Vera House to buy building for headquarters move

SYRACUSE — Vera House Inc., a prominent local nonprofit that helps victims of domestic and sexual violence, plans to buy a nearly 15,000-square-foot building at 723 James St. in Syracuse that will serve as the organization’s new headquarters.

The organization, which currently operates in a 10,000-square-foot structure at 6181 Thompson Road in DeWitt, “prevents, responds to and partners to end domestic and sexual violence and other forms of abuse,” according to its website.

Vera House has operated in its DeWitt location since November 2005.

The building was once home to the organization Home Aides of Central New York before it merged with the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA). The structure still has signs indicating VNA parking spaces.

Vera House hopes to finalize the purchase of the James Street building by the end of August, says Randi Bregman, executive director of Vera House. She spoke with CNYBJ on June 11.

Vera House is paying the Home Aides organization $625,000 in cash for the building using its own assets, according to Bregman.

Vera House plans to move to the new space in early 2017, barring any complications with the purchase agreement and applying for the necessary permits for the improvement work.

Pursuing new space
Vera House is approaching the end of its lease, so it started examining its future needs and where it wanted to operate for the people it serves, says Bregman.

“We were looking to add to our space, so that we had a little more room for our reception and welcoming area,” she adds.

Vera House also wanted more space for training and group needs. It also sought to operate “closer to downtown” for people who need to take a bus to visit the nonprofit.

The property at 723 James St. has a “reasonable” amount of parking, but Vera House will likely be “leasing some additional parking spaces as well,” says Bregman.

The organization started its search process a couple of years ago, she added.

A few members of the Vera House foundation board of directors had heard that the property might be available, so it contacted the real-estate broker who indicated the property was indeed obtainable.

Bregman was among the Vera House officials who liked what they saw.

“It feels like a home when you walk inside because [at one time,] it was a home,” she says.

The building has an elevator for accessibility between the floors, and Vera House plans to pursue some changes to “further enhance the building’s accessibility for mobility limitations.”

Vera House has a property committee that has suggested the organization should work on the building’s roof, Bregman says.

Bart Feinberg, an associate broker with Sutton Real Estate Co., LLC, assisted the organization in finding the property.

Attorney John Ciraldo provided legal assistance as Vera House pursued the property, says Bregman.

Vera House employs between 80 and 85 people, which includes between 40 and 50 people who work at the headquarters location, depending on the time of year. 

The employee count also includes part-time people who work at Vera House’s shelters, Bregman notes.

Vera House and its affiliated organization Vera House Foundation, Inc. generated combined total revenue of $3.73 million and expenses of $3.71 million in 2015, according to financial statements posted on its website.

The organization had nearly $5.9 million in combined net assets at the end of 2015, according to the statements.

Vera House says on its site that its mission is “to end all domestic and sexual violence, to assist families in crisis, to support those affected by domestic and sexual violence to live safe, self-sufficient lives, to empower women and children, and to promote a culture of equality and respect in all relationships.” 

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com