SYRACUSE — CenterState CEO, Central New York’s main economic-development organization, doesn’t know when the federal government will make a final decision on the future of Interstate-81 in Syracuse, but it knows what it would like to see.

CenterState CEO is calling for a “Community Grid Plus” approach that builds on the foundation of the New York State Department of Transportation’s (NYSDOT) proposed Community Grid alternative with 10 points of enhancement, per a document that CenterState CEO released Feb. 22.

Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, said the organization has briefed the area’s federal lawmakers on its recommendation.

“We would certainly use this when this when the final DEIS is released as the basis for our comments on the final draft environmental impact statement [DEIS],” Simpson said in addressing reporters during a press conference held Feb. 22.

The organization says it recognizes that no single solution — grid, new viaduct, or tunnel — is adequate to fully maximize the economic transformation and social benefits of this project for the region. 

The Community Grid, however, best reflects the values set forth by CenterState CEO, and these Grid Plus enhancements seek to address more than just the roadway by advocating for additional elements to more fully meet the economic, environmental, social, and transportation needs identified by the community throughout this process. CenterState CEO said it is “committed” to working with stakeholders across the community to “add to, refine and advance these enhancements.”

“Our perspective is that each of the three alternatives has pros and cons and that we get one chance to make this right. Community grid is the best foundation, but the community grid itself does not solve all of the economic and the social and the cultural concerns that we’ve heard surface in this debate, so wrapping our arms around those issues and working collaboratively with partners to tackle those is more likely to get us to the right place in the future,” Simpson said during his presentation.

CenterState CEO’s 10 points are outlined as follows.

Regional roadway and public transportation improvements

CenterState CEO contends this project “should go beyond tackling just the elevated portion of I-81 through the city by addressing the entire regional transportation system,” per the document.

It suggests incorporating public-transit enhancements — in advance of I-81 construction — adopting recommendations of the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council’s current mass transit study (SMART 1).

Other recommendations include:

• Designating remaining spur sections of I-81 north of the I-690 interchange and south of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive as the “I-81 Business Spur.”

• Improving the Bear Street corridor to enhance transportation infrastructure and support the development of the Inner Harbor and the surrounding area.

• Adding an additional lane to I-481 between exit 3 (Fayetteville/Dewitt) and the northern interchange of I-481/I-81 in both directions as well as other places where appropriate.

• Redesigning interchanges and over/under passes along I-481 for safe pedestrian, cyclist, and vehicular traffic flow.

• Developing and implement plans that create an interconnected system of bike and pedestrian ways in communities divided by I-481.

• Eliminating tolls on the New York State Thruway in the Syracuse area to facilitate east/west traffic movements and accommodate truck traffic.

Minimize “common features” impacts

The “common features” are elements of the project that the NYSDOT plans to construct regardless of the alternative selected. 

To minimize negative impact to Syracuse’s Northside community, CenterState CEO recommends eliminating the construction of the “missing links” between I-81 and I-690 and additional lanes for I-81 north of downtown between I-690 and Hiawatha Boulevard.

The missing links are the two links that weren’t created when the highways were originally built that would send 81 South drivers to 690 West and 690 East drivers to 81 North. 

“The conversations that we’ve had with both stakeholders in Franklin Square and on the North Side feel that those missing links will cause impacts in those neighborhoods that aren’t necessarily … warranted at this time,” Jonathan Link Logan, co-director of the Northside Urban Partnership (Northside UP), who also spoke during the Feb. 22 news conference.

Northside UP is a program of CenterState CEO.

Environmental improvements

CenterState CEO recommends a “full examination” of noise impacts along the portions of I-81 remaining as spurs in the city, as well as the current I-481 corridor, and development of a plan to work with local residents to design and install sound-attenuation measures, “where appropriate, that also provide environmental benefits.” Examples of these would include vegetation for filtering pollutants and solar panels to generate electricity, per the document.

Mitigation fund

A special fund should be established to provide financial assistance “as necessary” for communities and businesses that may have a reduction in traffic, developing new opportunities to invest in “demand drivers” to increase visibility for visitation and overnight stays.

The fund could also benefit urban-design assistance to “enhance” all communities adjacent to the highway; implementing a “comprehensive, holistic mixed-use and mixed-income revitalization plan” for the East Adams neighborhood; and mitigating the loss of parking in the city of Syracuse.

Inclusive employment commitment 

CenterState CEO says it would like to see a “strong commitment to inclusive employment and contracting opportunities,” providing preference for contractors and employers that ensure jobs created by the project are filled by local minority and women-owned business enterprise contractors and residents.

Revitalization commission

Establish a revitalization commission to “give a voice” to all community stakeholders to shape a revitalization plan moving forward. This group would develop strategies and metrics to turn excess land within the city back to the community for redevelopment and rebuilding the local tax base.

It would also incorporate inclusive development principles for property disposition and construction activities. The group would also consider how to assist the suburbs in developing lands adjacent to I-81 and I-481.

Mitigate trucking impacts on towns and villages

CenterState CEO also recommends working with community partners to address concerns about truck traffic.

That would include mitigating issues related to truck traffic in the western towns; on city streets; in the towns along I-481 as truck traffic shifts east to access the “enhanced” CSX terminal in DeWitt; and encouraging more shipments to travel by train.

It would also include developing a “comprehensive” rail and freight plan for the region; and transferring ownership of certain state routes to the county or locality, enabling them to regulate truck traffic.

Maintenance fund

The organization recommends establishing a special fund to ensure the long-term maintenance of infrastructure and city streets used for the community grid.

Traffic coordination and signal enhancements

Improve traffic flow and congestion at peak travel times by coordination and optimization between state-,county-, and city-owned signals.

Construction-process improvements

CenterState CEO would like to see measures taken to “better utilize this opportunity for the community’s benefit.” 

Those measures would include breaking the project into smaller components to allow more local contractors a “better opportunity to bid on and be engaged with the project.”         

BALDWINSVILLE — Evans Chevrolet, a nearly century-old Baldwinsville dealership will soon be under a new name.

The Ithaca–based Maguire Family of Dealerships has acquired Evans Chevrolet of 112 Syracuse St. in the village, effective Feb. 20. The dealership will soon begin operating under the moniker Maguire Chevrolet of Syracuse.

Maguire didn’t disclose financial terms of the acquisition, including purchase price, but did indicate it was a cash deal, according to Ashley Greenlee, marketing director at the Maguire Family of Dealerships.

Maguire acquired all of Evans Chevrolet’s assets, including the Chevy franchise, full vehicle inventory, and the real estate. Evans had a total vehicle inventory of about $8 million, Greenlee tells CNYBJ.

Evans Chevrolet has been owned and operated for 94 years by four generations of the Evans family. Mark Evans, current owner and president, decided to retire after spending his career managing the family business.

“Although it’s truly an end of an era and will obviously be bittersweet to see the Evans name gone from the dealership, my family and I are thrilled that the Maguire Family shares our same business ethics and commitment to treating customers, employees, and vendors like family,” Mark Evans said in a news release issued by Maguire. 

All 33 Evans employees are expected to make the transition to Maguire, the release stated.

Evans Chevrolet sells new and pre-owned Chevrolet cars, SUVs, and trucks. In 2018, Evans sold about 1,000 vehicles, Greenlee says.

This is the fourth Maguire dealership in the Syracuse market, joining Maguire Chrysler Jeep, Maguire Dodge Ram, and Maguire Nissan of Syracuse. Those three were the result of acquisitions as well — purchases of Lowery Bros. Chrysler Jeep, Summit Dodge Ram, and Bill Rapp Nissan, respectively.

Maguire says the acquisition of Evans is a “strategic addition” to its list of Syracuse–area auto sales and service operations, especially considering the largest number of registered vehicles in the Syracuse area is made by General Motors.

The Maguire Family of Dealerships sells and services 19 automotive brands across 13 locations, 

Established in 1977, the Maguire Family of Dealerships opened its first dealership under the Ford banner in Trumansburg, and has since expanded to include 13 dealerships in Trumansburg, Ithaca, Watkins Glen, and Syracuse — representing 19 automotive brands. 

Maguire has more than 500 total employees, according to Greenlee.

SYRACUSE — The largest Burger King franchisee in the U.S. is adding another restaurant brand to its portfolio.

Syracuse–based Carrols Restaurant Group (NASDAQ: TAST) recently announced a deal that will include acquiring 166 Burger King and 55 Popeyes restaurants in 10 Southeastern and Southern states. 

The restaurants are part of a merger agreement with Memphis, Tennessee–based Cambridge Franchise Holdings, LLC, Carrols said in a Feb. 20 news release.

Speaking on an investor conference call that same day, Dan Accordino, chairman and CEO of Carrols Restaurant Group, called it a “transformational transaction” for the company. 

“The addition of Popeyes provides us with a complementary platform to our core Burger King business, allowing us to expand in the Popeyes system and to leverage the strong brand as another avenue for growth. Cambridge has already built a solid Popeyes business with 55 restaurants throughout Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee and has ongoing growth opportunities through its existing development pipeline and the opportunity to acquire additional restaurants,” Accordino said. 

In the Carrols news release, Accordino noted that the addition of Popeyes to its restaurant portfolio also offers “diversification to our commodities exposure and geographic footprint.”

Cambridge has an “established track record” of developing both new Burger King and new Popeyes restaurants that Carrols believes will benefit its stockholders and “broaden its capital allocation and growth opportunities,” according to Carrols.

“It further strengthens our position in the Burger King system and provides us the opportunity to continue executing our Burger King acquisition and expansion strategy,” Accordino added on the conference call.

Carrols had 849 restaurants as of Dec. 30, 2018 and has operated Burger King restaurants since 1976.

About Cambridge

Cambridge Franchise Holdings was founded in 2014 when Matt Perelman and Alex Sloane partnered with Ray Meeks to grow his 23-unit Burger King business. Since 2014, Meeks, Perelman, and Sloane have grown Cambridge to include 166 Burger King restaurants and 55 Popeyes eateries throughout the Southeast.

Perelman and Sloane are co-managing partners of Garnett Station Partners (GSP), an investment firm focused on retail and consumer companies. Garnett Station Partners has offices in Bartlett, Tennessee and New York City, per its website.

“We expect to complete the merger in mid-to-late April timeframe, at which time, both Matt and Alex will join our board,” Accordino said.

Merger deal

The transaction will be structured as a tax-free merger. Cambridge, which is controlled by Garnett Station Partners and owned by some large family office investors, will receive about 7.36 million shares of Carrols common stock, and at closing will own about 16.6 percent of Carrols’ outstanding common shares. The transaction doesn’t include a cash component.

As part of the deal, Cambridge will have the right to designate up to two director nominees and Perelman and Sloane will join the Carrols board of directors upon completion of the merger.

Carrols believes that Cambridge will provide it with a “platform and relationships to grow” within the Popeyes brand. Cambridge has already built a Popeyes business with 55 restaurants in Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee and has additional “growth opportunities” through both acquisitions and new restaurant development. As part of the transaction, Carrols will assume Cambridge’s existing development agreement with Popeyes, which provides for an acquisition right-of-first-refusal (ROFR) in Tennessee and Kentucky and the development of about 70 new Popeyes restaurants over the next six years. 

“We will be assuming Cambridge’s existing development agreement with Popeyes, which provides for an acquisition ROFR in Tennessee and Kentucky in the development of approximately 70 new Popeyes restaurants over the next six years,” said Accordino.