$55 million renovation project recently wrapped up SYRACUSE — The building that once operated as the Moyer Carriage and Car Factory on Syracuse’s North Side is now a 128-unit, mixed-use, affordable and supportive housing development. It’s the building complex that’s known for the shell of a red […]
$55 million renovation project recently wrapped up
SYRACUSE — The building that once operated as the Moyer Carriage and Car Factory on Syracuse’s North Side is now a 128-unit, mixed-use, affordable and supportive housing development. It’s the building complex that’s known for the shell of a red house on its roof. New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), along with elected officials and community leaders, formally opened the $55 million Moyer Carriage Lofts project on May 30. All 128 apartments are “affordable” for households earning at or below 60 percent of the area median income, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul said in its announcement. The development includes 50 units with supportive services provided by Catholic Charities of Onondaga County. Rental and operating subsidies for these units will be funded through an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative award administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health, per Hochul’s office. Housing Visions and Redev CNY LLC, both of Syracuse, co-developed the Moyer Carriage Lofts. The development included the extensive rehabilitation of the interior and exterior of the historic structure. The rehabilitated buildings were also designed to meet criteria for Enterprise Green Communities certification, Hochul’s office said. Environmentally sustainable features include low-flow fixtures, all LED (light-emitting diode) lighting, and Energy Star appliances. Participation in the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Program allowed site cleanup to be performed at the same time as site redevelopment. Cleanup activities included removal of contaminated soil and treatment of contaminated groundwater, which required construction of a stabilization system to preserve the exterior of the historic building. State financing includes $3.6 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds; $26.7 million in state and federal low-income housing tax credits; and $10.7 million in subsidies from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has facilitated the use of federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits that are estimated to provide nearly $14 million in equity. The project also received an additional $6.4 million in state tax credits after successfully fulfilling requirements of the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Brownfield Cleanup Program. Additionally, the City of Syracuse contributed $500,000 in HOME funds, Hochul’s office noted.
Factory history
The factory complex, consisting of several buildings on the city’s North Side, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The H.A. Moyer Company was one of the largest industrial employers in Syracuse around the turn of the 20th century, producing carriages, and then later automobiles. Constructed in several stages, primarily between 1882 and 1909, the factory complex includes brick buildings that were used for manufacturing, storage, and shipping, and also served as company headquarters, per Hochul’s office.