development

Mayor Miner wants Hotel Syracuse redeveloped - one way or another

Ellen Abbott — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:18:16 +0000

Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner says the city isn't giving up on the latest proposal to renovate the Hotel Syracuse. A plan for the city to take over the tax delinquent property stalled last week when, Financitech, which holds the mortgage on the hotel, paid back taxes at the last minute.

Developers stress urgency in revival of Watertown Woolworth building

Joanna Richards — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:38:00 +0000

After founding his first stores elsewhere, Jefferson County’s Frank Winfield Woolworth bought the building in Watertown where he got his start in the dry goods business, intending to raze it and build one of his own stores. Woolworth died before he could see it, but his company realized his plan and the building’s a central part of the early history of the five-and-dime chain. After years of vacancy, two developers have plans to revive the landmark.

A new plan to bring back the Hotel Syracuse

Ellen Abbott — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 07:22:00 +0000

Sen. Charles Schumer is bringing his influence to the latest plan to revive the Hotel Syracuse. The Democrat senator believes a federal tax credit program would help draw investors that would be willing to spend the millions it would take to restore the Warren Street historic landmark.

Public wants park space at Onondaga Lake

Ellen Abbott — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:16:17 +0000

Central New Yorkers want a public park available to everyone along Onondaga Lake. That was the upshot from the latest survey on the future of what was once the most polluted lake in the nation.

Syracuse's council accused of delaying Comprehensive Plan

Ryan Delaney — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:12:59 +0000

Syracuse's Director of Planning and Sustainability Andrew Maxwell accused the Syracuse Common Council Monday of "moving the goalposts" on enacting the city's 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which would be a guide to future zoning and land-use policies in the city.

Syracuse will seize troubled, vacant landmark property

Ryan Delaney — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:51:00 +0000

Syracuse will formally commence the foreclosure process on a long vacant downtown church, aiming to turn the historic building into another part of a downtown residential boom.

Potential buyer wants to turn Mizpah Tower into luxury apartments

Ellen Abbott and Ryan Delaney — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:55:30 +0000

CORRECTION March 4: Current Mizpah Tower owner Syracuse Bangkok, LLC. is $115,646.31 delinquent on taxes, according to the Onondaga County property tax database.

A potential new owner of the long-vacant Mizpah Tower in downtown Syracuse is hoping to satisfy a certain kind of rental market.

New grocery store ends food desert

Ellen Abbott — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:36:30 +0000

A food desert on Syracuse's north side is no more. The grand opening of a TOPS Grocery store means a place to shop in one of the city's most diverse neighborhoods.

Fort Drum connector road to I-81 opens

Joanna Richards — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 07:58:00 +0000

The highway project that creates a direct connection between Interstate 81 and Fort Drum's main gate opened Thursday.

Senator wants federal money for Syracuse development

Ellen Abbott — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:00:24 +0000

Senator Charles Schumer is hoping some federal dollars will help keep the Inner Harbor development project in Syracuse moving ahead. He's personally requesting that the federal Economic Development Administration approve a $2 million grant for the project.

Some answers from ShoppingTown Mall owner

Ellen Abbott — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:24:43 +0000

ShoppingTown Mall in Dewitt remains in a kind of limbo, after its former owner defaulted on a loan last year. Local government officials say they have been unable to reach the company that has taken possession of the property, to find out what it's plans are. After getting U.S. Senator Charles Schumer on the case, there are now some answers.

Syracuse gets money to revitalize old industrial zones

Ryan Delaney — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 19:46:00 +0000

Syracuse will use money from a state program to take another step in the long process of redeveloping former industrial sites.

Syracuse is getting a $500,000 Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) grant for work on 113 acres just south of downtown and a 478 acre strip through the east side of the city.

The grant is for the development of a revitalization strategy, the second of three phases of the BOA program, according to Owen Kerney, the city's deputy director for planning and sustainability.

Syracuse OK's 30-year tax break for university bookstore

Ryan Delaney — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 12:06:38 +0000

Those for it say it has little resemblance to Destiny USA other than the length of the tax break. But those in opposition disagree strongly.

Months of debate about Syracuse's development strategy and negotiations culminated Monday with the city granting just its second-ever 30-year property tax exemption.

The recipient is a developer who will build a mixed-use off-campus bookstore and fitness center for Syracuse University. The property in question is a long sliver of land currently owned by the nonprofit university, so it's not taxable.

Syracuse poised to award second 30-year tax break

Ryan Delaney — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 13:26:00 +0000

Syracuse appears ready to give out its second 30-year tax exemption after months of debate. The decision comes at a time when many in the city are skeptical of public backing for development.

The Common Council has called a special session for later today to vote on the property tax exemption for a developer planning to build a Syracuse University bookstore and fitness center in the University Hill neighborhood.

The vote was supposed to happen back in March, but it was pulled at the last minute because it faced certain defeat. In the months since, councilors have negotiated with the developer and university.

On Friday, councilors confirmed the deal will finally proceed because it has gained the needed five votes.

After Destiny USA debacle, Inner Harbor plans face a wary council

Ryan Delaney — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 14:16:00 +0000

(CORRECTION June 18th, 2 p.m.: The original version of this story incorrectly stated the estimated cost of environmental cleanup. That amount is roughly $12 million.)

The topic was the redevelopment of Syracuse's Inner Harbor, but it didn't take long for a councilor to bring up the elephant in the chamber: the failed expansion of Destiny USA.

But Steven Aiello, president of COR Development, didn't have much choice on the timing of his meeting with the Syracuse Common Council.

It was just last week that grand plans by the developer of Destiny USA were finally laid to rest.

Aiello isn't looking to build a mall, but councilors couldn't help but raise concerns. The proposed project is just down the road from what was once going to be Syracuse's Disney World.

Destiny USA: Expansion could be at an end

Ellen Abbott — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 20:30:51 +0000

The expansion of Carousel Center in Syracuse could be at an end, at least for now. The developer of the mall complex that will soon be known as Destiny USA, is now calling this the final phase of the development.

Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner says the city development agency found out yesterday that the developer was exercising a clause in an earlier agreement that would allow them to make this move.

Tax exemption for Syracuse bookstore hinges on public access

Ryan Delaney — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 21:11:13 +0000

A new bookstore and fitness center on University Hill in Syracuse may get a tax break after all.

The margin needed for approval has narrowed.

Members of the Syracuse Common Council and an economic development official confirmed Monday that new terms on the deal have been reached, at least in principal.

Clayton officials say development projects fill gaps in tourist town

Joanna Richards — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:14:40 +0000

There's a lot of development just around the corner in Clayton, a summer tourist destination on the St. Lawrence River. Town and village officials – and local business owners – are excited about several projects in the works that could put back to use a former industrial site along the river.

Syracuse bookstore is flash point in debate over development

Ryan Delaney — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:02:07 +0000

The make-up of the Syracuse Common Council was different when Thomas Valenti and his firm, Cameron Group, first approached it six years ago, but the opposition to the proposed project is still the same.

Valenti wants to develop a new off-campus bookstore and fitness center for Syracuse University.

In order to do that, he's requesting a 30-year property tax break from the city.

And therein lies the sticking point.

"If you have all of these grand ideas, then you should be able to finance this project," councilor-at-large Helen Hudson says. "We just can't keep excepting all of these entities."