Syracuse University buys nearby Hotel Skyler as Sheraton transitions to student housing

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University on Thursday announced the purchase of the Hotel Skyler Syracuse at 601 S. Crouse Ave., just north of the main campus.

Syracuse says it announced the acquisition “as a follow-up to the release of the University’s inaugural strategic housing plan” last month.

The transaction also follows the university’s announcement that it will convert the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center into student housing beginning this fall.

The school didn’t release any financial details of its acquisition agreement.

“The University recognizes the impact the Sheraton transformation has on our campus community, particularly for teams and individuals responsible for booking hotel rooms, planning events and coordinating travel,” John Papazoglou, Syracuse University’s senior VP and COO, said in a release. “This acquisition will allow the University to continue providing first-class hotel services to our campus community in a way that aligns with the priorities and goals of our overarching strategic housing plan.”

Hotel Skyler Syracuse is located just up the street from the Syracuse University campus on South Crouse Avenue.

The three-story, 58-room hotel began operations in 2011 and became part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection in 2017. The LEED Platinum-certified building contains a bar and lounge, fitness room, market pantry, and business center. LEED is short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

The hotel’s ownership will transfer to Syracuse University, but Woodbine Hospitalitywill continue to operate and manage the hotel. Woodbine has several Syracuse–area hotels in its portfolio, Syracuse University noted.

As it brings the Hotel Skyler into its portfolio, Syracuse University says it has convened a cross-campus working group to “put processes into place” to make reserving rooms at area hotels and scheduling events “a more seamless process” for faculty and staff.

The group — led by Papazoglou and Tracy Barlok, senior VP and chief advancement officer — will provide more detailed information to the campus community in April, Syracuse University said.

“The University is evaluating how to best support the various accommodation and event space needs of our academic and administrative partners,” Papazoglou said in therelease. “This includes exploring a more streamlined booking process, providing easy access to support resources, such as transportation and catering, and thinking proactively about other scenarios where various units on campus can be helpful.”

About the housing plan

Syracuse University developed the strategic housing plan following the completion of a three-year housing review. The effort found, “among other things,” that undergraduate students wanted more options for living in university housing on North Campus that “provides seamless access” to various campus facilities and amenities.

As part of the new strategy, Syracuse University will build a new residence hall at 700 Ostrom Ave. and demolish Marion Hall and Kimmel Hall and dining center and replace them with a “modern, new” residence hall.

The new strategy “works in concert with the overarching and recently refreshed Campus Framework,” Syracuse University noted.

The university also purchased 727 South Crouse, the apartment complex formerly known as the Marshall, which Syracuse University will fully bring into its housing portfolio this fall and will be available to sophomore students.