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Filmmaking fallout
Neighbors upset by American High truck traffic and late-night shoots By Russ Tarby Contributing Writer
M
ore than 40 village residents – most of them neighbors of the American High film company and its Academy at Syracuse Studios, at 800 Fourth St. – turned out for the monthly meeting of the Liverpool Planning Board on March 21, at the village hall on Sycamore Street. Fourteen people spoke at the meeting, and only one of them praised American High. Most of the speakers complained loudly about the way truck traffic and late-night film shoots have disrupted their otherwise idyllic village neighborhood. Several speakers complained about truck diesel fumes, loud generators, lights, noise and litter. “I’ve lived for 40 years in this village,” said Birch Street resident Sandi Lovell. “This is a real mess. I have to deal with fumes from idling trucks and the noise is constant. It’s too much.” Stacey Schafer was upset that American High has yet to restore the children’s playground that was demolished on the Hickory Street side of the building. Others said they missed the basketball courts and the tennis courts along Birch Street. Over the past year or so, those sites have been used as parking lots. The two-story brick building was built at Hickory and Fourth streets in 1928 to house Liverpool’s first stand-alone junior-senior high school. It contains a 500-seat auditorium, and the 6.9-acre property includes a large athletic field with a cinder track. At a public hearing on June 26, 2017, the planning board had approved a special-use permit to allow the proposed filmmaking
trade school to operate at the village’s historic Zogg Building. The applicant, Hollywood director Jeremy Garelick, updated his site plan and the planning board voted unanimously to approve both the special-use permit and the site plan. The village board of trustees had previously changed the definition of “school” as applied to the Zogg property to include “trade school.” At that time, Garelick and his staff agreed to limit traffic in the area from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and they pledged to alert neighbors ahead of time to planned exterior filming in the area, especially during evening hours. Village Codes Officer Bill Reagan said American High’s application for filming permits had increased from seven days in 2020 to 32 days in 2021, a rate which has continued this year. Academy at Syracuse Studios Director of Operations Heath Cottengim represented American High at the March 28 meeting and agreed that many of the complaints were “valid.” “I need to apologize for the impression that we operate above the rules,” Cottengim said. He offered several plans designed to alleviate truck traffic and late-night disruptions, and members of the planning board encouraged those ideas. Board Chairman Joe Ostuni Jr. repeatedly asked Cottengim for details about the operation’s academic role including enrollment, class lists and accreditation. Planner Sam Reppi suggested that, to decrease the number of trucks onsite, American High explore nearby vacant commercial sites for overnight parking. Another planning board member, Bob Bradt, suggested that American High provide an emergency telephone number which
neighbors could use to instantly register complaints. “You have to show you care,” Bradt told Cottengim. “We’re all members of this community together. You need to be a part of that.” The planning board will likely continue this discussion at its April 25 meeting. Cottengim said that he, plus building manager Paul Stacey and the academy staff would “work hard to remedy these mistakes and address the root causes.” In August 2020, Garelick announced that the high cost of complying with village and state codes prompted him to put the Liverpool property up for sale, but his company continues to churn out movies. Several of American High’s 10 teen-oriented rom-coms – notably Pete Davidson’s “Big Time Adolescence” and Patton Oswalt’s “I Love My Dad” – have screened at prestigious festivals and found receptive audiences on video-ondemand streaming services.
Garelick hopes to continue here
In a March 22 email to the Star-Review, American High CEO Jeremy Garelick addressed the issues facing his film company and trade school: “We are, despite the challenges brought about by COVID, pushing ahead to deliver on the promise we made four years ago. We still have a long way to go before we reach our goal of fully creating the ecosystem between our academy and our production output. “Our dream of creating the greatest film school and combining it with the greatest studio is still very achievable. “As far as selling the building goes, we really want to stay and we believe the majority of residents of Liverpool enjoy having us there. “We are trying our best to work with [Codes Officer] Bill Reagan, Mayor White
Submitted photo
Academy at Syracuse Studios Director of Operations Heath Cottengim, spokesman for American High. and the village board to respond to any and all complaints in a timely manner. But we know that we can’t please all the people all the time, so we hope we can continue to thrive in Liverpool and look forward to many years of responding to complaints.”
American High filmography
Holly Slept Over 2017 Banana Split 2018 Looks That Kill 2018 Big Time Adolescence 2018 The Binge 2019 Sid Is Dead 2018 The Ultimate Playlist of Noise 2019-20 Plan B 2020 I Love My Dad 2021 Sex Appeal 2021 Untitled Teen Queer Romance 2021 Empire Waist 2021 partnered with Wayfarer and P&G studios The Binge II (Bingemas) post-production 2022 The Night House 2020 (not produced by American High, but serviced by Syracuse Studios and academy students and using exterior images of the old Liverpool High School building; other films serviced by Syracuse Studios include Mabel, Paper Spiders and Count of Three, 2021).
Hope Network holds 15th annual spa day for moms By Ashley M. Casey Associate Editor
Like many events during the coronavirus pandemic, Hope Network’s annual spa day for mothers of special needs children was forced to take a hiatus. After two years, the 15th annual event was held April 6 to give extraordinary mothers an extraordinary day. Based within Northside Church in Liverpool, Hope Network is a faithbased organization that offers support to families living with disabilities. According to Gretchen Ziegler, a Baldwinsville resident who volunteers for Hope Network, the core group of women who lead Hope Network — Lori Sill, Lisa Wildrick, Janice Wyatt and Dawn Corso — have done their best to maintain a connection among the families they serve during the isolation of the pandemic. “They’ve been trying to keep moms together as much as possible,” Ziegler said. “We’ve done some Zoom meetings.” Some of these women — like Sill and Wildrick — know first-hand what
it is like to have a disabled child. “[Lori] throws herself into serving other moms,” Ziegler said. “They get it from the inside out, and yet they have the energy and compassion to give back.” Hope Network invited massage and cosmetology students from BOCES to pamper about 60 to 80 moms. Ziegler said the network sent out 100 invitations. Volunteers made brunch, and there was music and a prayer area for attendees to use if they wish. Ziegler also expressed her admiration for the local businesses who have donated to the spa day. Among those businesses are Angry Garlic and Sweet Dream Candy Shoppe in Baldwinsville as well as Bagelicious and Café at 407 in Liverpool. “To see these little businesses that are struggling through the pandemic generously giving — whether it’s a gift card or dinner at Angry Garlic — I’m just thrilled to be a part of it,” Ziegler said. Submitted photos To learn more about Hope Network and how to get involved, contact Each year, Hope Network holds a spa day for mothers of special needs children at Northside Church in Liverpool. The 15th annual spa day took place April 6. Shown here are Gretchen Ziegler at 315-663-6215. scenes from a previous event.
Volume 130, Number 14 The Star-Review is published weekly by Eagle News. Office of Publication: 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206. Periodical Postage Paid at Syracuse, NY 13220, USPS 316060. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Star-Review, 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206.
sports news: Meyer medals in Senior Games.
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Library news: Plan your purr-fect spring break.
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