Downtown Committee trumpets downtown Syracuse ‘development boom’

SYRACUSE — Residential development accounts for “nearly half” of the $353 million in development currently under way in downtown Syracuse.

That’s according to the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc., which held its annual meeting today at the Oncenter.

Merike Treier, the Downtown Committee’s executive director, conducted the presentation that highlighted the development projects, noting the community has a “responsibility” to “further this momentum and communicate downtown’s value,” the Downtown Committee said in a news release.

 In her presentation, Treier noted that downtown development has “more than doubled” over the past 10 years, from $160 million in 2004 to $353 million currently.  Residential development accounts for $140 million in development downtown, the organization said.

In addition, downtown Syracuse’s population has increased 11 percent in the past year. The presentation also indicated that 186 new apartments are expected within the next year.

On the commercial side, 18 new businesses have opened in downtown Syracuse in the last year, including four in the past month, according to the Downtown Committee.

Matt Carmichael, editor of website Livability.com and a journalist specializing in population trends and urban issues, delivered a keynote speech that focused on livability in cities.

He described how Livability.com uses a data-driven approach to explore what makes cities great places to live, work, and visit, the organization said.

He also shared thoughts on how downtown Syracuse can best promote the “livable assets” it has, according to the Downtown Committee.

The Downtown Committee of Syracuse is a private, nonprofit, downtown–management organization representing all property owners and tenants within the central business district.

The Downtown Committee says it undertakes programs to “improve downtown’s image, strengthen its economic base, increase its attractiveness, and assure that it’s clean, safe, and accessible.”

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com