Le Moyne College to use state REDC funding for plaza project

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Le Moyne College will use a state grant of $485,000 for a project that will redevelop the Le Moyne Plaza.

The state grant will contribute to the overall $2.45 million project to develop an “entrepreneurial plaza” at Le Moyne, the college announced.

The funding is part of the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) awards announced in Albany Dec. 19. Le Moyne’s grant is part of $86.2 million in funding announced for projects in the five-county Central New York region.

Besides an “entrepreneurial plaza,” the project will also include a “makerspace lab.” Both will operate in the Le Moyne Plaza at 1135 Salt Springs Road. The plaza will be reconfigured and “act as an incubator, accelerator and shared workspace for entrepreneurs across all industries.”

The makerspace lab will be a collaborative workspace open to people of all ages in the community. It will include a mechanical room, virtual lab, woodshop, 3D printing lab, and shared work spaces. Both will be under the auspices of Le Moyne’s Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity.

“This project is clearly a win-win for Le Moyne and the entire Central New York region,” Le Moyne President Linda LeMura said in a statement. “It will serve to strengthen the academic offerings the College provides for our students, while also deepening our ties to the local community. We will create a vibrant, state-of-the-art facility that will be utilized by the public in a variety of ways, from K-12 students to entrepreneurs at all stages of development.”

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com