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Syracuse University to begin demolition work on both Marion and Kimmel Halls
SYRACUSE, N.Y.— Syracuse University on Thursday said it plans to begin demolition of Marion Hall and Kimmel Hall and the Kimmel dining center “later this
Mohawk Valley EDGE names Papale president, removing interim tag
ROME, N.Y. — Mohawk Valley EDGE announced that its executive committee has formally appointed Shawna Papale as president of the regional economic-development organization, effective immediately.
Southern Tier woman arrested for theft of nearly $30,000 in pension checks
New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, recently announced the arrest of Linda Burrows of the town of Fillmore in Allegany County for the alleged
Popeyes fried-chicken chain returns to Destiny USA food court with new restaurant
SYRACUSE — Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen on Nov. 5 opened a new restaurant at Destiny USA’s food court on Level 2. This marks a return to
Christopher Community names director of property management
SYRACUSE — Christopher Community, Inc. recently appointed James Tweedie as director of property management. Tweedie is responsible for assisting the property management team with the development of policies and procedures, training and staff development, site compliance, regulations, and operations. His industry career spans 20 years, primarily at various positions at Conifer Realty, including operations and
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SYRACUSE — Christopher Community, Inc. recently appointed James Tweedie as director of property management.
Tweedie is responsible for assisting the property management team with the development of policies and procedures, training and staff development, site compliance, regulations, and operations.
His industry career spans 20 years, primarily at various positions at Conifer Realty, including operations and regional manager, community support specialist and community manager, during his tenure.
“We are very pleased to welcome Jim to our organization,” Christopher Community President and CEO Justin Rudgick said in a news release. “Jim provides decades of experience within our industry and will provide sound leadership and expertise working with our property management team and portfolio.”
A native of Sidney in Delaware County, Tweedie now resides in Syracuse. He received an associate degree in applied science from SUNY Delhi and completed the advanced leadership program (Level 2) from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He maintains numerous industry designations including certified financial specialist and tax credit specialist.
Started in 1971, Christopher Community currently manages more than 3,300 units and more than 100 buildings, as well as administers Onondaga County’s Rental Assistance Program, which serves more than 1,200 households. Christopher Community develops and operates safe, affordable housing for low-income and moderate-income individuals and families. The nonprofit organization serves communities across New York state, including Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Utica, Watertown, Oswego, Cortland, Elmira, and more.
YMCA of Central New York announces board officers, members
SYRACUSE — The YMCA of Central New York on Nov. 26 announced new officers and members of its board of directors that were elected earlier this year. The following five members were elected to leadership positions: • Chair & Chief Volunteer Officer: Julie Mann • 1st Vice Chair: BJ Adigun • 2nd Vice Chair: Jennifer
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SYRACUSE — The YMCA of Central New York on Nov. 26 announced new officers and members of its board of directors that were elected earlier this year.
The following five members were elected to leadership positions:
• Chair & Chief Volunteer Officer: Julie Mann
• 1st Vice Chair: BJ Adigun
• 2nd Vice Chair: Jennifer Anninos
• Treasurer: Geoff Wells
• Secretary: Kenyon Black
The following five people were elected as new members of the YMCA board:
• Tracy Caryl — director of development at WAER
• Matthew Eaton — JPMorgan Chase, senior business consultant
• Julie Mann — Microsoft, director, customer success
• Matthew Roberson — college student
• Coen Nelson — serving as youth member
The full list of members of the board of directors of the YMCA of Central New York can be found at: ymcacny.org/board-members
Task force seeks to cut crime at Towne Center at Fayetteville
Seeking a safer holiday season FAYETTEVILLE — With the holiday shopping season now underway, the Town of Manlius Police Department says it wants to prevent robberies and other retail crimes with the creation of a retail crime task force. The task force is a public/private
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FAYETTEVILLE — With the holiday shopping season now underway, the Town of Manlius Police Department says it wants to prevent robberies and other retail crimes with the creation of a retail crime task force.
The task force is a public/private partnership with COR Properties and local retailers at Towne Center at Fayetteville, the department said in its Nov. 26 announcement.
This comes after an analysis by the town’s police department found that incidents of thefts and other retail crime are up 35 percent year to date in 2024 compared to 2023.
“Beginning immediately and continuing into the new year,” the Town of Manlius Police Department will, as necessary, deploy officers dressed in plain clothes around Fayetteville Towne Center and within participating stores.
The department also notes that signs will be “conspicuously” displayed around Towne Center informing the public about the presence of plain-clothes police officers. Teams will also include uniformed officers in marked patrol vehicles.
Those arrested for crimes should also expect to be “trespassed” or banned from all COR properties for up to three years. Subsequent arrests in violation of no-trespass orders may result in serious felony charges with the possibility of jail time exceeding one year, the Manlius Police Department said.
Officers patrolling Fayetteville Towne Center will also be on the lookout for crimes occurring in the parking lots, and the department would like to remind shoppers and families about how to avoid being a crime victim this holiday season.
Manlius Police say that with increased shopping comes an increase in thefts from motor vehicles. Shoppers and families should not leave purchased products in vehicles “longer than necessary;” keep bags, packages, and valuables out of sight; remove keys from vehicles; and always remember to lock your car.
In early 2024, the Town of Manlius Police Department began an initiative called the chief’s business-advisory committee. The group sought to increase communication and collaboration between the department and local businesses with the goal of improving the quality of life for customers, employees, and businesses.
The committee also wanted to continue to “ensure the Town of Manlius is a desirable location for commerce.”
The Town of Manlius Police Department’s analysis identified a “significant portion” of retail crime and business losses due to theft in the town are concentrated at Fayetteville Towne Center and incidents have increased 35 percent so far in 2024 compared to the previous year.
New name for local SBDC reflects its coverage area
ONONDAGA — The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Onondaga Community College (OCC) has a new name that encompasses the broader region it covers. As of Dec. 1, it is now known as the North Central Small Business Development Center, OCC recently announced. The North Central SBDC is hosted by OCC in the town of
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ONONDAGA — The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Onondaga Community College (OCC) has a new name that encompasses the broader region it covers.
As of Dec. 1, it is now known as the North Central Small Business Development Center, OCC recently announced.
The North Central SBDC is hosted by OCC in the town of Onondaga and Jefferson Community College in Watertown. It serves an eight-county territory in Central New York and the North Country, and the territory includes Cayuga, Cortland, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Onondaga, Oswego, and Seneca counties.
“The name change to the North Central Small Business Development Center is a more accurate representation of the territory we serve and will more easily identify with the diverse population of people seeking our assistance,” Robert Griffin, regional director for the North Central Small Business Development Center, said in the OCC announcement. “I want to thank OCC President Dr. Warren Hilton and the members of our Regional Advisory Board for their support and guidance through this process.”
This Small Business Development Center began serving the region in 1984. It provides no-cost, confidential advisement services to existing and aspiring entrepreneurs at all stages of the business life cycle, from pre-venture through succession planning, OCC said.
The North Central SBDC is one of 19 regional SBDCs in New York state. Over its 40-year history, the center has served more than 58,000 people, supported more than 4400 new businesses, and provided more than $700 million in documented small-business investment.
U.S. Marine Corps vet now leading Clear Path for Veterans
CHITTENANGO — Ryan Woodruff, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, is a few weeks into his new role as CEO of Clear Path for Veterans. Woodruff previously served as chief program officer for the nonprofit organization, per an Oct. 29 announcement. He is succeeding Chris Flaherty as CEO, according to an email from Sarah
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CHITTENANGO — Ryan Woodruff, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, is a few weeks into his new role as CEO of Clear Path for Veterans.
Woodruff previously served as chief program officer for the nonprofit organization, per an Oct. 29 announcement. He is succeeding Chris Flaherty as CEO, according to an email from Sarah Clark, Clear Path’s events and marketing manager.
Woodruff began his career at Clear Path as a peer-support specialist and during that time, received services himself as he was transitioning from military life to civilian life, the organization said.
“Having personally felt the profound impact of Clear Path for Veterans’ programs, I am truly honored to lead our organization into this next chapter,” Woodruff said in the Clear Path announcement. “To our veterans, families, community members, and beloved canines, my commitment is to prioritize you as we continue to build upon the incredible work we’re passionate about. Together, we’ll thrive and achieve even more for our community.”
When receiving help through Clear Path after his military service, Woodruff participated in the nonprofit’s canine program and was connected with a service dog, Clear Path said. Through that relationship, he discovered his passion for training service dogs and placing them with veterans. He attended a canine-training school and became a nationally certified trainer.
Woodruff served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment. He was deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as an infantry rifleman.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
“Ryan is an exceptional leader whose unwavering commitment to excellence and innovative thinking will guide Clear Path into its next chapter,” Alex Behm, chief community officer at Clear Path for Veterans, said in the announcement. “I have every confidence that under Ryan’s stewardship, we will continue to deliver superior programs and services to veterans and their families. His deep understanding of our values and vision makes Ryan the perfect choice to lead us forward.”
Clear Path for Veterans says it supports veterans, service members, and military families through community building, supportive programming, and direct services to “enrich their lives and address the wellness and social issues they face.”
Its main campus is located at 1223 Salt Springs Road in Chittenango with a satellite location at 126 N. Salina St. in Syracuse.
HISTORY FROM OHA: 17 South Salina St. – Syracuse’s Long-Lasting Clothing Emporium
On one of Syracuse’s busiest thoroughfares, one specific address — 17 South Salina St. — maintained an illustrious commercial history throughout the 19th century, in housing some of the city’s most renowned clothiers at the time. Subsequently, renumbered as 123 South Salina St. before 1890, 17 South Salina was located in the historic Lansing Building.
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On one of Syracuse’s busiest thoroughfares, one specific address — 17 South Salina St. — maintained an illustrious commercial history throughout the 19th century, in housing some of the city’s most renowned clothiers at the time. Subsequently, renumbered as 123 South Salina St. before 1890, 17 South Salina was located in the historic Lansing Building. That building, according to The Post-Standard, was a “four-story structure fronting one hundred feet” sandwiched between the Syracuse House and railroad depot, and later located “immediately to the south of the Onondaga County Savings Bank” building.
Interestingly, at least six separate clothing and merchant tailoring firms occupied this space in the Lansing between 1857 and 1896. This reality, however, remains no surprise given the lucrative nature of the garment manufacturing business at this time. In 1856, The Syracuse Standard reported on the general success of the nation’s clothing industry, contending that in New York City alone, over $26 million worth of clothes were assembled for retail sale. Clothing production was still not yet largely mechanized. Fabric cutters would prepare the pieces for sewing, and tailors employed by various clothiers and their families would, either by hand or with the use of a simple sewing machine, convert these materials into ready-for-wear garments such as coats, vests, and pantaloons.
As reported by The Syracuse Standard, the D. and J. Groff Clothing Store was among the first costume retailers to occupy this space. The Groffs initially relocated their establishment to 17 South Salina St. in July 1857, where they proceeded to sell their extensive and fashionable stock of “merchant tailoring goods.”
Yet the second significant merchant business among the myriad of clothiers who had operated their enterprise from 17 South Salina was the infamous firm of Fiske, Morgan, and Kugler. The Fiske, Morgan, and Kugler Clothing Store at this location was managed by local Syracusans William B. Fiske, James Morgan, and George Kugler, respectively, beginning in 1859. Among the products sold at this retailer was a device known as a “bosom expander,” which was worn by men and was intended, as described in a patent for the device granted earlier that year to D. M. Church and C. H. Ellsworth of Birmingham, Connecticut, to be worn under one’s garments and swell his chest to ensure that his “shirt and vest [had] a handsome and neat fit” and did not appear baggy or ill-fitting. Prior to the start of the Civil War, these expanders were especially useful for soldiers to wear to fit properly in their uniforms, and Fiske, Morgan, and Kugler claimed in the Onondaga Standard in August 1860 to be the “exclusive agents” for the sale of this invention across the city of Syracuse.
Interestingly, while the Fiske, Morgan, and Kugler Clothing Store was in operation, it permitted a Scottish individual, John B. McPhail, to operate a saloon in its lower building space for a brief period during 1859. Barney Stone and Washington Jordan originally opened a saloon in the basement underneath Fiske’s Clothing Store in June 1859, but soon transferred this space to McPhail. As reiterated within a Syracuse Standard article published on Sept. 22, 1859, McPhail by that point had “taken [a] saloon on Salina Street, under [the] Fiske, Morgan, and Kugler’s Clothing Store” at 17 South Salina, where George Skinner “preside[d] at the bar,” and this tavern was known as the “Troy Saloon.” As enumerated in the 1855 New York State Census, John McPhail was previously a resident of the 6th ward of the city of Troy, in Rensselaer County in the state of New York, along with his wife Annah and children Mary Ann, James, and Emma, as well as a servant, Mary Mathew, from Ireland, before he relocated to Syracuse to operate his tavern business. It therefore appears fitting that his former residence in Troy likely became the namesake for McPhail’s “Troy Saloon.” By Nov. 15, 1859, the Syracuse Standard reported that McPhail “sold Troy Saloon, under Fiske’s Clothing Store, to Noah Gale, who [had] changed the name to Auburn Saloon,” and where Gale also served a plethora of oysters and clams to his customers. Evidently, this provision of hearty food and drink appeared to entice visitors to Fiske, Morgan, and Kugler’s Clothing Store for more than just the acquisition of new garments.
In December 1860, The State League reported that William B. Fiske of Syracuse had passed away from typhoid fever. The Syracuse Journal further documented that in September 1862, in light of this untimely death of their colleague, the co-partnership between Morgan and Kugler was subsequently “dissolved, by mutual consent,” and directly thereafter, George Kugler formed a new business relationship with John H. Brooks, a fellow clothing merchant. Together, Kugler and Brooks operated their mutual sales and tailoring enterprise at No. 2 Wieting Block in Syracuse, where George Kugler himself was “happy to see and serve his former friends and patrons” who had been his customers at Fiske, Morgan, and Kugler. The provision of fall and winter clothing was among Brooks and Kugler’s specialties, and the gentlemen further prided themselves on selling overcoats, English walking coats, and business and dress clothing for men of a “superior quality, style, and variety of assortment,” but still at “fair and reasonable prices.”
In 1866, the Journal published a notice stating that yet a third apparel retailer, J. D. Ackerman, joined the partnership of Brooks and Kugler in the Wieting Block. The firm of Brooks, Kugler, and Ackerman remained intact until the fall of 1876, when George Kugler withdrew from the “business of this well-established, extensive and popular cloth, clothing, and furnishing house,” and thereby allowed Brooks and Ackerman to purchase his interest in the conglomerate and subsequently continue their commercial ventures as a duo.
Meanwhile, James Morgan continued to autonomously operate the merchant tailorship and clothing store at 17 South Salina St. from 1862 until 1873 without his two former partners. Like Brooks and Kugler’s enterprise, Morgan’s shop also specialized in the provision of fall and winter wear for his male clients, and he at many times personally attended to the section of material for the suits or garments that were made for his customers.
Nevertheless, the fracturing of the partnership between Morgan and Kugler was not without competition. At one point, in March 1866, the Syracuse Journal contended that Morgan had poached the services of John Haas, a talented garment cutter who was formerly employed by Brooks and Kugler, to add to his own staff. However, if this “theft” of personnel resulted in the brooding of any animosity, such antagonism between Kugler and Morgan was temporary. Subsequently, for a brief period in 1869 and 1870, it is interesting to note that George Kugler attempted a professional collaboration at 22 East Genesee St. with Robert J. Morgan, James Morgan’s son who worked as a clothing clerk and with his father for many years. However, this partnership formed for the “purpose of conducting the merchant tailoring business” was short-lived, even though Kugler was touted at the time in the Syracuse Journal as the “best cutter [of clothing material] in Syracuse.”
Morgan’s Clothing Store remained in operation at 17 South Salina St. until 1873, when the Syracuse Journal published an advertisement to disseminate the news that his “entire stock and store fixtures” would be “ for sale in bulk,” indicating a closure of his shop. Ironically, Alva C. Spencer, the founder of the Spencer Clothing Company, was listed in this announcement as the assignee of Morgan’s estate and effects, which may have played a pivotal role in enabling him to ultimately assume control of Morgan’s store. It was demarcated in the Syracuse Journal in March 1874 that Spencer anticipated relocating and opening a new furnishings store at the address which had been “formerly Mr. Morgan’s” by the first of April in that year. Advertisements in local papers throughout 1874 stressed that at 17 South Salina, Alva Spencer sold a myriad of “novelties in neckwear” that included Windsor scarves and neckties, in addition to such accessories as silk square handkerchiefs, seasonal undergarments, and linens. His business uniquely provided laundry services for his customers, and regarding sales, Spencer promised to sell “the newest and most desirable goods at bottom prices.” In 1875, Alva Spencer planned to uproot his operations in Syracuse and open a new men’s apparel store in Toledo, Ohio.
After Spencer moved to Ohio, it was relayed in the local press that Colonel E. L. Robinson purchased the lease and the stock of Spencer’s Clothing Company, and thereafter assumed possession of the store in April 1875. In 1876, W. A. Robinson, presumably of relation to the colonel, operated a men’s furnishing goods store at that location which was known as “Twenty White Globes,” in reference to the bulbs of light arranged to illuminate the commodities placed strategically in its display windows. “Twenty White Globes” held its grand opening on April 16, 1875, and this “mammoth emporium” sold hosiery, silk umbrellas, brushes, and perfumes in addition to shirts. In May 1876, Robinson formed a partnership with J. W. White, who managed the shirt department of Robinson’s store. In December 1877, Robinson and White, in acting as dealers in gentlemen’s furnishing goods, also shared the space at 15 and 17 South Salina St. with A. Ramsay’s Clothing House, until both properties were superseded by the A. W. Palmer and Company wholesale and retail clothing dealers.
The A. W. Palmer and Company was managed by Alva W. Palmer, who was the brother of famous Syracuse clothier Manning C. Palmer. Alva Palmer joined his brother’s commercial partnership around 1860, and the M. C. Palmer and Company’s name was changed to A. W. Palmer and Company when Manning, in functioning as the senior partner, chose to “retire from the active business of the house,” as the Syracuse Journal documented. Subsequently, Alva Palmer moved his family enterprise that sold ready-made clothing on North Salina Street to 15 and 17 South Salina St. in 1877, and its sales and manufacturing departments occupied these new adjacent spaces. At the Lansing Building, Alva completed extensive remodeling to connect the two addresses on the first floor with adjoining archways, where beaver overcoats and business suits among other pre-assembled apparel were sold.
The A. W. Palmer and Company far outlasted its predecessors in its longevity, as it remained at 15 and 17 South Salina St. for at least 20 years, even after this location’s address was renumbered as 121 and 123 South Salina. Alva Palmer’s company was accordingly renamed A. W. Palmer and Son, after his son, George C. Palmer, joined the establishment. With a clientele that was predominantly men and children, A. W. Palmer and Son was characterized in a Syracuse Journal article published on Nov. 14, 1896, as a “leading enterprise” in the tailoring and “handling of fine clothing.” This made them one of the best “clothing emporium[s]” of Syracuse and indicated that their superb service and craftsmanship in the garment industry was longstanding.
As this examination of Syracuse’s clothiers of bygone years ranging from Fiske to Palmer illustrates, 17 South Salina St. functioned not only as a central hub of the garment industry, but also as an early catalyst that paved the way for the street’s transformation into the city’s central commercial district in the 20th century. With businesses such as Sibley’s and Dey Brothers thriving in the consciousness of modern Syracusans as classic apparel retailers, it’s no wonder that these department stores emerged on the same thoroughfare as preceding garment manufacturers, and continued the tradition of clothes shopping on Salina Street for successive generations.
Maria Lore is a research associate at the Onondaga Historical Association (OHA), located at 321 Montgomery St. in Syracuse.
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