemorate the bicentennials of both the opening of the Erie Canal and the founding of the

12 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

Village of Syracuse,” Natalie Stetson, executive director of the Erie Canal Museum, said in the OHA announcement. “Clinton Square has been the backdrop for a lot of history over the last two centuries, so it is a very fitting location for the Bicentennial Gala. We look forward to welcoming the community to join us as we look back at the last 200 years and forward to the next.”

The gala is presented by Feldmeier Equipment, whose commitment to supporting community institutions is helping bring this event to life. In addition to their sponsorship, the Feldmeier family will also provide a special-release beer and 4OHA, CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

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The renovation work on the Chimes Building at 500 S. Salina St. in Syracuse is currently focusing on the apartments on the upper floors.

ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ

Renovation work on Chimes Building apartments should be complete in Q1 of 2026

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff I ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — Crews from the Hayner Hoyt Corporation continue their work renovating the apartments in the upper floors of the Chimes Building.

The Allyn Family Foundation anticipates all the apartment units will be in place during the first quarter of 2026, says Maarten Jacobs, director of community prosperity at the Allyn Family Foundation, who spoke with CNYBJ on Aug. 27.

The 152,000-square-foot structure has 12 floors. The Chimes Building

is listed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings.

The project cost is about $48 million, a figure that includes the building-purchase price. Plans call for renovating the Chimes Building into 152 mixed-income units with additional retail and office space on the first and second floors.

Jacobs says the Hayner Hoyt crews are renovating the apartments in the upper floors first and working their way down the building. They actually skipped the 12th floor because at the time renovation work started, the structure needed a new roof, which has since been addressed.

3An example of the kitchen area in a unit on one of the upper floors of the Chimes Building at 500 S. Salina St. in Syracuse.

PHOTO CREDIT: MAARTEN JACOBS / ALLYN FAMILY FOUNDATION

14 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

“They start working floor by floor. At [floor] 11, we have cabinets in the apartments. All the sheet rock is up. Ceilings are done. All the electrical is in,” Jacobs tells CNYBJ. The renovation work on the 11th and 10th floors provides a “good picture” of what the apartments are going to look like, he adds. The apartment-renovation work on the lower floors is still to come.

Jacobs also addressed the involvement of New York State Homes and Community Renewal.

“We received some home funding … administered by the City but it’s a federal HUD program which will ensure affordability for 10 of the apartments. We’re certainly doing more than that, but it provides funding specifically for those 10,” he says.

HUD is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The effort so far has also included replacing all the windows in the Chimes Building, he notes.

Besides the Hayner Hoyt Corporation of Syracuse, in-ARCHITECTS of Syracuse handled the design work for the project.

“It’s been a great team that’s problem solving together and keeping things on track and on schedule,” Jacobs adds. “We are very happy with the outcome thus far.”

The Allyn Family Foundation isn’t currently accepting applications for the apartments, but a wait list is available at seedsyracuse.org. Those interested only need to submit an email address.

“We’ll have a model unit ready sometime in October, and after that, I think we’re going to start doing some preleasing most likely in November,” says Jacobs.

The foundation, which is made up of members of the Allyn family, awarded a grant of $8.2 million to a nonprofit it set up called SEED Syracuse that handled the purchase. SEED is short for Social Equity Economic Development. The building purchase closed in July 2023.

Jacobs also notes that the Allyn Family Foundation isn’t yet

A rendering of the exterior of the Chimes Building, showing how it will look once the renovation project is complete.

IMAGE CREDIT: IN-ARCHITECTS VIA ALLYN FAMILY FOUNDATION

ready to announce the five new commercial tenants on the first floor, who will begin occupying space in the second quarter of 2026.

“We’ve been able to execute a few leases and that we anticipate that the first floor of that building will soon be alive again when it hasn’t been for 30-plus years.”

The foundation will also be partnering with Access CNY, committing up to 15 apartments available for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The 152,000-square-foot Chimes Building opened at the southwest corner of South Salina and West Onondaga streets in 1929, becoming one of Syracuse’s “most prominent” office buildings, per the website of the Allyn Family Foundation. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon architects, the same New York City firm that designed the Empire State n Building two years later, per the website.

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REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025 I 15

Crews working to build new apartments inside The Post, the headquarters of VIP Structures. The effort represents the second phase of the company’s work to repurpose the building, which was once home to The Post-Standard newspaper.

PHOTO CREDIT: VIP STRUCTURES

VIP building apartments in 2nd phase of The Post redevelopment

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff I ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — The second phase of VIP Structures’ adaptive reuse of The Post building involves a $17.6 million project to construct 72 new one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.

The Post, which is now home to VIP’s headquarters, is the former home of The Post-Standard newspaper and its one-time printing operations. The Post is the building across from Clinton Square that encompasses much of the entire block that’s bordered by North Salina Street, West Genesee Street, South Clinton Street, and

Herald Place.

VIP started demolition work inside The Post back in May, says Chuck Wallace, president of VIP Development Associates, Inc., who spoke with CNYBJ in a Sept. 5 phone interview.

“Since then, we’ve started [transitioning] to actual construction,” he notes.

VIP is the contractor, the architect, the engineer, the developer, and the property manager as well, Wallace tells CNYBJ. Wallace also represented the company in a Feb. 25 public hearing before the Syracuse Industrial Development Agency and spoke in favor of the project.

The first phase of the project focused

16 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

on the south end of the structure, or the one that faces Clinton Square. That effort included development of VIP’s office space.

Crews are constructing the apartments in the building’s former industrial printing space.

“It’s kind of a high bay area where we’re adding a floor in the middle and adding two floors of apartments in the area where their original press was,” says Wallace.

He says VIP originally intended to attract an industrial tenant for the area where crews are now building apartments, but the company couldn’t secure such a tenant.

It then decided to pivot toward apartments knowing that Syracuse needs housing.

“There’s a real need for housing in the downtown area and the county and surrounding areas in general, we thought we could create value and have a really good project by pivoting and going to apartments,” he says, noting the company decided to focus on building apartments in The Post in 2024.

VIP anticipates putting half the apartments on the market for leasing in May 2026 and the other half will be available in July 2026. The firm won’t start accepting applications for apartment until the first quarter of 2026, he notes.

“Averaging around 750 square feet, the units are tailored for modern living and will be supported by a suite of resident amenities: a fitness center, pet wash station, community lounge, business center, bike storage, tenant storage, and ample on-site parking,” VIP Structures said on its website, explaining the apartment project. n

The building branded as The Post is now the headquarters of VIP Structures, which is constructing 72 apartments as part of the second phase of the adaptive reuse project.

PHOTO CREDIT: ZOEYADVERTISING.COM

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REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025 I 17

Travis Overton, CEO of BCA Architects & Engineers, inside the firm’s office at 225 West Jefferson St. in Syracuse’s Armory Square.

ADAM ROMBEL / CNYBJ

One year in, BCA Architects is pleased with its Syracuse office Plans expansion to double space

BY ADAM ROMBEL Journal Staff I arombel@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — One year after opening an office in Syracuse’s Armory Square area, BCA Architects & Engineers is already intending to expand its space by double.

Watertown–based BCA in September 2024 opened a 2,400-square-foot Syracuse office on the ground floor of the Pomeroy Building at 225 West Jefferson St. It became the firm’s seventh New York state office after previous expansions into Ithaca (2014), Saratoga Springs (2016), Rochester (2020), Troy (2023), and Binghamton (2023) added to its Watertown main office.

Why open a Syracuse location?

“We’ve had our eye on opening an office in Syracuse for a number of years I would say. The main reason would be there’s so much going on, so much investment happening — it would be kind of foolish not to be here,” Travis Overton, CEO of BCA Architects & Engineers, says in a Sept. 5 interview with CNYBJ at the firm’s Syracuse office.

He continues, “We sort of had [Syracuse] surrounded. We had Rochester, the Capital Region, and then the Southern Tier with Ithaca and Binghamton. It really was just a matter of waiting for the right opportunity, the right person to sort of head it up. And those things came together.”

That right person was Taylor Woolf,

18 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

who started with BCA Architects & Engineers as an intern, earned his architectural license, and worked his way up to become a firm shareholder.

“Taylor, we asked him, ‘Hey what do you think about Syracuse?,’ “ Overton explains. “He’s a younger guy, kind of an up and coming, emerging professional.

He’s a go-getter… He’s got 20 ideas for every one we throw at him. He jumped at the chance.”

Without Woolf’s leadership, his eagerness, and ability to take on this responsibility, Overton adds that he’s not sure how BCA would have an office in Syracuse today.

4BCA, CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

Empowering Employers

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh addresses a gathering at Homer Wheaton Park on May 14, announcing another year of the City of Syracuse’s Adopt-a-Block program. The effort encourages residents to sign up and take responsibility for at least two city blocks and conduct monthly cleanups of those respective areas.

ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ

Syracuse Adopt-a-Block program is a way for people to get involved

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff I ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — The City of Syracuse’s Adopt-a-Block program, which is again in progress, is an initiative focused on trash and litter pick up across Syracuse neighborhoods.

Syeisha Byrd, commissioner of the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation, & Youth Programs, describes Adopt-a-Block as a program that “encourages residents and neighbors to continue to keep their neighborhoods clean.”

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh advises those interested in getting involved to go to the City of Syracuse website: syr.gov/

adoptablock.

“You have to commit to two blocks.

You can do either as an individual. You can do it with your employer. You can do it with your neighborhood with a block group,” the mayor said. “But again, the more people that we get involved, the less work there is for everyone, so it really is a community effort.”

The City of Syracuse held this year’s kickoff event at Homer Wheaton Park in May 14.

“Some of you may know that we have been working for the past couple years on a housing strategy, and one of our priority neighborhoods in right here in Salt Springs, and so we thought it was

20 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

appropriate that we come here and help clean up a little bit,” Walsh said to open his remarks.

It’s a program that the city has promoted and encouraged since the late 2010s. The annual announcements have happened in the spring.

“This time of year, once the snow finally melts, is one of the more challenging times when it comes to little because it collects over the course of the winter and then presents itself once the snow melts,” Walsh said at the spring kickoff event.

He went on to say that various Syracuse organizations have clean-ups in relation to Earth Day in April and those involved “put a good dent in it,” referencing the ac-

cumulated trash from the winter season.

The city’s Department of Public Works and environmental-services team are out “literally daily” picking up litter, Walsh added.

The mayor also used the occasion to remind residents they can alert city crews to litter problems by using the City Line app.

“You can call City Line at 448-CITY or you can use our app, which you can download on your phone. You can take a picture of the litter. It’ll locate where you are through your phone and you can submit it and that’s flag it for our environmental services and they’ll put it on their list and they’ll come clean it up,” Walsh said.

“Ultimately, the reason why we developed this program is because keeping our city beautiful and clean, number one, needs to happen year round, and number two, needs to be a community-wide effort.

There’s only so much that the City can do, but when we all are involved and work together, we can make an incredible impact,” he continued.

Syracuse Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens attended the event and helped with the morning cleanup around the park and Salt Springs neighborhood as well.

Walsh also said the Adopt-a-Block program has an “important component” relative to Onondaga County’s Save the Rain

Some of the people who attended the May 14 Adopt-a-Block event begin their effort to clean up litter on property across from Homer Wheaton Park, which is not far from Le Moyne College on Syracuse’s east side.

ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ

program. Litter that doesn’t get picked up often ends up in storm drains, which can end up in waterways, in Onondaga Creek, and eventually into Onondaga Lake.

“So, it isn’t just about keeping our city looking good, it’s about keeping 4ADOPT-A-BLOCK, CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

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REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025 I 21

Meeting the Demand for Syracuse’s Resurgence One step at a time

S

yracuse is undergoing tremendous growth and revitalization — as evidenced by the flurry of construction activity around us today. Earlier this year, I announced the City of Syracuse Central Permit Office reported 2024 marked the highest permitted construction value in Syracuse history. The $413.5 million record includes both residential and commercial-building permits and represents the projected value of construction work for permits requested annually.

This level of construction activity is possible because the city is making economic development a priority and providing the additional resources and incentives to support this growth. Our updated Zoning Ordinance gives us more flexible and modern standards for how land is used and developed in the city. With updates including increased density allowance, mixed-income housing requirements and more housing options, we can build stron-

ger, more connected neighborhoods.

Additionally, major initiatives including the Syracuse Housing Strategy and Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative are ensuring we are prioritizing housing policy and investments. Through these efforts, we are constructing new homes, supporting affordable housing, improving commercial corridors, and creating housing opportunities for current and future residents.

As our community evolves and new opportunities take shape, the City of Syracuse is committed to making sure local government keeps pace with what our community needs. That is why we are going digital with applications required to do work in the city. Just last month, the Central Permit Office migrated all residential and commercial permit applications to the city’s online application portal, making it easier for residents and businesses to access and apply for build-

VIEWPOINT: BEN WALSH MAYOR City of Syracuse

ing and site permits.

The portal streamlines review approvals, while offering convenient 24-hour electronic access. Applicants can track their application status online, upload required documents, connect with City of Syracuse staff, and conveniently pay fees with a credit card. It serves homeowners 4WALSH, CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

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Syracuse mayor unveils playground improvements at Skiddy Park on Near Westside

BY JOURNAL STAFF news@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — Skiddy Park on Syracuse’s Near Westside is home to updated, accessible play equipment for children ages 2-12.

The 2.75-acre neighborhood park is located at 300 Tioga St., in front of Syracuse STEM at Blodgett Middle School. The Skiddy Park playground surface & equipment retrofit project cost about $400,000, according to the City of Syracuse government.

“Skiddy Park is a center of activity for families and children of all ages, and I’m excited about these new improvements.

Near Westside neighbors deserve a safe,

A visual outlining the City of Syracuse’s Skiddy Park playground surface & equipment retrofit project.

PHOTO CREDIT: CITY OF SYRACUSE

accessible, and well-maintained park in walking distance,” Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said in an Aug. 11 announcement..

“At Skiddy Park and around Syracuse, we will continue to invest in park enhancements to provide families a space to spend time together. They are essential to our residents’ quality of life.”

The improvements include a new play area for children ages 2-5, a new We-Go-

Swing for wheelchair users, a complete safety surface replacement for increased accessibility, and improvements to existing play equipment for children ages 5-12, according to Walsh’s office. More information on the Skiddy Park playground surface & equipment retrofit is available at: https://www.syr.gov/Projects/ActiveProjects/Parks-Projects/Skiddy-ParkPlayground-Surface-Equipment-Retrofit n

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REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025 I 23

PHOTO CREDIT: CIARA FELTHEM

Customers enjoy the rooftop bar at Emerald Cocktail Kitchen, locat-

The work to renovate the fountain in Syracuse’s Hanover Square was ongoing in this photo on Sept. 9.

ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ

Renovation of Hanover Square fountain to wrap by year’s end

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff I ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — The effort to renovate the fountain in Hanover Square, which started back in mid-June, is ongoing and will continue through the fall.

The City of Syracuse, Department of Parks, Recreation, & Youth Programs says the work area is at the intersection of Warren, Water, and East Genesee streets

in the downtown area.

The project “marks a significant step in revitalizing one of downtown Syracuse’s most historic and cherished public spaces,” the department said in its announcement.

Key improvements will include restoration of the original 1981 central fountain and water-circulation system. That work will maintain the waterspout and cascading water features.

24 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

In addition, the work includes installation of new lighting and mechanical infrastructure, enhanced landscaping and planting beds, and site accessibility repairs and pedestrian-circulation updates.

The project cost is about $1.5 million and QPK Design, LLP of Syracuse is the architect on this initiative. JMR Excavation of Skaneateles is the general contractor, Burns Bros Contractors of Syracuse is the plumbing contractor, and

“This project is a reinvestment in the cultural and architectural heart of downtown.”

— Syeisha Byrd, commissioner of the Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation, & Youth Programs

A QPK Design rendering of what the renovated fountain in Hanover Square will look like when complete.

RENDERING CREDIT: QPK DESIGN WEBSITE

O’Connell Electric Company is the electrician, per the City of Syracuse Office of Communications.

“After feedback from stakeholders, the Landscape Architecture team at QPK Design developed a modern, resilient façade for the fountain, enhanced seating via integrated seat walls, new lighting and planting improvements,” according to a QPK Design website page providing details about the project.

“This project is a reinvestment in the cultural and architectural heart of downtown,” Syeisha Byrd, Department of Parks, Recreation, & Youth Programs commissioner, said in the announcement. “By restoring the fountain and introducing new features like lighting, seating, and sounds, we’re reinforcing Hanover Square as a destination and point of pride for Syracuse residents, businesses, and visitors.”

Construction will continue through late fall 2025 with work hours scheduled for weekdays from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. “with minimal disruption to surrounding businesses,” the department noted. West Genesee Street will remain accessible for emergency and pedestrian use throughout construction. n

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REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025 I 25

Customers enjoy a night of golf at another location of the Five Iron Golf chain of indoor golf simulators PHOTO CREDIT: SWING PROJECT ERIE, LLC

Five Iron Golf takes a swing at Syracuse market with downtown venue

BY VANCE MARRINER Journal Staff I vmarriner@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — Onondaga County has long had many venues in its suburbs and rural communities where people can enjoy golf. Soon, Central New York golfers will be able to tee off year-round in the heart of downtown Syracuse.

A franchise location of the Five Iron Golf chain of indoor golf simulators is slated to open at the City Center building in December 2025 or January 2026.

Syracuse’s Five Iron Golf will be operated by Swing Project Erie, LLC, a franchisee that currently operates a Five Iron Golf location in Erie, Pennsylvania. The

local franchise will be helmed by Erie– based partners Chase Rogan and Drew Whiting, along with local partner Jeremy Thurston, president of Hayner Hoyt Corp.

Hayner Hoyt is the contractor of record, completing the build-out for the project.

According to Five Iron Golf’s corporate website, the Syracuse franchise is one of eight new developments that will be opening in the near future. The chain’s website lists 33 locations that are currently operating across the United States.

Partner Chase Rogan, a golf-course superintendent turned entrepreneur, describes Five Iron Golf as, “a mix of a golfer’s paradise and an entertainment venue tied into one.”

26 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

The Syracuse location, occupying 11,200 square feet with an expected staff of about 30 employees, will feature eight simulators, each of which allows up to six players to engage in a number of golf-related games and activities.

One option will be to play a game of golf at a virtual PGA Tour course like Pebble Beach. Rogan explains. “The simulators are perfect for golfers who want to work on their game or play a world-renowned golf course. The simulators have cameras on them that’ll record your swing and play it back for you. And then you get a ton of data about your swing path, your club path, your swing speed, all these different things that can help you improve

your golf game. So, for the golfer, you can come in and play real golf there.”

There are also options for those who aren’t necessarily looking for detailed swing analytics or to simulate world-renowned courses. Rogan says, “For the person that’s just seeking a Friday night out, the golf simulators have games that are designed for beginners and non-golfers.”

Five Iron Golf Syracuse will also offer golf lessons and custom club fitting.

For non-golfers or those just looking to take a break from the links, there will also be a sports bar and duck-pin bowling lanes. Rogan says. “There’s that other piece of entertainment, the duck-pin bowling, that’s great for parties, corporate events, things like that, but it’s a piece of entertainment for people who aren’t interested in playing the golf.”

Rogan describes the future Five Iron Golf location as an option for birthday parties, corporate events, or draft parties.

He says of his anticipated clientele, “I’d say our typical customer is the sports lover who likes active entertainment and is looking for something active to do.

Typically, age 20 to 45 is kind of the target demographic, but we’re also a family establishment. We get a lot of families

A client takes a lesson at another location of the Five Iron Golf chain of indoor golf simulators.

PHOTO CREDIT: SWING PROJECT ERIE, LLC

that come into our venue here in Erie. So, we’re looking for people who are interested in playing golf or just seeking out entertainment.”

Based on its success in Erie, Rogan is optimistic about the future of Five Iron Golf in Syracuse and upstate New York in general. Future locations in Rochester and Buffalo are also being considered.

You’ve worked hard to build your business.

“When we were kind of looking at the next site, I’d say Syracuse stood out just because of what’s happening with the [Micron] chip plant there and then the other construction that’s happening downtown,” Rogan says. “It seems like there’s a really, a lot of positive energy and positive things happening right now.

A lot of good tailwinds behind the city.” n

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The interior of the Landmark Theatre following the summertime interior renovation work.

PHOTO CREDIT: AMELIA BEAMISH

Latest phase of interior renovation work at Landmark Theatre now complete

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff I ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — The work to restore the 97-year-old auditorium inside the Landmark Theatre is now complete with the latest Broadway in Syracuse season underway, starting with “Hamilton” from Sept. 9-21.

The renovation work focused on the restoration of the proscenium (the arch that goes over the stage), the area between the proscenium and the balcony rail, and then the balcony and the ceiling, Mike Intaglietta, executive director of the Landmark Theatre, told CNYBJ in an Aug. 21 phone interview.

“That area is lit naturally just by about one chandelier … so we’re going to be working on getting some lighting in there so that people can see all the work that we did because it is pretty spectacular,” he added.

The work on the project started after the completion of the run of “Beetlejuice” back in the spring.

John Tiedemann, Inc. of North Arlington, New Jersey is the contractor that worked on the Landmark’s auditorium renovations. The same firm handled work on both the Marriott Syracuse Downtown (the former Hotel Syracuse) and the interior of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown

28 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

Syracuse, per the Tiedemann website.

Jamie Williams from Holmes King Kallquist & Associates, Architects handled the design work on the project.

“The only thing that we have left to do is to reset the theatre, putting chairs back,” Intaglietta said in the interview.

This phase of the restoration project cost about $1.5 million, Intaglietta told CNYBJ. This group of projects at the Landmark Theatre is board approved through a facility-improvement plan, he noted. The work started back in 2021 and included the replacement of the auditorium seating and marquee.

“We still need to address the areas

under the balcony, so the orchestra level, as well as the very, very rear of the balcony … doesn’t require a huge mobilization of scaffolds,” he said.

In describing the work completed in the past few months, Intaglietta explained that crews cleaned the plaster, so they could identify the original colors of the theatre, which had been long covered up in tobacco residue. They also repaired the plaster where necessary.

“And this repair work requires making molds of existing work and then recasting the plaster work and then painting it all to match. In order to do that, we actually did a full repaint of the entire theatre,” he added.

Crews also took some steps to ensure that some areas that are frequently damaged had a little bit of extra protection, especially in the proscenium arch.

Intaglietta — who leads the nonprofit called Syracuse Area Landmark Theatre, which owns and operates the theatre — says the organization takes its responsibility to maintain, restore, and improve the theatre “very seriously.”

“This is the community’s theatre, and we’re just the stewards of it. We hope that everyone’s able to come down and see all

The Landmark Theatre, which recently started its latest Broadway in Syracuse season with “Hamilton,” says the interior renovation work that was conducted during the summer months is now complete.

ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ

the work that we’re doing and appreciate all the effort that has gone into both building and keeping the theatre active.

It’s a wondrous, one-of-a-kind-place, and we want the community to be proud of it,” he said. n

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Redhouse has a new marquee, unveiled after honoring board member Hider

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff I ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — It was a summer evening in mid-July when the Redhouse Arts Center formally unveiled its new marquee.

The marquee’s lighting marked the first time in nearly 60 years that downtown Syracuse had two lit marquees on its main downtown strip, and the first brand new marquee on South Salina Street in more than a century, according to the Redhouse.

“The whole point of this marquee is to tell people where we are,” Franklin Fry, executive director of the Redhouse Arts Center, said in his remarks at the July 15 event.

The Redhouse paid for the $125,000 marquee using funding sources that included a New York Main Street grant through the New York State Department of Homes and Community Renewal.

The Central New York Community Foundation matched the state’s contribution, according to Fry. Prior to the marquee lighting, the “Light the Town Red Soiree” event on July 15 included the presentation of the inaugural Redhouse Arts Center Lifetime Achievement Award presentation to long-time board member Bill Hider.

The Redhouse Arts Center is a nonprofit cultural and performing-arts organization that has presented dozens of performances at City Center at 400 S. Salina St. since 2018.

“I’m overwhelmed. So exciting seeing all of you here supporting the Red House and come out to see me win this award. It’s very touching. It’s very touching to see all the friends and family

Bill Hider, a long-time board member of the Redhouse Arts Center who was recognized with the inaugural Redhouse Arts Center Lifetime Achievement Award on July 15.

ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ

that came … I appreciate that,” Hider said in addressing the gathering inside the Redhouse Arts Center.

The organization says it was Hider who had the vision and leadership to move the Redhouse from a 90-seat walk-up theatre at 201 S. West Street to the 43,000-square-foot, multi-theatre performing-arts center that it is today.

The Redhouse says it became the anchor and original tenant in 2018 of a building complex that is now called City Center. The organization credits Hider’s vision that “helped give downtown Syracuse a fresh and vibrant place” that now draws more than 25,000 visitors annually.

The July 15 red-carpet fundraiser included cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, live music by Isaac Betters, vocalist Michael Ranalli, pianist Jimmy Cox, and The Cadleys.

“As Redhouse lights the first brand new Salina Street marquee in a century, we hope it serves as a beacon for our community. It will welcome and empower our local artists to bring forward their visions of our community for us all to see,” Fry said in the Redhouse Arts Center announcement.

To acknowledge the new marquee, several Syracuse city landmarks lit their buildings red in “solidarity with and celebration of” the Redhouse Arts Center. They included City Hall, City Center, Crouse Health, Loretto, National Grid, Barclay Damon, St Joseph’s Health, the gate and Exposition Center at the New York State Fairgrounds in the town of Geddes, and the Oncenter - ASM Global Syracuse.

And just up the street from the Redhouse, the Landmark Theatre, which the Redhouse describes as its “neighbor and elder Salina Street sibling,” n also had its marquee lit in red.

3 The Redhouse Arts Center at 400 S. Salina St. in Syracuse lit its new marquee for the first time on July 15 to conclude a fundraising event. The organization says it was the first time in nearly 60 years that S. Salina St. had two lit marquees, with the nearby Landmark Theatre marquee also lit red (bottom of photo).

ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ

30 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

THE LISTS

Research by Vance Marriner I vmarriner@cnybj.com (315) 579-3911 I @cnybjresearch

MUSEUMS IN THE CITY OF SYRACUSE Ranked by Square Footage of Exhibit Space Rank

1.

Name Address Phone/Website Onondaga Historical Association 321 Montgomery St. Syracuse, NY 13202 (315) 428-1864/cnyhistory.org

Square Feet of Exhibit Space 38,000

2.

Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) 500 S. Franklin St. Syracuse, NY 13202 (315) 425-9068/most.org

35,000

3.

Syracuse University Art Museum Shaffer Art Building Syracuse, NY 13244 (315) 443-4097/museum.syr.edu Everson Museum of Art 401 Harrison St. Syracuse, NY 13202 (315) 474-6064/everson.org Erie Canal Museum 318 Erie Boulevard East Syracuse, NY 13202 (315) 471-0593/eriecanalmuseum.org

20,000

4.

5.

14,000

12,000

FT Employees — Executive Director or Top Year Volunteers Nature of Operations Executive Estab.

14 the organization exists to inspire people’s understanding that Lisa Romano Moore, Executive 1863 — the history we share as a community is the foundation for our Director 85 future together. Our purpose is to educate and to encourage the exploration, appreciation, and utilization of the past in order to add value throughout our community and bring the great stories of Onondaga County’s history to a worldwide audience.

29 a hands-on science and technology museum focused on Lauren Kochian, President 1981 — dynamic science education that engages learners of all ages 300 and abilities. It features 35,000 square feet of interactive exhibits plus the state-of-the-art National Grid ExploraDome theatre. The museum operates numerous STEM education programs and community outreach events throughout the year.

7 teaching museum that acquires and preserves important Emily Dittman, Director NA — works of art and uses its extensive collection to serve as a 8 museum-laboratory for exploration, experimentation, and discussion NA modern and contemporary American art museum; engages Elizabeth Dunbar, Director & CEO 1897 — diverse communities, inspires curiosity, and lifelong learning, NA and contributes to a more vital and inclusive society 6 — 40

showcasing the only remaining weighlock building in the U.S., the museum collects and preserves Erie Canal material, and provides engaging educational experiences that champion an appreciation and understanding of the Erie Canal’s transforming effects on the past, present, and future

Natalie Stetson, Executive Director

1962

Information was provided by representatives of listed organizations and their websites. Other groups may have been eligible but did not respond to our requests for information. While The Business Journal strives to print accurate information, it is not possible to independently verify all data submitted. We reserve the right to edit entries or delete categories for space considerations.

Central New York includes Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Seneca, Tioga, and Tompkins counties.

REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025 I 31

Crews on Aug. 26 continued their work on the $100 million Inner Harbor aquarium.

ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ

Inner Harbor aquarium should be ready by mid-2026

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff I ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says the Inner Harbor aquarium is set for completion in mid-2026.

“This facility will be open in less than a year. The exterior of the facility will be likely completed at the end of this year and then the interior [work] will begin,” McMahon said in remarks at an event on Aug. 13.

A spokesman for McMahon says C&S Engineers is the designer of record. The firm’s primary consultants are St. Louis, Missouri–based PGAV Destinations, which focused on aquarium concepts, exhibits, graphics, patron experience; Seattle, Washington–based MLA Engineering, which focused on aquatic concrete; Penfield, N.Y. –based Popli Design Group, which has an office in Syracuse and focused on the mechanical engineering component; TJP Engineering of Bend, Oregon, which focused on life-support systems; CME Associates, Inc. of DeWitt, which provided insight on the project’s geotechnical component.

“The aquarium, outside of telling [about] the cleanup [of] and the story of Onondaga Lake; the fresh-water story of New York State; and then certainly the

saltwater exhibits that will really help attract people from all over New York and all over the Northeast and arguably the country, offers a unique opportunity for the arts and cultural industry,” McMahon said.

He was speaking at an event at Studio Central Post at 201 S. West St. in Syracuse announcing incentives for the future aquarium as a location for filmmakers.

It’s a $100 million project that still needs $6 million in fundraising, and McMahon told reporters he’s “extremely confident” that raising the funding “won’t be an issue.”

“We have commitments that are starting to come in, and we have naming-rights deals that are in the end stages of negotiations.

And we have other economic partnerships that we’ll be announcing,” McMahon said.

“We have little concern about filling the remainder of the $6 million … We’ll raise more than the $6 million and we’ll likely put some of that away to implement some of our educational programming.”

Film incentive

Any kind of film work that is conducted at the upcoming Inner Harbor aquarium will qualify for the Onondaga County local PRIMED tax credit.

PRIMED is short for the Onondaga County Production Rebate Incentives for

32 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

Movies and Entertainment Development, per the website of CNY Arts. PRIMED is an incentive-based rebate program designed to support television, commercial advertising campaigns, and feature-film productions in Onondaga County.

PRIMED offers a 25-30 percent rebate, up to $300,000, on all qualified local expenditures in Onondaga County, CNY Arts said.

“Since 2021, PRIMED has generated over 100,000 labor hours for local crew,” Alexander Korman, executive director of CNY Arts, said in his remarks at the Aug. 13 event. “PRIMED has also generated over $8 million in direct economic impact right here in Onondaga County and adjacent sectors like hospitality, lodging, transportation.”

McMahon said Onondaga County also plans to work with Visit Syracuse and Eric Vinal, VP of film, TV & entertainment at Visit Syracuse, to get the upcoming aquarium, once complete, registered for the New York State film tax credits.

“We will work with our team at ZoOceanarium, who will be running the facility, in offering discounted rates to use the facility for production of film,” McMahon said.

Film production could be handled by companies such as American High, a local film-production studio, or even the

nonprofit sector, such as WCNY, Syracuse University, and Le Moyne College.

The county executive made the Aug. 13 announcement at Studio Central Post at 201 S. West St. in Syracuse, noting that the county is “really excited about this.”

He went on to say that the aquarium will be open in less than a year. The facility’s exterior will be likely completed at the end of this year and then crews will begin the interior work.

“But we have amazing partners here that will be using this much more than people just coming in and seeing the exotic marine life that are there,” McMahon said.

Besides McMahon and Vinal, those attending the announcement included Danny Liedka, president and CEO of Visit Syracuse; Jeremy Garelick, founder and CEO of American High; Monte Young, co-founder and managing partner of Studio Central Post; Franklin Fry, executive director of Red House Arts Center; Alex Corman, executive director of CNY Arts; and Onondaga County Legislator Shawn Fiato.

Project history

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon (in red shirt) on Aug. 13 addressed reporters at Studio Central Post at 201 S. West St. in Syracuse, as he announced filming incentives for the upcoming Inner Harbor aquarium.

ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ

The Onondaga County Legislature narrowly approved the project in a 9-8 vote during its meeting of Aug. 2, 2022.

Like the legislators who voted against it, some segments of the community believed county officials could’ve spent that

money on other matters, such as poverty in the Syracuse area.

But in the end the project was approved, following 10 months of debate about it after McMahon first announced

the aquarium initiative in early October 2021.

The aquarium project is an expansion 4AQUARIUM, CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

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Festivals give downtown revitalization a boost

BY ADAM ROMBEL Journal Staff I arombel@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — As the revitalization and growth of downtown Syracuse continues, festivals are providing a lift because they attract new visitors to downtown and showcase it, while increasing the urban-lifestyle amenities for those who call downtown home.

Downtown festivals attract hundreds of thousands of attendees annually to Syracuse’s central business area, which provides a number of follow-on business and economic benefits.

The Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival, held from July 25-27 in the Columbus Circle area of downtown, drew a crowd of 30,000 people this year, says Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc., which puts on that festival annually. Treier spoke with CNYBJ in an Aug. 25 phone interview and she credited the Downtown Committee’s pedestrian counting software for generating the crowd figure.

Throughout the weekend, attendees were able to shop and browse many

The 2025 Festa Italiana was held from Sept. 12-14.

Pictured is the 2021 event.

ADAM ROMBEL/CNYBJ FILE PHOTO

contemporary arts and crafts, including ceramics, sculptures, photography, painting, woodwork, and jewelry.

Downtown Syracuse hosts about a 15 festivals each year, according to Treier. The biggest one is Taste of Syracuse, which was held this year from June 6-7 and is organized by the events arm of Galaxy Media. Taste of Syracuse — described by Galaxy as Central New York’s biggest food and music festival — attracted an estimated 200,000 people over two days.

Other key festivals drawing big crowds to downtown include the Polish Festival, held in Clinton Square this year from June 20-22; the Syracuse Irish Festival, hosted at Clinton Square Sept. 5-6; and Festa Italiana, held in front of Syracuse City Hall from Sept. 12-14.

The impact of festivals

These festivals play a critical role in downtown’s growth and renewal, says Treier.

“Festivals add to the quality of life that we can offer here in Syracuse and downtown Syracuse. They offer an opportunity to showcase the different assets that we

have here – whether that’s arts and culture or people and cultures. The festivals provide a platform for celebration to take place,” she says.

Treier explains, “When [festivals] are taking place in downtown Syracuse, it’s a tremendous opportunity to bring people” into downtown’s central business district.

“It helps them kind of explore and understand what there is to offer, while also providing that platform to celebrate our different cultures and art forms.”

And that translates into an economic boost.

“That is the hope, with the festivals and events bringing people into the downtown area, not only for that event but also to provide them with a reason or excuse to come into the downtown district,” Treier notes. “From there, the opportunity to discover a new restaurant they have not seen before… or learning about a new business, or museum that they have not known about before.”

Besides the well-known, established festivals, newer events are also making an impact. The 315 Thursdays Music Series attracted music fans to Hanover

Square every Thursday in August and to the Westcott neighborhood of Syracuse every Thursday night in September. The series has become popular and developed quite a following, Treier says.

BabelFest is another emerging event.

Put on by Redhouse Arts Center from Sept. 25-28, it was a free weekend of 11 “groundbreaking new plays that feature emerging voices and underrepresented perspectives,” according to the Redhouse.

“The more festivals that we have coming through our community is helping to highlight a lot of our different amenities that exist here and helping to establish Syracuse as a center for arts and culture in our region,” says Treier, who is also president of the Downtown Syracuse Foundation, Inc. Helping in the effort to foster new

and emerging festivals is the Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund, which was established by the City of Syracuse government budget and is administered by the Downtown Syracuse Foundation on behalf of the city.

In the latest round, $135,000 in grants was available for festivals planned to be held between October 2025 and September 2026 and eligible for consideration. Applications for grant amounts between $3,000 and $10,000 per festival were considered and grant dollars are intended to support 501 (c)(3) and 501 (c)(4) nonprofit community groups in delivering celebratory events that focus on a particular theme. The events must be free for the public to attend (with no ticket purchase necessary), take place

in public spaces, and offer entertainment and/or activities for attendees.

“Putting together and finding funding for festivals is a challenge. So to be able to help support nonprofits in delivering these events to the community was really important,” says Treier.

Success stories emerging from the Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund include BabelFest. Another success example is the Syracuse Art Trail, a collaborative project between CNY Arts and local arts and culture organizations, held July 18-27 this year.

For the 2024 edition of the Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund application process, 27 festivals across the city of Syracuse were allocated funding, says Treier. The 2025 grant process was in progress as this publication went to press.

AQUARIUM

officials “the confidence to undertake this [project].”

The county executive called the aquarium project a “tourism year-round asset … that we can sell.”

The aquarium project will also provide “unique opportunities” for the county to partner with its higher-education institutions and research, McMahon contends.

“It will provide great opportunities to tell one of the greatest stories we’ve had in our community with the cleanup of Onondaga Lake and its tributaries and work in the history of this lake and what it’s meant to our community and how for the first time in a generation what is happening around it as it becomes the epicenter for recreational and leisure activity once again,” he said. n

continued from page 33

of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, McMahon told local reporters following the county legislature’s vote. The project idea came from the Friends of the Zoo, he said.

McMahon credited zoo officials, such as former executive director Ted Fox and his team, for their work in giving county

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In this photo taken on Aug. 24, construction equipment is parked outside the Syracuse STEAM High School at 701 Warren St. South and East Adams Street in Syracuse. Even though classes have started for the first freshman students, the renovation effort continues. The project was among those mentioned in this year’s State of Downtown report by the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ

Downtown Committee report chronicles project activity

BY ERIC REINHARDT Journal Staff I ereinhardt@cnybj.com

meetings & corporate events galas & bashes weddings & private parties off-premise catering www.skyarmory.com 36 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

SYRACUSE — More than $290 million of development activity has been announced or is underway in downtown Syracuse.

This past year, 24 new businesses opened, bringing new cuisine, new experiences, and new energy to key downtown corridors between 2024 and 2025. In total, downtown Syracuse is home to 260 storefront businesses.

Those figures were part of the State of Downtown report that Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse Inc., delivered during the organization’s annual meeting held June 18 in the ballroom of the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter.

The organization provided CNYBJ with a copy of Treier’s remarks from the meeting.

Projects listed

Examples of ongoing projects include a $2.6 million upgrade at the Upstate Medical Arena at The Oncenter War Memorial that seeks to improve seating and accessibility.

In addition, CenterState CEO’s $32 million INSPYRE Innovation Hub was scheduled for a Sept. 18 formal opening, described as New York’s largest entrepreneurial incubator.

West Onondaga Street will have projects targeting pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure as well as new gateway treatments, thanks to a $3 million project of the City of Syracuse and funding from New York’s

Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).

The projects also include new housing opportunities.

The property at 250 Harrison St. is getting 30 new apartments through a $13 million redevelopment with support from both the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County.

The Allyn Family Foundation’s $46 million redevelopment of the Chimes Building into 152 mixed-income apartments and new commercial space is ongoing.

And, at downtown’s southern gateway, the new Syracuse STEAM High School remains under construction, even as it has opened to welcome 250 new students to the area (STEAM is short for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics).

Elsewhere, Sun Development & Management Corporation has plans to build a new $87 million, 245-room hotel at the site of Lemp Park and the Warren Street parking garage.

One block south, a $1.5 million grant was secured to support the redevelopment of the Jefferson Building into 27 apartments and retail space. And work continues at the Mizpah Towers to convert the historic structure into a mix of spacious apartments, a performance venue, a café, and office suites.

On that same block of Montgomery Street, the Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) is underway with a $5 million project to expand its research center, add capacity to host events, and improve the care of its collections.

In addition, the City of Syracuse in partnership with the Syracuse Firefighters Memorial Fund will invest $400,000 to improve Fayette Firefighters Memorial Park with new landscaping and commemorative bricks around the belltower.

Fronting the park, Douglas Development will invest $25 million into 420-430 East Genesee St., redeveloping two vacant buildings into 57 apartments.

Work also continues at Hanover Square Park where the City of Syracuse is using a $1 million investment for a more resilient fountain façade, improved lighting, and more seating.

Across Warren Street, Hanover Development will convert the former City Hall Commons Building into a mix of 39 market-rate and affordable apartments. The renovations will introduce commercial space in the glass atrium.

On Clinton Square, VIP Structures plans to spend $17.6 million to add 72 apartments to The Post. This work is scheduled to finish next spring.

In Armory Square, plans are in place for the demolition of the Clinton Street Parking Garage and a $23 million investment to build the Clinton at Armory Square, a new construction project that will add 88 apartments and 3,000 square feet of retail space.

Investments continue into downtown’s cultural anchors.

The Landmark Theatre completed a $1.5 million restoration of its 97-year-old auditorium. When patrons returned in September, they were greeted with a restored stagehouse to enjoy this season’s lineup.

In addition, the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (The MOST) received a $2.8 million grant to renovate space in its eastern wing for new STEAM educan tional space.

REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025 I 37

THE LISTS

Research by Vance Marriner I vmarriner@cnybj.com (315) 579-3911 I @cnybjresearch

CULTURAL & PERFORMING-ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY OF SYRACUSE Listed Alphabetically Name Rank

.

Address

FY 2024

FT Staff

Phone/Website

Budget

Volunteers

Primary Focus

Key Executives

Estab.

CNY Jazz Arts Foundation, Inc.

$568,000

2

jazz programming in concert, cabaret, scholastic, & festival settings,

Laurance Luttinger, Executive

1996

10

arts-in-education service, youth-at-risk cultural programs

Director

441 E. Washington St.

Year

Syracuse, NY 13202

Cathleen O'Brien, General Manager

(315) 479-5299/cnyjazz.org

Cherie Giraud, Donor Engagement Manager

.

Famous Artists / Broadway in Syracuse

NA

374 South Salina St.

NA

national touring Broadway musicals, specials, presented at the

Albert Nocciolino, President NAC

0

Landmark Theatre and Oncenter at Crouse Hinds Theater

Enterprises/Famous Artists

1949

7

performing-arts center

Mike Intaglietta, Executive Director

1928

theater, music, education

Franklin Fry, Executive Director

2004

NA

fosters a lively creative environment for new music in Central New

Heather Buchman, President

1971

50

York; brings musicians together to perform new music, support the

Frank M. Malfitano, Executive

1982

Syracuse, NY 13202 (315) 424-8210/BroadwayInSyracuse.com

.

Landmark Theatre

$4,400,000

362 S. Salina St.

300

Syracuse, NY 13202 (315) 475-7979/landmarktheatre.org

.

Redhouse Arts Center Inc.

NA

400 S. Salina St.

NA 100

Syracuse, NY 13202 (315) 425-0405/theredhouse.org

.

Society for New Music

NA

438 Brookford Road Syracuse, NY 13224

work of regional composers, and work to build the audience for new

(315) 446-5733/societyfornewmusic.org

.

Syracuse Jazzfest Productions, Inc.

music across our region $600,000

2002 Esprit Glade

0

free-admission summer outdoor jazz & music festival

0

Director, SJFP Inc.

Baldwinsville, NY 13027 (315) 635-8045/syracusejazzfest.com

.

Syracuse Stage

$8,000,000

820 E. Genesee St.

57

professional theatre

Robert M. Hupp, Artistic Director

1974

12

full-time, professional, resident orchestra serving Central New York

Pamela Murchison, Executive

2012

50

with more than 50 performances each year. Presenting everything

Director

200

Syracuse, NY 13210 (315) 443-3275/syracusestage.org

.

The Syracuse Orchestra 450 S. Salina St., #100

NA

Syracuse, NY 13202 (315) 299-5598/syracuseorchestra.org

from Beethoven to Aretha Franklin, and everything in between, with robust educational and community outreach programs, including "Healing Harmonies," an outreach program focused on music and wellness.

Information was provided by representatives of listed organizations and their websites. Other groups may have been eligible but did not respond to our requests for information. While The Business Journal strives to print accurate information, it is not possible to independently verify all data submitted. We reserve the right to edit entries or delete categories for space considerations.

Central New York includes Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Seneca, Tioga, and Tompkins counties.

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38 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

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Recent Construction Projects in the City of Syracuse The following project descriptions are excerpted from the Central New York Business Journal 's 2025 CNY Construction Projects Directory, which was published on March 17, 2025.

C&S COMPANIES Hutchings Psychiatric Center, Building 2

n Project Description: C&S is the single prime general contractor for the project under a project labor agreement (PLA) and consists of major renovations to an existing Psychiatric Center. The scope of work includes major exterior demolition and reconstruction, complete interior demolition and remodel of an existing 60,000-square-foot building. All new roofing, HVAC systems, electrical, plumbing, sprinkler system, elevators and standard office finishes will be added. C&S also utilized in-house staff for Building Information Modeling of all the new MEPs with a level of development 500. n Project Location: Syracuse n Total Construction Cost: $30 million n Approximate Square Footage: 55,000 n Completion Date: December 2026 n Building Owner: Hutchings Psychiatric Center/DASNY

CHIANG | O’BRIEN ARCHITECTS, DPC

Carnegie Library Stack Renovations

n Project Description: The last phase of a multiphase renovation of the library started in the 2010s. This phase will renovate the inaccessible self-supporting stacks area to provide modern-day accessibility to a reduced collection size, classrooms, study rooms and graduate student and tutoring space. n Project Location: Syracuse n Total Construction Cost: $12 million n Approximate Square Footage: 13,000 n Start Date: 2024

n Completion Date: 2026 n Building Owner: Syracuse University n Construction Manager: LeChase Construction n Architect: Chiang O’Brien Architects n Engineer: Peterson Guadagnolo Consulting Engineers

DWYER ARCHITECTURAL, LLC

Ferrante Hall Renovation for The School of Health, Wellness and Human Services n Project Description: A top priority project for the future growth of the Syracuse health-professions community. Onondaga Community College engaged Dwyer Architectural for the renovation of Ferrante Hall for the School of Health, Wellness and Human Services. This project is an extensive renovation that focuses on creating academic classrooms, nursing-simulation labs, mock patient rooms, physical-therapy labs, faculty offices, conference room, and student-hub spaces that promote transparency and cultivate cross-functional student engagement. The design team worked with the steering committee to prioritize its goals toward a truly transformative project for the maximum impact on not only the campus community, but also the Syracuse– area community. n Project Location: Syracuse n Total Construction Volume: $25 million n Approximate Square Footage: 50,000

THE HAYNER HOYT CORPORATION The Chimes Building

Hemodialysis Unit Renovation n Project Description: Dwyer assisted Upstate University Hospital with the programming, planning, design, and construction-administration services for an inpatient dialysis unit within a vacant patient unit the hospital’s 3rd floor of Upstate Community Hospital. The new unit is designed to efficiently serve both inpatients transported from the upper patient floors requiring dialysis, as well as provide inroom dialysis services to select rooms in the adjacent ICU. The support space, designed with capacity to serve all patients on the third floor both current and future, are sized for growth and located at a central location for staff and material and supply efficiencies. The views from the third floor of the hospital, set up high on a hill, are extraordinary, so moving the bays to the exterior wall, where patients can take advantage of the windows and views of nature as a positive distraction. n Project Location: Syracuse n Total Construction Cost: $3.4 million n Approximate Square Footage: 3,600 n Start Date: January 31, 2023 n Completion Date: January 31, 2024 n Building Owner: Upstate Medical University

40 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

n Project Description: The complete renovation of the 12-story building into a mix of market rate and affordable apartments. n Project Location: Syracuse n Total Construction Volume: $38 million n Approximate Square Footage: 165,000 n Start Date: November 2024 n Completion Date: March 2026 n Building Owner: Allyn Foundation n Construction Manager: The Hayner Hoyt Corporation n Architect: in-ARCHITECTS n Engineer: IPD Engineering/St. Germain & Aupperle n Landscape Architect: Keplinger Freeman Associates n General Contractor: The Hayner Hoyt Corporation

HUEBER-BREUER CONSTRUCTION CO., INC Tech Garden Expansion

n Project Description: The Tech Garden (now called INSPYRE Innovation Hub) expansion project includes the renovation of the existing 34,000-square-foot ground floor facility and the construction of two additional floors, including stair towers and elevators. Upon completion, the building will be 91,000 square feet. A new 4PROJECTS, CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

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exterior wall system for the entire structure and an expanded footprint for a new first-floor lobby is included with this project. The facility will also receive new electrical, HVAC, and full-building sprinkler systems. n Project Location: Syracuse n Total Construction Cost: $30 million n Approximate Square Footage: 91,000 n Start Date: September 2023 n Completion Date: July 2025 n Building Owner: CenterState CEO n Architect: QPK Design LLP n Engineer: CHA, IPD Engineering, John P. Stopen Engineering

KING + KING ARCHITECTS, LLP Crouse Health Servery and Dining Renovations

n Project Description: The Crouse Health Servery and Dining project is a 5,000-squarefoot renovation project in collaboration with the Crouse Health team and Sodexo that was designed to feel like a relaxing and inviting area of respite for staff, patients, and visitors alike. The space is anchored around a large central element, which includes high-top seating, and is surrounded by a variety of other seating types, including tables and chairs, bench seating, and lounge seating, providing comfort and functionality to all who utilize the space. A background of warm neutral colors, with a nod to the classic feel of finishes in existing areas of the hospital, provides an excellent backdrop for the accents of Crouse Health’s signature teal color. n Project Location: Syracuse Total Construction Cost: $1.3 million n Approximate Square Footage: 5,000 n Start Date: July 1, 2024 n Completion Date: November 1, 2024 n Building Owner: Crouse Health n Construction Manager: The Hayner Hoyt Corporation n Architect: King + King Architects n Engineer: ASM Engineers n General Contractor: The Hayner Hoyt Corporation

LECHASE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, LLC Syracuse University - eSports Facility

n Project Description: Located inside Syracuse University’s Schine Student Center, the new eSports space will be a dynamic, highly visible showcase area that supports the growth of recreational and competitive

Esports. Key features of the new facility include 36 high-performance PC gaming stations, six console stations, virtual reality (VR) and simulation stations and a flexible stage for tournaments, presentations and everyday gaming. The layout will incorporate streaming booths, a small control room and an AV/IT closet with server racks, which will integrate with the Newhouse School’s production assets for seamless content creation. n Project Location: Syracuse n Total Construction Cost: $3.9 million n Approximate Square Footage: 5,800 n Start Date: January 31, 2024 n Completion Date: August 2024 n Building Owner: Syracuse University n Construction Manager: LeChase Construction Services, LLC n Architect: Ashley McGraw Architects

rior door hardware, replace select doors and frames. Construct artificial-turf playing field, track running surfacing, and other associated athletic-event structures. n Project Location: Syracuse n Total Construction Volume: $101,922 n Approximate Square Footage: 1 acre n Start Date: July 18, 2023 n Building Owner: Syracuse City School District n Architect: N.K. BHANDARI, Architecture & Engineering, P.C. n Landscape Architect: Appel Osborne Landscape Architecture, LLP n General Contractor: McGinnis Nelson Construction n Primary Subcontractors: Kelley Bros. n Financing Source: Syracuse City School District

N.K. BHANDARI, ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING, P.C.

NELSON ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING

Nottingham High School Athletic Field & Track Replacement

n Project Description: Replace existing artificial turf playing field, track surfacing, and other associated athletic event structures. n Project Location: Syracuse n Total Construction Cost: $109,158 n Approximate Square Footage: 2 acres n Start Date: November 7, 2022 n Completion Date: February 5, 2024 n Building Owner: Syracuse City School District n Architect: N.K. BHANDARI, Architecture & Engineering, P.C. n Landscape Architect: Appel Osborne Landscape Architecture, LLP n General Contractor: Astroturf Corp., Field Turf USA n Primary Subcontractors: DavisWallbridge, Inc.; Chenango Contracting n Financing Source: Syracuse City School District

King Elementary School Track/Field & Basketball Court

n Project Description: Replace existing inte-

42 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

National Grid SOC Building A Lighting

n Project Description: Nelson Associates Architectural Engineering (NAAE) was commissioned in early 2023 to review a project for the replacement of the exterior-lighting system at the Syracuse Office Complex, Building A, 300 Erie Blvd W., Syracuse. The exterior-accent lighting system was failing and a replacement system was needed. The new lighting system can produce millions of colors, and include fading, motion and lighting schemes to the display. In keeping with National Grid’s efforts to encourage smart energy use, the lighting system utilizes 600 energy-efficient LED light fixtures. The work for this project included, but was not limited to, the following: replacement of the existing tower LED lighting fixtures and control wiring with new LED RGBA fixtures; replacement of the existing neon lighting in the tower sections; replacement of all exterior lighting

including up lights and fixtures behind glass shapes and indirect fixtures on the building façade; replacement of existing 2-story neon fixtures behind historic glass blocks; re-using power circuits where possible and modified as necessary; replace all control wiring to each fixture, including network switches and nodes; and services to program lighting controls for 100 programmed scenes and animations. The National Grid Art Deco Building, has stood as an iconic landmark since its construction in 1932. The building’s design exemplifies the architectural style popular during that era. However, it is the building’s lighting that truly sets it apart and captivates onlookers. The National Grid Building is renowned for its stunning nighttime illumination, which showcases the intricate artistry of the architecture, such as the grand entrance and the elaborate friezes. The lighting of the National Grid Building has evolved to incorporate modern technologies while preserving its historic charm. Renovations and upgrades have enhanced the building’s illumination, allowing for more vibrant and energy-efficient lighting displays. LED lighting systems have replaced older fixtures, providing greater flexibility in color and intensity. Today, the National Grid Building continues to shine as a beacon in Downtown Syracuse, showcasing dynamic lighting arrangements during special events, holidays, and significant civic celebrations. n Project Location: Syracuse n Total Construction Cost: $1.5 million

n Approximate Square Footage: 5,500 n Start Date: February 1, 2023 n Completion Date: December 17, 2024 n Building Owner: National Grid n Construction Manager: Jones Land LaSalle (JLL) n Architect: Lynn G. Kozak, RA, AIA n Engineer: Andrew R. Blaszkow n General Contractor: Connors-Haas -Electrical Contractor n Primary Subcontractors: LightSpec, LLC; O’Connell Electric Co.

QPK DESIGN | ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, SITE + PLANNING

Design worked with the City of Syracuse Parks, Engineering, and the Syracuse Mayor’s Office to transform the fountain and plaza into a revitalized space for public use. The design pays homage to the original construction while updating materials for modernity, durability and longevity. New seating options, lighting and planting enhancements further unify and enrich the space. n Project Location: Syracuse n Total Construction Cost: $1 million n Approximate Square Footage: 9,200 n Start Date: January 2024 n Completion Date: December 2025 n Building Owner: City of Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation & Youth Programs n Architect: QPK Design n Engineer: FS Engineering, DPC n Landscape Architect: QPK Design n Financing Source: Parks Capital Improvement Funds

Tower 701 Apartments

Hanover Square Fountain Restoration

n Project Description: Originally designed and constructed in the early 1980s as a public plaza for events and gatherings in Downtown Syracuse, Hanover Square was in need of reinvigoration due to the deterioration of the fountain and other site amenities. QPK

n Project Description: The project involves converting 287 hotel units at the former Crowne Plaza into modern studio apartments. Each unit will feature a washer and dryer, along with a compact kitchenette.

The renovations will also introduce various tenant amenities including a fitness room, yoga studio, lounge, co-working spaces, quiet workrooms, a full-sized communal kitchen, larger laundry facilities in the basement and a dedicated dog-washing area.

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ADOPT-A-BLOCK

continued from page 21

our water ways clean and ultimately, keeping Onondaga Lake clean,” Walsh said in acknowledging Onondaga County’s interest in this program as well.

In her remarks, Onondaga County

WALSH

continued from page 22

making renovations, small-business owners opening storefronts, and the development community investing in Syracuse’s future.

This transition is about more than just convenience, and it’s only the beginning.

Applications for business licenses, rightof-way, and zoning permits will all migrate online by the fall and winter of 2025. ​ Another way we are streamlining permit approvals is by bringing on third-party firms to perform plan reviews for code compliance. The Central Permit Office is working with these firms to shorten turnaround times for the city’s plan-review

n Project Location: Syracuse n Approximate Square Footage: 154,138 n Start Date: September 2024 n Completion Date: July 2025 n Building Owner: 701 Genesee LLC n Construction Manager: Hueber-Breuer Construction Co, Inc. n Architect: QPK Design n Engineer: CHA Consulting, Inc. (MEP/FP)

VIP STRUCTURES One Webster’s Landing

Legislator Nodesia Hernandez wanted to make sure that those gathered realize “how essential” the program is to Syracuse’s youth.

“Because our neighborhoods and our parks are where they play, where they grow up. These parks are their … community meetings, their hearings, their town halls,” Hernandez said. “This is

where they connect and why not make sure that they connect in an environment that’s sustainable for their health, right?

We have to remember that the litter it brings, you know, bacteria and disease, so I’m just grateful to be able to stand here today and to make sure that the water is also kept clean and healthy for them.” n

process, and applicants can also select to pay for an expedited review from outside firms to fit their specific needs.

The culmination of these efforts along with many other process changes and investments being made across city government come at a strategically critical moment. Our population is on the rise, Syracuse was recently named one of the top 25 best places to live in America, we are well underway on the massive $2.25 billion Interstate 81 Viaduct project that is transforming our city, and we’re at the epicenter of a resurgence that includes the [nearby] $100 billion Micron mega chip plant, the largest single economic investment in the history of New York state.

Syracuse is surging and after eight

years serving this city, I am confident we are ready to meet the demand.

Investment and construction are strong.

Families can turn their vision for a better home into a reality. Local entrepreneurs can turn a dream into a thriving business.

Developers looking to invest will be met with innovation and collaboration. And for Syracuse as a whole, we are seeing our vision — to be a growing city that embraces diversity and creates opportunity for all — become a reality. n

n Project Description: One Webster’s Landing (OWL), a historic five-story heavy timber and brick structure, served as VIP’s integrated design-build headquarters until 2022. Originally known as the Marshall Building, it was designed by Archimedes Russell in 1893. Through the historic tax-credit process, OWL was transformed in 2024 into 34 one-bedroom apartments ranging from 500-700 square feet. The renovation preserved original architectural features, including hardwood flooring, exposed brick walls, and timber framing, while integrating

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44 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

Ben Walsh, 46, is the 54th Mayor of the City of Syracuse. The independent has served as mayor since Jan. 1, 2018 and will complete his second and final four-year term in office at the end of 2025.

modern fixtures. The building now offers high-efficiency residences and amenities such as a spacious lobby, fitness center, and dedicated tenant storage. n Project Location: Syracuse n Approximate Square Footage: 36,000 n Start Date: 2023 n Completion Date: 2024 n Building Owner: VIP Development Associates, Inc. n Construction Manager: VIP Structures Inc. n Architect: VIP Architectural Associates, D.P.C. n Engineer: IPD Engineering and Architecture, PLLC n Landscape Architect: None n General Contractor: VIP Structures Inc. n Primary Subcontractors: ABJ Fire Protection Co.; Century Heating & Cooling Commercial & Residential Painting Inc.; Perrone Plumbing; Phoenix Electric of CNY; Ron Wright Inc. (framing)

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ON-RAMP

continued from page 8

colleagues on the industry-partner perspective to identify the positions and the roles that are needed so the training can result in job offers in the market.

“I’ve spent time writing and sending out the RFP for the community-engagement consultant that we’ll be bringing on,” Lacey noted.

She has also started building the organizational structure with position descriptions for the team that will help advance the ON-RAMP initiative forward.

In addition, Lacey has identified a tem-

OHA

continued from page 12

hard seltzer for the evening, crafted by Meier’s Creek Brewing Company, which they own and operate. These exclusive beverages will debut in celebration of the bicentennial.

The Onondaga Historical Association and Erie Canal Museum also acknowledged the following sponsors whose support makes the event possible.

They include Bond, Schoeneck & King; Cathedral Candle Company; Community Bank; Diamond & Thiel Construction; EDR; Franklin Properties; The Gifford

BCA

continued from page 18

BCA Architects & Engineers, which currently has eight employees in its Syracuse location and is growing, is pleased with how the office has performed in the first year.

“I don’t know what our expectations were coming into Syracuse but this has exceeded those,” Overton says. “Being able to find a place that was the right price, right size to start out with, right here in Armory Square was more than I think we could have asked for. If we could have drawn it up this is what we would have drawn up. It’s been perfect.”

So much so, that now BCA is looking to expand in the building within the next year and is talking with its landlord, Washington Street Partners, about taking the second-floor office space in the building when that becomes available. That

porary location to begin offering services before the end of 2025. She declined to name the location. Lacey currently does her work at CenterState CEO’s headquarters in the Pike Building at 115 W. Fayette St. in downtown Syracuse.

“I’m really excited to work with the community, the industry partners, as well as CenterState CEO to provide this meaningful service,” she said.

Lacey likes that the program will provide real-life training, workforce development, and a chance to pursue wealth-building wages for people who are typically in underrepresented communities.

“That’s really attractive to me,” she

added.

CenterState CEO has programs such as Pathways to Apprenticeship and that will come under the umbrella of ONRAMP, Lacey said. They’ll work with other organizations to help provide that advanced technical training for advanced manufacturing and building trades to meet the workforce needs that are coming now and into the future.

“Syracuse is the flagship organization, and we will, as a flagship, put the building blocks, the foundational tools in place that others can use as building blocks for their organizations across Central New York,” Lacey said. n

Foundation; Holmes, King, Kallquist & Associates, Architects; Hueber-Breuer Construction Co., Inc.; The John Ben Snow Foundation; Joseph J. Lane Construction Inc.; King + King Architects; Ms. Linda Scholer Lebedovych; Marriott Syracuse Downtown; The Marsellus Family; NBT Bank; OneGroup Retirement Advisors; Partnership Properties; St. Joseph’s Health Foundation; Sutton Real Estate Company; Syracuse University; UBS Financial Services Inc.; and Visit Syracuse.

Founded in 1863, the Onondaga

Historical Association is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, interpreting, storing and exhibiting the history of Onondaga County and the city of Syracuse.

The Erie Canal Museum, located at 318 Erie Boulevard East in Syracuse, engages the public in the story of the Erie Canal’s transformative impacts on people and places in the past, present, and future. Established in 1962 and housed in the National Register 1850 Syracuse Weighlock Building, the Erie Canal Museum shares 200 years of Erie Canal history through interactive displays, original artifacts, and public programs. n

space is the same size as its first-floor office, so it would double the firm’s square footage in the structure.

Overton concedes that Syracuse is a challenging and competitive market and that the firm has its work cut out for it in terms of signing up new clients in the area.

“As far as clients down here, we’re hoping to break into this market,” he says. “We’re a multi-disciplinary firm with engineering and architecture. We think we’ve got a good story to tell and a good product. We came down here to service this part of the state that much better.”

Overton notes that having the Syracuse location has allowed BCA to pursue a few requests for proposal that it would not have otherwise. The firm has also had its leadership team meet in Syracuse because it’s conveniently located between its various offices.

BCA’s full slate of disciplines include

architecture; mechanical, electrical, plumbing engineering; civil engineering; landscape architecture; structural engineering; transportation & aviation engineering; and interior design.

The institutional markets it serves primarily are K-12 education, colleges and universities, municipal infrastructure, New York State government, health care, and regional aviation.

BCA Architects & Engineers has about 120 employees total across all its offices, including 65 at its headquarters location in Watertown, according to Overton. The firm has added about 40 employees in the last four years, boosting its headcount by 50 percent.

BCA has seen a surge of work in the K-12 market since the end of the COVID pandemic, and has also increased its work with the state government significantly.

Now, Overton hopes to keep that going and he is optimistic about the role the Syracuse office will play in that growth. n

About the organizers

46 I REVITALIZE SYRACUSE: THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFORMATION 2025

INSPYRE

seating for up to 180; private tenant offices for 35 additional resident startups; coworking areas; an expanded hardware space for prototype and product development; and a new entrance, as outlined in an Aug. 9, 2023 announcement from the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul.

In addition, the INSPYRE Innovation Hub will house a renovated Hardware Center and a new Makerspace. Besides the UAS testing deck, the venue will also include a media-production facility and new coworking spaces.

“We have a 200-person multipurpose theater. We’ll have a lot of room for networking events,” says John Liddy, VP of innovation and entrepreneurship, who spoke with CNYBJ in an Aug. 25 phone interview.

As CenterState CEO was planning for the expansion, officials spoke with entrepreneurs to find out what they wanted in the facility, Liddy notes. They indicated that they wanted other entrepreneurs. To facilitate that, CenterState CEO is planning to hold a number of events in the INSPYRE Innovation Hub. Liddy says the organization even hired an event coordinator, who started working back in the summer.

“Our goal in the first year is to have 100 events. Second year to have 200 events, and the third … 300 events. They’ll see a lot of

SOUL SOCIETY

continued from page 5

and catering for the juice bar.”

Kawryga says she self-financed both businesses.

The synergy is more than simply functional. Kawryga sees her two businesses as sharing a common spiritual philosophy, which is reflected in the name Soul Society.

“All the girls that work at the salon as artists were just very into the universe and alignment, soul family: the idea that people that are in your life now you’ve

DOWNTOWN

“I am so excited to reintroduce the community to INSPYRE Innovation Hub

… and share this building’s next chapter with the entrepreneurs who are making our region more vibrant,” Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO said in the April naming announcement.

“The name INSPYRE reflects both the expanded size and scope of our entrepreneurial programming and our vision for what is possible. This state-of-the-art facility is a symbol of CenterState CEO’s commitment to helping the business community thrive as Central New York begins a transformational period of growth.”

CenterState CEO on Aug. 9, 2023 hosted a groundbreaking event for the expansion project on the patio of the former Tech Garden across from the Marriott Syracuse Downtown.

Throughout the construction effort, INSPYRE employees and tenants were temporarily housed on the 8th floor at the nearby Equitable Tower 1 at 100 Madison St. in Syracuse.

“As it was before, people didn’t always understand what the Tech Garden was when they walked by. Our goal is to be open to the community and to serve not just tech companies (that’s why we took the name off the Tech Garden),” says Liddy “Everything from Main Street businesses to existing businesses that are looking to innovate. So, we want to be a place where all those innovative firms [can] come participate.” n

known in other lives and you reconnect for a greater purpose,” Kawryga said.

“Like you go away to learn and get experience and then you come back together.

So, when I wanted to open my second business, I was like: Soul Society — a society of souls.”

As the owner of two downtown businesses and a Syracuse native, Kawryga is upbeat about downtown’s future. She said, “I feel like I’ve seen new things popping up everywhere. A lot of women-owned [businesses] as well. So, I love to see that. I feel like we’re getting a lot of

different things.”

As to her own business future, Kawryga has considered expanding into a second location, adding that there “is nothing on paper yet,” but she has had some ideas that would likely focus on wellness-themed juice bars and events.

In the meantime, Kawryga and the staff of her two businesses are enjoying their success in the West Genesee Street location. She reflected, “I feel like we’re just doing our own thing and we’re creating something that’s kind of just grown organically.” n

ning business in downtown, having proudly served the community for more than 135 years.

As we reflect on the progress that has been made, we also look ahead to an exciting future. Thank you to the many partners who invest their time and energy in creating a vibrant urban core. Your partnership and belief in our city center fuels this continued growth, and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones with you. n

Merike Treier is executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. In this role, she leads a team to support a dynamic, vibrant downtown and promote future growth through economic development and revitalization initiatives, marketing and events, security, and environmental maintenance.

Treier is also president of the Downtown Syracuse Foundation, Inc. Contact her at MTreier@DowntownSyracuse.com.

continued from page 6

continued from page 3

of our city center and play a crucial role in fortifying our community. In partnership with the City of Syracuse, we were proud to honor 16 downtown businesses with mayoral proclamations this past year, each of which has been a part of our landscape for more than 25 years. Notably, M. Lemp Jewelers stands out as the longest-run-

John Liddy is VP of innovation and entrepreneurship at CenterState CEO. PHOTO CREDIT: NEW YORK STATE

other entrepreneurs in there,” Liddy says.

Hueber-Breuer Construction Co., Inc. served as the contractor on the project.

Besides Hueber-Breuer, Eli Smith of E. Smith Contractors of Syracuse also contributed, and QPK Design of Syracuse handled the design work.

“We built out the second floor and then the third floor is a shell for future development,” Liddy tells CNYBJ. He also notes that CenterState CEO has leased some tenants on the building’s second floor. In early September emails to CNYBJ, a spokesperson for CenterState CEO declined to disclose the tenants who signed leases and would only say that “we are nearly at capacity.”

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