Governor Kathy Hochul announced downtown revitalization initiative projects for both Syracuse and Oneida Wednesday. Each city is receiving $10 million for efforts to revitalize the upstate economy and creating more opportunities for residents in central New York.
Brian Stratton, the New York State Canal Corporation Director, said the downtown revitalization initiative (DRI) is a cornerstone of the state's economic development program.
"DRI is transforming downtown communities into centers that offer high quality of life and are magnets for redevelopment, business, job creation, economic growth, housing and diversity," Stratton said.
The 12 Syracuse projects focus on improving the walkability and connectivity between the Southwest Gateway and Downtown Syracuse, expanding business and housing opportunities and improving community services.
These include redesigning the Salina and Onondaga intersection, installing business corridor broadband, revitalizing three historic abandoned buildings for use as housing, office space and a brewery and constructing the Rescue Mission's campus.
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— Revitalizing & Repurposing Three Historic Abandoned Buildings - DRI Syracuse
Revitalizing & Repurposing Three Historic Abandoned Buildings - DRI Award: $1,217,000
Restore three vacant historic buildings at the corner of West Onondaga Street and South Avenue, the two anchor avenues of the Southwest Gateway. Trinity Church, Gillette House and the Parish House will be rehabilitated and converted for use as a brewery, office space and housing.
New York Governor's Office
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— Installing Business Corridor Broadband - DRI Syracuse
Installing Business Corridor Broadband - DRI Award: $460,000
Install fiber backhaul infrastructure and wireless equipment to enhance internet connectivity along the West Onondaga Street and South Avenue business corridors.
New York Governor's Office
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— Redesigning and Reconstructing the Salina & Onondaga Intersection - DRI Syracuse
Redesigning and Reconstructing the Salina & Onondaga Intersection - DRI Award: $1,001,000
Improve two intersections on West Onondaga Street, incorporating safer crossings for pedestrians, bicycle lanes and curb bump-outs.
New York Governor's Office
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— Activating West Onondaga Street's Railroad Bridge - DRI Syracuse
Activating West Onondaga Street's Railroad Bridge - DRI Award: $599,000
Create a new public gathering space under an active railroad bridge. The space will include lighting, seating, plantings and murals
New York Governor's Office
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— Activating West Onondaga Street's Railroad Bridge - DRI Syracuse
Activating West Onondaga Street's Railroad Bridge - DRI Award: $599,000
Create a new public gathering space under an active railroad bridge. The space will include lighting, seating, plantings and murals.
New York Governor's Office
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— Restoring Whedon House DRI Syracuse
Restoring Whedon House - DRI Award: $530,000
Renovate a vacant historic mansion. The final restoration will include residential apartments, commercial space, and public space
New York Governor's Office
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— Redeveloping the Former B&B Lounge - DRI Syracuse
Redeveloping the Former B&B Lounge - DRI Award: $300,000
Restore a former bar and restaurant into a lounge space for a restaurant with housing units above the restaurant.
New York Governor's Office
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— Beautifying the South Avenue Streetscape - DRI Syracuse
Beautifying the South Avenue Streetscape - DRI Award: $1,378,000
Create a more dynamic and functional streetscape on South Avenue by repairing damaged sidewalk panels, adding street furniture and ornamental lighting and creating bike lanes.
New York Governor's Office
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— Constructing the Jubilee Workforce Center - DRI Syracuse
Constructing the Jubilee Workforce Center - DRI Award: $500,000
Create a mixed-use building that will include a workforce training center on the first floor and workforce apartments on the second and third floors.
New York Governor's Office
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— Constructing the Trinity South Avenue Mixed Use Development - DRI Syracuse
Constructing the Trinity South Avenue Mixed Use Development - DRI Award: $1,000,000
Construct a mixed-income residential project containing approximately 62 rental housing units and retail or community facility space.
New York Governor's Office
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— Constructing the Rescue Mission's Campus - DRI Syracuse
Constructing the Rescue Mission's Campus - DRI Award: $1,000,000
Construct a new facility for the Rescue Mission on a vacant parcel on West Onondaga Street. The new building will include a warehouse on the first floor with commercial/retail space and office space on the second floor.
New York Governor's Office
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— Redesigning the Southwest Community Center - DRI Syracuse
Redesigning the Southwest Community Center - DRI Award: $1,115,000
Provide interior and exterior enhancements to the Southwest Community Center, including a new façade, public restroom upgrades and gym improvements.
New York Governor's Office
Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said he believes there can't be a successful downtown without successful business districts and neighborhoods saying South Avenue and West Onondaga Street are the arteries that feed the heart of downtown Syracuse.
"The beauty of this project is that it is going to help us extend the investment in the momentum that we have seen downtown through these arteries and breathe new life into the surrounding neighborhoods and in doing so, revitalize some of the most beautiful historic architecture that we have in this city," Walsh said.
The eight Oneida projects focus on increasing walkability and bike-ability, expanding business and housing opportunities and improving public spaces and amenities. They include upgrading facilities at the Veterans Memorial Park to include an ADA splash pad and pickleball court, transforming the vacant Hotel Oneida into a mixed-use space and improving downtown streetscaping with added bike lanes.
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— Upgrading Facilities at Veteran's Memorial Park - DRI Oneida
Upgrading Facilities at Veteran's Memorial Park - DRI Award: $1,059,000
Install an ADA Splashpad and a Pickleball court on the Veteran's Field campus and implement repairs/upgrades for the bathhouse facilities. Develop a new memorial area at Veteran's Memorial Playfield to honor veterans from various armed forces.
New York Governor's Office
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— Reimagining the Vacant Hotel Oneida - DRI Oneida
Reimagining the Vacant Hotel Oneida - DRI Award: $2,900,000
Rehabilitate the iconic hotel to provide new downtown mixed-use space including several apartments, a restaurant/pub and a banquet space.
New York Governor's Office
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— Redeveloping the Lerman Building for Commercial and Residential Uses - DRI Oneida
Redeveloping the Lerman Building for Commercial and Residential Uses - DRI Award: $1,141,000
Redevelop an underused building to leverage all 20,000 square feet, including the creation of townhouse-style apartments and commercial spaces, and expand the existing Oneida CoWorks space to include new offices and a conference room.
New York Governor's Office
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— Restoring and Upgrading the Devereaux Building - DRI Oneida
Restoring and Upgrading the Devereaux Building - DRI Award: $1,569,000
Restore and upgrade the Devereaux building into a mixed-use residential, retail and commercial redevelopment.
New York Governor's Office
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— Developing Area Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Soccer Fields - DRI Oneida
Developing Area Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Soccer Fields - DRI Award: $760,000
Build soccer fields and parking areas on former flood sites to encourage downtown area sports. FEMA has already approved of these uses being built on this site.
New York Governor's Office
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— Developing a Downtown Business Assistance Fund - DRI Oneida
Developing a Downtown Business Assistance Fund - DRI Award: $600,000
Create a matching grant fund for façade improvements and interior improvements, including heavy equipment and permanent installations. The fund will be administered by Madison County.
New York Governor's Office
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— Establishing a Form-Based Zoning Overlay District - DRI Oneida
Establishing a Form-Based Zoning Overlay District - DRI Award: $100,000
Create a form-based code and overlay district for the DRI area to ensure that future development meets the aesthetic intent of the city.
New York Governor's Office
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— Improving Downtown Infrastructure and Streetscaping - DRI Oneida
Improving Downtown Infrastructure and Streetscaping - DRI Award: $1,521,000
Improve streetscape and pavement to portions of Main St., Broad St., Madison St., Farrier Ave. and Vanderbilt Ave., with bicycle infrastructure added to Sconondoa St.
New York Governor's Office
Oneida Mayor Helen Acker says this is the largest single investment in Oneida's history. She says another project is a youth soccer field which will be built on a former flood site from Hurricane Sandy.
"The kids are thrilled," Acker said. "This is going to be absolutely fantastic and they're our future and we want to invest in their future."
