SU plans to build new hotel near University Ave. parking garage

Targets fall 2027 opening, addresses shortage of hotel rooms                        

SYRACUSE — Syracuse University (SU) anticipates opening a new hotel across from the University Ave. parking garage in the fall of 2027 — a move that will address the recently reduced inventory of available hotel rooms in the SU hill area. SU on Dec. 10 said it is seeking to build a new full-service, 200-room hotel at the corner of University Avenue and Harrison Street. The planned hotel will have a restaurant and event space. The project is part of SU’s housing strategy and follows the school’s recent conversion of the former 235-room Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center into Orange Hall, a residence hall that now houses about 400 students. It also follows Syracuse’s recent acquisition of the Hotel Skyler Syracuse. “Following the transformation of the former Sheraton Hotel, it was clear that there was still a significant need for additional hotel and event space in the area immediately adjacent to our campus,” Brett Padgett, senior VP and CFO, said in the school’s announcement. “While we are in the early stages of this process, we are confident a new hotel will not only serve our campus community well, it will also further strengthen the University’s role as a vibrant and integral part of the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County.” SU leaders are currently meeting with “high-profile” hotel brands to determine which brand “may meet the needs and expectations of our campus community.” At the same time, SU is also collaborating with Onondaga County government leaders to ensure that this effort is “aligned with and advances the future needs” of the city and county, the school added. Syracuse University went on to say that it will focus on selecting a brand partner while advancing the design, development, and permitting phases.