Former East Syracuse elementary school is now St. Matthew’s Condominium

EAST SYRACUSE — The former St. Matthew’s Elementary School in East Syracuse is now St. Matthew’s Condominium, following a $6.4 million project that redeveloped the structure into condominiums and apartments. A subsidiary of Redev CNY, called 214 Redev, LLC and led by Syracuse–based developer Ryan Benz, announced the project completion on Sept. 21. The redevelopment converted the former St. Matthew’s Elementary School into an energy-efficient residential community, including 21 studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom homes, modern appliances, and shared community amenities. Redev CNY describes the project at 214 Kinne St. as “a transformative redevelopment in East Syracuse that delivers high-quality, affordable, and accessible homeownership opportunities to Central New York families.” St. Matthew’s Condominium brings new energy-efficient housing options to the market “at an accessible price point,” Redev CNY said. The project is supported by $4.2 million from New York State Division of Homes and Community Renewal’s (NYSHCR) Affordable Homeownership Opportunity Program (AHOP), which provides funding to encourage the creation of affordable homeownership projects that serve low and middle-income homebuyers. “Owning a home gives families financial stability and the opportunity to build generational wealth,” RuthAnne Visnauskas, NYSHCR commissioner, said in the Redev CNY announcement. “This $4.2 million investment is giving 21 families access to an affordable, modern, and sustainable home that they can call their own for decades to come. We thank Governor Hochul for her vision on increasing affordable homeownership and we are grateful to our partners for their continued dedication.” The project was also supported by the Onondaga County Housing Initiative Program (O-CHIP) and a Clean Heat award from National Grid. The project has been designed to ensure that each unit’s monthly costs — including mortgage, homeowners association (HOA) expenses, and property taxes — prioritize affordability, per the announcement. The units will be affordable to homebuyers earning 80 percent of the area median income in Onondaga County, the announcement stated. “St. Matthew’s Condominium represents more than just housing — it’s about creating generational opportunity,” Ryan Benz, developer and founder of Redev CNY, said in the announcement. “We are committed to making sure Central New Yorkers can own high-quality homes without being cost-burdened, and we’re grateful to our partners at New York State, Onondaga County, and National Grid for making this vision possible.”