VIEWPOINT: Meeting the Demand for Syracuse’s Resurgence

One step at a time

Syracuse is undergoing tremendous growth and revitalization — as evidenced by the flurry of construction activity around us today. Earlier this year, I announced the City of Syracuse Central Permit Office reported 2024 marked the highest permitted construction value in Syracuse history. The $413.5 million record includes both residential and commercial-building permits and represents the projected value of construction work for permits requested annually. This level of construction activity is possible because the city is making economic development a priority and providing the additional resources and incentives to support this growth. Our updated Zoning Ordinance gives us more flexible and modern standards for how land is used and developed in the city. With updates including increased density allowance, mixed-income housing requirements and more housing options, we can build stronger, more connected neighborhoods. Additionally, major initiatives including the Syracuse Housing Strategy and Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative are ensuring we are prioritizing housing policy and investments. Through these efforts, we are constructing new homes, supporting affordable housing, improving commercial corridors, and creating housing opportunities for current and future residents. As our community evolves and new opportunities take shape, the City of Syracuse is committed to making sure local government keeps pace with what our community needs. That is why we are going digital with applications required to do work in the city. Just last month, the Central Permit Office migrated all residential and commercial permit applications to the city’s online application portal, making it easier for residents and businesses to access and apply for building and site permits. The portal streamlines review approvals, while offering convenient 24-hour electronic access. Applicants can track their application status online, upload required documents, connect with City of Syracuse staff, and conveniently pay fees with a credit card. It serves homeowners making renovations, small-business owners opening storefronts, and the development community investing in Syracuse’s future. This transition is about more than just convenience, and it’s only the beginning. Applications for business licenses, right-of-way, and zoning permits will all migrate online by the fall and winter of 2025. ​ Another way we are streamlining permit approvals is by bringing on third-party firms to perform plan reviews for code compliance. The Central Permit Office is working with these firms to shorten turnaround times for the city’s plan-review process, and applicants can also select to pay for an expedited review from outside firms to fit their specific needs. The culmination of these efforts along with many other process changes and investments being made across city government come at a strategically critical moment. Our population is on the rise, Syracuse was recently named one of the top 25 best places to live in America, we are well underway on the massive $2.25 billion Interstate 81 Viaduct project that is transforming our city, and we’re at the epicenter of a resurgence that includes the [nearby] $100 billion Micron mega chip plant, the largest single economic investment in the history of New York state. Syracuse is surging and after eight years serving this city, I am confident we are ready to meet the demand. Investment and construction are strong. Families can turn their vision for a better home into a reality. Local entrepreneurs can turn a dream into a thriving business. Developers looking to invest will be met with innovation and collaboration. And for Syracuse as a whole, we are seeing our vision — to be a growing city that embraces diversity and creates opportunity for all — become a reality.      

---

Ben Walsh, 46, is the 54th Mayor of the City of Syracuse. The independent has served as mayor since Jan. 1, 2018 and will complete his second and final four-year term in office at the end of 2025.