City seeks buyer for former Syracuse Developmental Center property

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh has announced that the former Syracuse Developmental Center campus is for sale.

It is the “long vacant,” 48-acre property that the City of Syracuse seized for back taxes last year, per a news release. No price was provided.

The west-side site is listed with commercial brokerage firm, Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company, which the city selected in a public request for proposals to market and sell the property.

The property — located at 800-802 Wilbur Ave. next to Tipperary Hill — includes more than 600,000 square feet of buildings. Walsh authorized seizure of the property from Syracuse Center LLC, which owed more than $887,000 in back taxes, including interest and penalties going back to 2015.

“This is a prime piece of real estate with close proximity to major transportation routes and the downtown area. It has tremendous potential to positively contribute to our economy and our neighborhoods,” Walsh contended. “We acted decisively to address the public safety problems the site was creating. I’m looking forward to this next phase in redeveloping and restoring activity to the site.”

The city and Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company said they are seeking proposals for investment that will have a positive impact on surrounding or adjacent neighborhoods, as well as the rest of the city.

The city hasn’t set a formal asking price. It will consider all proposals for the full or partial redevelopment of the property’s campus, “allowing for subdivisions and investment by multiple developers and end-users,” the City of Syracuse said.

All letters of interest and offers are to be submitted though Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company. The site was listed in mid-August, and proposals will be accepted “prior to Oct. 15,” the city said.

Further information on the property is available here.