Report outlines economic-development path for legacy cities including Syracuse

For legacy cities such as Syracuse, regional decision-making and working with major institutional anchors like universities are important economic-development strategies, according to a new report.

The report, “Revitalizing the Legacy Cities of Upstate New York,” was released early this week by CenterState CEO, Syracuse University, the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning, and The American Assembly, which is a think tank affiliated with Columbia University. It defines legacy cities as older industrial cities that have suffered significant population losses.

Specific recommendations it contains include increasing the efficiency of local governments and better coordinating land use. Other recommendations are targeting urban education, building innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems, increasing export capacity, and leading in clean energy production and energy conservation.

“This report challenges us to accelerate the transformation of our economy by supporting entrepreneurship, aligning workforce with growing industries, expanding connections to overseas markets, and reversing antiquated laws and practices that have driven unsustainable land use and an inefficient system of governance,” Robert Simpson, president of CenterState CEO and co-chair of the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, said in a news release. “The good news is that we are well under way with bold initiatives, reaffirmed in this report, that are having an impact on our legacy cities and can serve as a model for other regions and states across the country.”

The full report can be accessed at www.LegacyCities.AmericanAssembly.org.

Contact Seltzer at rseltzer@cnybj.com