Downtown Committee report outlines ongoing projects

SYRACUSE — Local developers are at work on tens of millions of dollars of projects to renovate buildings in the downtown-Syracuse area to create apartment units, commercial, office, and retail space.

A total of $172 million worth of development projects are either underway or announced, Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc., said in her State of Downtown report during organization’s annual meeting held June 24.

Even as the pandemic continued, developers completed $80 million in investment activity, she noted.

In 2020, crews completed 281 new residential units, providing room for downtown’s population to grow another 12.5 percent, per Treier’s remarks.

The redevelopments included the Lahinch Group’s work on the Addis Building at 449-453 South Salina St. and the opening of Carnegie Development’s Washington Place at 300 E. Washington St. in Syracuse, near City Hall. 

In addition, Seneca Armory Associates completed the Hudson Lofts at 239-245 W. Fayette St. and a massive new construction project created the 78,000-square-foot, four-story Salt City Market. The Downtown Committee featured all of the projects as part of its downtown-living tour last September, Treier noted.

Developers Troy Evans and Joe Cisco completed Commonspace at 201 E. Jefferson St. in Syracuse, an interconnected network of buildings. The space fosters microcommunities through co-working, common areas, and residential units. 

“On Montgomery Street, the YMCA invested $5.5 million to upgrade its mens’ residences, preserving affordability. In Armory Square, Rob Bidwell completed work at 415 S. Clinton St. bringing 16 apartments, including a penthouse unit, to the space above Gilded Club and Acropolis Development created two apartments and plans for a new restaurant at the former Stoop Kitchen at 311 W. Fayette St.,” Treier said in her remarks.

Next to the Salt City Market, Goodfellow Construction Management has been working on 26 apartments in the Whitlock Building. 

In Cathedral Square, Tom Cerio is working on a project in the long-vacant Mitzpah Towers. “An event venue, performance space, office space, a café, and 12 residential units are planned,” Treier said.

The building at 413 S. Warren St., which has been in the Schmidt family for three generations, is getting a new look. Crews are adding four apartments above the Tang Flavor Chinese Food Square, and they should be ready by the end of September, the Downtown Committee said.

On downtown’s east side, developer Matt Paulus is adding 38 affordable-housing units to the Smith Building. And the Icon Companies project at 444 E. Genesee St., the new Corbett Corner will add 24 affordable apartments to a long-vacant, former office structure. 

“In Hanover Square, Luke Esposito is nearing completion at 246 and 252 E. Water St., adding two apartments plus a new whiskey bar and restaurant,” Treier said as her State of Downtown report continued. The Downtown Committee in mid-August told CNYBJ that Esposito hopes to have people move in this winter, and the whiskey-bar component is on track for the spring.

In addition, on the north end of the 300 block of South Salina St., developer Mohammed Hoak will add new housing above the Dollar Wise location. Next door, Jason Hoffman plans to restore the historic features at the former Woolworth building, which will welcome Dollar General’s DGX this fall. And two blocks north, Douglas Development of Washington, D.C., plans to convert the former M&T Bank building into an event space that will celebrate the building’s ornate lobby, retail and commercial space, and housing overlooking Hanover and Clinton Squares.