State of Downtown report details vibrant activity

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Nearly 30 new ground-floor businesses began operations in downtown Syracuse in the 2023-24 fiscal year. The firms included seven new retail shops, eight personal-service locations, and 14 new food and beverage spots. That’s according to the State of Downtown report that Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse Inc., delivered during the […]

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Nearly 30 new ground-floor businesses began operations in downtown Syracuse in the 2023-24 fiscal year.

The firms included seven new retail shops, eight personal-service locations, and 14 new food and beverage spots.

That’s according to the State of Downtown report that Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse Inc., delivered during the organization’s annual meeting on June 20.

Downtown Syracuse has had an increase in retail occupancy, with the rate surpassing 80 percent for the first time since 2010. Since then, the downtown area added 240,000 square feet of additional retail space to its commercial offerings.

The Downtown Committee in May launched a resident survey, which sought data on downtown-resident demographics and housing preferences. The survey found those living downtown speak 16 languages and represent 19 countries and five continents.

“These perspectives are important as we build towards an inclusive downtown,” Treier said in her report.

Development projects

Downtown development projects included City Center in the former Sibley’s department store building. The Hayner Hoyt Corporation held a formal-opening event in October 2023. The redevelopment was made possible thanks to public and private partners who “saw the potential of this space and came together to drive this project forward,” according to the report.

A few blocks away, the Allyn Family Foundation announced plans to renovate the historic Chimes Building through a $40 million development to bring 152 mixed-income apartments online, “building on the energy created by the Salt City Market,” the report stated.

Across South Salina Street, the apartments at Symphony Place began lease-up this past spring. The $17.5 million project offers 75 residential units and two floors of commercial space.

In her remarks, Treier went on to say that additional revitalization and foot traffic will bolster southern downtown, “thanks to the vision and partnership of New York State, Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse.”

Across from Centro’s hub, Central New York’s first STEAM School is under construction and will open in 2025. STEAM is short for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

Through partnerships, internships, mentoring and job shadowing, the program will help prepare students for jobs in the high-tech manufacturing field. New York State has committed $71 million to the effort, along with Micron’s $10 million commitment to this and other K-12 programs.

The $32 million Tech Garden expansion is well underway. The project will include space for 35 resident startups, 100 virtual startups, a fresh façade, and major tech enhancements. The Tech Garden expansion is set to be completed in 2025.

On Montgomery Street, a $2.2 million project to improve accessibility at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is underway. The project’s second phase includes a partnership with A Tiny Home for Good to create permanent apartments to support those facing chronic homelessness, per the report.

On the southern end of this block, a $7 million project is underway at Mizpah Towers. Cerio Law offices moved into the commercial space on the second floor. The project involves work on an event space, several apartments, and a restaurant.

Throughout this neighborhood, a $232,000 grant from New York State allows the Downtown Committee to support building-renovation projects and façade improvements at Mizpah Towers, Noble Cellar, Acropolis Center, and the Redhouse, according to the Downtown Committee.

Elsewhere, City Hall Commons, near Hanover Square, is slated for a $17 million conversion by Hanover Development to add 40 apartments and retail space.

Across Warren Street, the City of Syracuse plans to refresh Hanover Square, an effort that includes an updated fountain design, expected to be completed in the summer of 2025.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is leading the charge for new hotel rooms downtown. In June, he announced plans to seek a developer to build a more than 200-room, full-service hotel adjacent to the Everson Museum of Art, which is located at 401 Harrison St.

To incentivize more growth at this critical juncture in the area’s hospitality industry, the county is also offering grants to expand on and build new hotels to support efforts to attract major events, and to fill a need that will be driven by Micron’s plant in the town of Clay.

Starting this fall at Fayette Park, Douglas Development will renovate 420 and 430 E. Genesee St. into a mix of 57 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments through a $25 million investment.

In addition, The Clinton at Armory Square is breaking ground in spring 2025. This $20 million development will create 88 apartments, 3,000 square feet of retail space and onsite parking at the site of the current Clinton Street Garage, per the report.

OHA set for big renovation project at downtown Syracuse museum

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SYRACUSE — The Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) is preparing for a renovation project at its museum building at 321 Montgomery St. in downtown Syracuse. OHA will use a $3 million New York State grant for the effort. New York State Assemblyman William Magnarelli (D–Syracuse) secured the funding for the OHA project. “Preserving the history of

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SYRACUSE — The Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) is preparing for a renovation project at its museum building at 321 Montgomery St. in downtown Syracuse.

OHA will use a $3 million New York State grant for the effort. New York State Assemblyman William Magnarelli (D–Syracuse) secured the funding for the OHA project.

“Preserving the history of our community is an extremely important task,” Magnarelli said in the OHA’s announcement about the project. “To do this properly, the Onondaga Historical Association must have facilities that are suitably equipped for preservation but also welcoming to the public.”

The project will involve installation of better air conditioning, humidity controls, and the renovation of its research center, which is a “huge resource for the community,” Lisa Romano Moore, executive director of OHA, said.

“We hold multiple collections from artwork to newspapers to clothing,” Romano Moore said. “All of those are to be stored in the spaces that need good environmental controls.”

The OHA news release on the project says it’ll include the move of the Richard & Carolyn Wright Research Center from its current location on the second floor to an enlarged space on the third floor.

Romano Moore spoke with reporters outside OHA on Aug. 1. She noted that the project’s total cost will approach about $4 million and private donations will also help pay for the renovation effort.

“We’ll be putting some rooftop units in, so at some point there’ll probably be a crane and scaffolding on street level that will bring some of that equipment up to the roof,” Romano Moore told reporters. “We get a lot of questions about people wanting to have events here but we don’t really have a kitchen to accommodate catering and bathrooms on the second floor, so that will support more community programming.”

The project also involves adding some bathrooms and a kitchen on the second floor, so that OHA can accommodate more public programming in its space. The project will also involve adding better internet-connectivity technology as well.

The project should take about a year to complete. As of Sept. 5, OHA was in the final stages of reviewing project designs from IPD Engineering and still needs to choose a contractor for the project.

“We’ve been planning this for a while. We’ve looked at floor plans. We’ve been looking at asbestos and lead in the building as well and understanding what that dynamic will be in the construction project. But it was really the Assemblyman’s support that really gave us a chance to move forward,” Romano Moore said of Magnarelli.

The OHA announcement stated that the association is “grateful” for additional support from the Central New York Community Foundation; Russ King; the estate of former OHA board member and OHA Medal recipient William Burrows; and the estate of Dawn Cottrell.

OHA will also accept donations from the general public for the renovation project, Romano Moore noted with a smile.

OHA occupies the former Bell Telephone building that Romano Moore described as previously serving as the “largest switchboard on the East Coast,” and the building includes photos and equipment from those days.

“The building itself is a historic building. We’re in a historic district of the city, so this is a really important time for us to make some changes,” she concluded.

UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health names surgical services director

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GENEVA, N.Y. — UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health recently appointed Amber Castner as its new director of surgical services. In her new role, Castner will oversee the design, administration, and evaluation of professional services within the perioperative setting, lead-program growth, oversee surgical-services operations, and coordinate with members of the surgical team to allocate resources to

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GENEVA, N.Y. — UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health recently appointed Amber Castner as its new director of surgical services.

In her new role, Castner will oversee the design, administration, and evaluation of professional services within the perioperative setting, lead-program growth, oversee surgical-services operations, and coordinate with members of the surgical team to allocate resources to promote safe, high-quality service, and compassionate care, the health system announced.

Castner joined Finger Lakes Health in 2009. During her tenure she has served in numerous roles including an operating room (OR) circulating nurse, clinical coordinator for surgical services, Geneva General Hospital (GGH) OR manager, and most recently as surgical-services manager — overseeing Finger Lakes Surgery Center and the GGH operating rooms. She was recognized earlier this year with the DAISY Leader of the Year Award and is a previous DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses recipient.

“We are thrilled that Amber has accepted this position. Not only does she bring extensive surgical services expertise to the role, her commitment to patient care is outstanding. She exemplifies the professionalism, dedication and compassionate caring that we strive to cultivate in our leaders, and the entire Finger Lakes Health team,” Lara Chatel Turbide, COO at UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health, said in a statement.

Castner is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in political science. She also has a bachelor’s from Chamberlain University, where she is currently pursuing her master’s degree. Castner received her certification for operating room nurses (or CNOR) in 2023.

UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health is a multi-institutional health system that provides a full range of acute and long-term care health services to residents of the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York. The 623-bed health system includes Geneva General Hospital, Finger Lakes Surgery Center in Geneva, and Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital in Penn Yan, as well as a number of long-term care facilities, primary-care practices, and specialty-care practices.

Community Bank outlines growth plans in Syracuse, beyond

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Includes State Tower Building branch From new branches to a new name for its parent company, Community Bank is having a busy year. The first of three new Syracuse–area branches will open this October in the State Tower Building on South Warren Street in downtown Syracuse and represents the bank’s commitment to the Syracuse market,

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Includes State Tower Building branch

From new branches to a new name for its parent company, Community Bank is having a busy year.

The first of three new Syracuse–area branches will open this October in the State Tower Building on South Warren Street in downtown Syracuse and represents the bank’s commitment to the Syracuse market, Community Financial System, Inc. President/CEO Dimitar Karaivanov tells CNYBJ. Community Financial is the parent company of Community Bank.

“Historically, we’ve been a little bit of a smaller-market-focused organization,” he says. That has changed as the banking company experiences more success in larger cities, especially on the commercial-banking side.

Community Financial, based in DeWitt, looked at its presence in Syracuse and decided it needed more than just the current branches in DeWitt, Cicero, and Skaneateles.

“It’s not enough for us in the market,” Karaivanov says.

To date, the banking company has announced branch-location plans for the State Tower Building and the Glenn Crossing Plaza in Clay. It is still searching for locations for two more branches, with at least one of them within city of Syracuse limits.

For Community Bank, adding branches is a proactive investment into a market that’s starting to take off. “Clearly, there’s more activity going on in the market,” Karaivanov says. “It’s been a long time, but our markets are growing.”

And it’s not just Syracuse where Community is growing. The bank is also adding three new branch locations in Buffalo, three in Rochester, three in Albany, and one in Springfield, Massachusetts, he adds.

“We’re doing this across the board,” Karaivanov says. “We’ve got a lot on our docket for the next six quarters.”

Community Bank has already seen success in all these markets, Karaivanov notes. “We’re pretty confident we’ll be able to excel at this.”

At a time when other banks are scaling back on physical branches, filling them with interactive technology or even opening virtual branches, Karaivanov feels it’s important for Community Bank to build up its presence in markets.

The interactions with customers that happen in branches today are less about transactions, he says. Most customers are happy handling simple banking tasks through technology like a banking app or the ATM.

“But the relationship-building component is even more important today,” he says. For important financial topics, clients want to talk face to face with someone they trust to ask questions and get advice. For those bigger decisions, “people still like to do it in person because it’s based on trust,” he says.

The new branches will also serve as hubs bringing all of Community’s offerings together in one place in each community, Karaivanov says. Along with Community Bank, the company also operates Benefit Plan Administrative Services, Inc., which provides actuarial, retirement, and benefit-plan services; OneGroup NY, Inc., which provides risk management and commercial insurance, personal lines, and employee benefits; and Community Bank Wealth Management, which provides investment advisory, personal trust, and financial-planning services.

Another area where Community saw change this year was with its corporate name and brand. Earlier this year, the company’s name changed from Community Bank System, Inc., to Community Financial System, Inc. The new name is more inclusive internally and better reflects the company today, Karaivanov says. The name includes all employees and all business lines, not just the bank.

“The evolution from a bank to a financial system is what happened,” Karaivanov says. Now the company’s name shows that, while keeping community at the core.

“Our biggest asset is our people,” he says.

Everson’s new café serves tasty treats on works of art

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SYRACUSE — Visitors to the Everson Museum of Art in downtown Syracuse have long wished for a place on site where they could grab a quick bite to eat during their visit. With the opening of Louise, a new café at the museum, visitors can now enjoy a meal while also appreciating art. Named after

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SYRACUSE — Visitors to the Everson Museum of Art in downtown Syracuse have long wished for a place on site where they could grab a quick bite to eat during their visit.

With the opening of Louise, a new café at the museum, visitors can now enjoy a meal while also appreciating art.

Named after Everson trustee and café visionary Louise Rosenfield, the café makes use of more than 4,000 pieces of functional ceramics, serving dishes right on the pottery and giving diners an up-close art experience.

“This has been a five-year project,” Everson Director and CEO Elizabeth Dunbar says. People have been asking for years when there would be a café at the museum again, she notes. For a long time, it just wasn’t the right time for the museum to be able to support such a venture.

Fast forward to today, Dunbar says, “downtown is much more thriving and vibrant, as is the museum.”

Louise Cafe mug and plate — Shown here, a sampling of the foods, drinks served at the Everson Museum of Art’s new café, Louise. Each piece of pottery contains an RFID chip that diners can scan with their smartphone to open a link and learn more about the artist that created it.
PHOTO CREDIT: EVERSON MUSEUM OF ART

The time was right, and the museum wanted to make sure the concept was right as well. Rosenfield, who is a potter herself, had a vision of a place at the museum where the ceramics collection could be genuinely enjoyed and the pieces used for their intended purposes.

“Her goal was to see that this work fulfills its destiny and is used,” Dunbar notes. Artists don’t want to create a plate or a bowl that just sits on display behind protective glass, she adds. They create the piece to be used.

And that’s what Louise does, serving up food dreamed up by Danielle Mercuri Campolito of Dremer Restaurant Group.

The Everson approached Campolito about two years ago about running the café. “It was clear to use that we were looking for someone pretty special,” Dunbar says. “The food needed to rise to the level of the artwork.”

Known for her LaLaLu Ristorante and Rise N Shine Diner in Syracuse, Campolito was the top choice.

“The fact that this was art really intrigued me,” Campolito says of the concept at Louise. As someone who once considered a career in art, she relished the idea of running the café and creating a menu that would show off the works of art. “Obviously, I try to bring that creativity I love to do into the food.”

The café is open to the public without museum entry and seats about 30 to 35 people. It serves up a menu of sandwiches and other small bites. With a plethora of teapots and tiny dishes, the café even serves pots of tea and tea sandwiches.

Each piece in the collection has not only been meticulously catalogued, but each also features an RFID chip that diners can scan with a smartphone for a link to the artist that created that piece.

“Some are by very famous artists,” Dunbar notes. “You could be drinking out of a mug that costs $500.”

She acknowledges there is the risk that a diner may break a piece of the collection, and that’s a risk the museum is willing to take. “We recognize these objects are meant to be used,” she says.

Louise is the perfect fit for a museum known worldwide for its ceramic collection, Dunbar says. The hope is that the café will help draw in new visitors just to be able to visit the café and experience the collection.

“In a way, Louise provides the whole 360 experience,” she says. People can visit the museum and see some ceramic pieces. Then they can dine at Louise and experience other pieces. Finally, they can even take a class at the museum and learn how to create their own ceramic piece.

“We’re the only museum in the world that has a café like this,” Dunbar notes.

Louise, which officially launched July 24, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Museum entry is not required to visit the café.

Miss Prissy’s readies for downtown Syracuse opening

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SYRACUSE — The co-owner of Miss Prissy’s says the renovation work is well underway at the eatery’s first restaurant location at 431 S. Warren St. in Syracuse. The work started a few days after the Aug. 1 groundbreaking event held at the South Warren Street space, Dreamer Glen, co-owner of Miss Prissy’s, tells CNYBJ in

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SYRACUSE — The co-owner of Miss Prissy’s says the renovation work is well underway at the eatery’s first restaurant location at 431 S. Warren St. in Syracuse.

The work started a few days after the Aug. 1 groundbreaking event held at the South Warren Street space, Dreamer Glen, co-owner of Miss Prissy’s, tells CNYBJ in an email.

Miss Prissy’s, an original vendor at the Salt City Market that specializes in Southern soul food, also has plans to operate a location at Syracuse Hancock International Airport.

South Warren Street location

Onondaga County in early August awarded Miss Prissy’s a grant of $100,000 to help renovate its first stand-alone restaurant at the South Warren Street location.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon announced the grant during an event inside the restaurant space on Aug. 1. The funding is part of the county’s Hospitality Support initiative.

In his remarks, the county executive told the gathering that Jenn Mullane, managing partner at Redev Construction Corp., is serving as the general contractor on the project. Dwyer Architectural, of Syracuse, handled the project’s design work.

Miss Prissy’s hopes to begin serving customers in the South Warren Street space in November, McMahon added.

The new home for Miss Prissy’s will include more than 3,000 square feet with table and bar seating for about 70 guests and a meeting room.

In speaking with reporters after the ceremony, Glen said the restaurant had to vacate the Salt City Market because it needed more space.

“We’ve been working hand-in-hand with the city and the county, and the community has been very supportive, which led us to this place,” Glen said. “The permitting process and the road to get here was long but here we are, and I’m super excited to be able to bring Miss Prissy’s to downtown Syracuse.”

Miss Prissy’s co-owner Cyrus Thornton also spoke and introduced the speakers at the announcement, including McMahon and Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh.

Syracuse airport location

Not long after Miss Prissy’s broke ground for renovations at the downtown location, Syracuse Hancock International Airport announced that the eatery would open a location at the airport as well.

It will be located in the previous eSavvy gift shop location in the post-security checkpoint hallway leading to terminal B gates, the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) said in its announcement. This location, just down the hall from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoint, will be “conveniently accessible to all travelers, regardless of their departure terminal.”

SRAA expects construction at the airport to begin in late 2024 with a targeted opening date in the first quarter of 2025.

“As we expand and improve the airport, our mission is to ensure travelers can savor the finest local flavors Syracuse has to offer,” Jason Mehl, SRAA chief commercial officer, said in the announcement. “By partnering with Dreamer and Cyrus to introduce Miss Prissy’s to the airport, we are bringing our vision to life, creating a genuine ‘sense of place,’ and elevating the entire passenger experience.”

Miss Prissy’s is a New York State-certified minority-and-woman-owned-business.

SRAA says Miss Prissy’s co-owner Dreamer Glen is “excited” to meet and serve the “diverse clientele from all over the world” who pass through SYR.

“Food is the ultimate unifier. You can crack anyone with a good meal!” Glen said in the SRAA announcement.

Walkable art trail expanded offerings of downtown art festival

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SYRACUSE — This summer, CNY Arts, Inc. tried something new as part of the annual Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival with a walkable art trail through the city designed to encourage public participation with arts and cultural activity. The Syracuse Art Trail ran from July 19 through July 29 across downtown Syracuse, connecting visitors to

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The Syracuse Art Trail ran from July 19 through July 29 across downtown Syracuse, connecting visitors to an array of cultural venues and events. The event was a collaboration between CNY Arts, the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, The Gear Factory, Stay Fresh, and Lipe Art Park.

“Folding the Arts and Crafts Festival into the Art Trail was done in consultation with the Downtown Committee to capture the imagination of the public and encourage a potentially wider audience for all the events happening during these nine days,” CNY Arts Executive Director Stephen Butler tells CNYBJ in an email. CNY Arts’ mission is to promote, support, and celebrate arts and culture in Central New York.

The trail began at the Gear Factory — a building located at the intersection of South Geddes and West Fayette streets that houses studio spaces for artists and musicians to both work and or live — and ended at Art in the Atrium on East Washington Street. Along the one-and-a-half-mile long cultural corridor, visitors could attend any number of participating venues or events that coincided with the Art Trail. People could choose to walk the entire route or just pop in at locations of interest to them.

“We believe this year’s program is a success and are working with the partners involved to determine how to make this an annual event,” Butler says.

CNY Arts is already looking at ways the trail concept could be expanded to other communities, he adds.

“The Art Trail program is something that could be replicated throughout the six counties served by CNY Arts,” he says. “The Syracuse event, which represented a collaboration of arts agencies and artists, encouraged residents and visitors alike to experience the art and culture that downtown Syracuse has to offer while enjoying the hospitality of surrounding restaurants and cafes – a win for everybody.”

Funding sources for the Syracuse Art Trail include Onondaga County, Chashama, the City of Syracuse, Downtown Committee, Visit Syracuse, and participating Art Trail venues.

At the end of the week, the Downtown Committee wrapped things up with the 2024 Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival, a three-day affair centered in the Columbus Circle area, featuring more than 150 artists and crafters, live entertainment, food, and family activities.

Events like the festival and finding new ways to bring more people out to experience what the city has to offer is important, Butler says.

“Part of CNY Arts’ mission is to connect the public to accessible arts and culture opportunities and promote the success of artists and art, culture, and heritage agencies in our region,” he says. “The Art Trail is a program that meets this goal and at the same time fosters cooperation and collaboration with all the stakeholders.”

Next year’s Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival is scheduled for July 25-27.

VIEWPOINT: Revitalizing Syracuse: A Bold Vision for a Bright Future

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Growing up in Syracuse, I have seen this city go through peaks and valleys. I remember the days when people would talk about Syracuse like it was a place stuck in time, clinging to its industrial past without much to look forward to. But I also remember the resilience of the people here — the

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Today, I can say with confidence that Syracuse is in the midst of something special. The city we love is undergoing an incredible transformation, and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of it.

Syracuse and Central New York are experiencing a wave of economic progress that is transforming the area into a hub of innovation, development, and growth. Historically known for its industrial roots, Syracuse is now emerging as a dynamic player in the New Economy, driven by investments in technology, infrastructure, education, and health care. The region’s renaissance is driven by a blend of public-private partnerships, community engagement, and strategic initiatives that are attracting businesses, talent, and opportunities.

Syracuse is investing in its people. We have always been a city of hard workers, and now there are more opportunities than ever to build a career here. The workforce-development programs that are part of Syracuse Surge and Syracuse Build are helping people gain the skills they need to succeed in high-demand fields like tech, health care, advanced manufacturing, and the building and construction trades. This isn’t just about economic growth; it’s about giving everyone in our community a chance for a brighter future.

Syracuse is also New York’s Flagship Smart City. We’re driving innovation in community broadband access, smart streetlights, tech-enhanced snow removal, road reconstruction driven by data, and other initiatives designed to enhance quality of life by improving management of city services, resources, and assets. We have also been named alongside Buffalo, Rochester, and Ithaca as part of the NY SMART I-Corridor. This $40 million federal investment puts the city and region in a position to accelerate our strategies for growth and affirms upstate New York as a global leader in semiconductor innovation, manufacturing, workforce training, and business attraction.

Syracuse has always had a hardworking spirit, but now, there’s a new kind of energy in the air — a buzz of innovation and optimism that’s bringing fresh opportunities and hope. Syracuse University, SUNY-ESF, Upstate Medical University, Onondaga Community College, and Le Moyne College have always been pillars of our community, but their involvement in driving this renaissance is changing the city’s landscape. There is a real sense of collaboration between institutions of higher learning and the city, and it’s creating opportunities that just weren’t there before. The research happening in uncrewed aerial systems, medical technology and research, and sustainability — to name just a few — is groundbreaking and it’s happening right here in our backyard. It’s exciting to think the solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges are coming from Syracuse.

The changes to our physical infrastructure are perhaps the most visible signs of Syracuse’s rebirth. The Community Grid project, East Adams Neighborhood Transformation, and ongoing downtown renaissance are national models for urban revitalization and righting the wrongs of past decisions. The highway divided our city and negatively impacted the neighborhood and people around it. Now we have a chance to bring it back together in a way that’s equitable, forward-looking, and driven by community input.

When I look around Syracuse today, I see a city that’s finally getting its due. No longer a Rust Belt city that time forgot, we’re a vibrant, innovative community with a bright future. The changes happening here aren’t just about economic development; they’re about creating a city where people want to live, work, and raise their families. We’re not only rebuilding and revitalizing Syracuse, but also redefining what it means to be from Syracuse, and I couldn’t be prouder to call this place home.

Ben Walsh is the 54th mayor of the City of Syracuse.

Ale ‘n Angus owner to open 2nd eatery in former Starbucks space

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Crooked Cattle scheduled to open in early 2025 SYRACUSE — Whether it is an award-winning burger or a stellar sandwich, Matt Beach just wants to feed customers. Early next year, he hopes to do that from his second Syracuse restaurant, Crooked Cattle, which will feature a new menu including a roast-beef sandwich that honors the

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Crooked Cattle scheduled to open in early 2025

SYRACUSE — Whether it is an award-winning burger or a stellar sandwich, Matt Beach just wants to feed customers.

Early next year, he hopes to do that from his second Syracuse restaurant, Crooked Cattle, which will feature a new menu including a roast-beef sandwich that honors the one made famous by Clark’s Ale House.

“It’s always been a goal or a vision or a dream to own multiple restaurants,” Beach says. He already owns and operates Ale ‘n Angus, which opened in 2005 and serves up black angus beef burgers and American pub fare.

Located on Harrison Street, Ale ‘n Angus is just half a mile from where Crooked Cattle will open at 290 W. Jefferson St. in Armory Square — in leased space once home to a Starbucks. It was important for two locations to be close, Beach says, so he can travel easily between them.

He also liked the idea of having a location in Armory Square to help revitalize that area. “Armory Square has always been a destination location in downtown Syracuse,” he says. While the area was in its heyday 15 or 20 years ago, it feels like it has taken a backseat to other parts of the city more recently. Beach wants to do his part to bring it back to life.

“Syracuse itself needs more locally owned and operated business,” he contends.

Enter Crooked Cattle. The name is a play on Beach’s unique approach to food, including pairing foods not typically seen together or inverting a burger roll because it works better that way.

“A lot of what we’re doing is paying homage to Clark’s Ale House,” he says. A Syracuse staple for years, Clark’s served up a variety of sandwiches including a roast-beef sandwich that Beach is working to recreate.

“We’ve done our research extensively,” he says. From the rolls to the beef, the red onions to the extra spicy horseradish, Beach believes he has mastered the recipe.

While the Crooked Cattle menu is still a work in progress, it will feature other sandwiches, soups, and appetizers. He plans to keep the menu relatively small, with as few as 12 items. “We’re going to master those 12 items and be the best at them,” he says.

Beach is currently working to renovate the 2,450-square-foot space, which Starbucks cleaned out before leaving.

“It’s basically a blank slate,” he says. His concept for Crooked Cattle is rustic with features like a live-edge wooden bar and weathered galvanized steel. “It’s not a night club,” he says. “It’s not a dive bar.”

Beach hopes renovations will be done in time for an early 2025 opening.

“There have been many bumps in the road,” he says of the renovation process. “I’m going to open when I’m 100 percent ready.”

Hours aren’t set yet, but Beach hopes to draw a good lunch crowd. Like Ale ‘n Angus, Crooked Cattle will have limited hours. He plans to work with delivery services like Grubhub and DoorDash to increase his reach. “Yes, they take their percentage, but I’d rather have them take a little percentage than not get sales at all,” he says.

Beach is already talking with the city about using the neighboring Shot Clock Park for outdoor seating. The restaurant will also be dog friendly, catering to the approximately 60 percent of downtown residents that own a dog, he adds.

Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund helps bring vibrant events to the city

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SYRACUSE — The Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund is helping rejuvenate areas across the city with vibrant festivals and events that do more than just bring people out to enjoy them. This year, the City of Syracuse government has $140,000 available for festivals taking place from this September through September 2025. Grant amounts range from $3,000

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SYRACUSE — The Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund is helping rejuvenate areas across the city with vibrant festivals and events that do more than just bring people out to enjoy them.

This year, the City of Syracuse government has $140,000 available for festivals taking place from this September through September 2025. Grant amounts range from $3,000 to $10,000 per festival.

The idea for the fund came about several years ago when Jimmy Monto, the Syracuse Common Council member for District 5 had a discussion with Common Councilor-At-Large Rasheada Caldwell about “how the city needs to have some skin in the game when it comes to festivals,” Monto recalls.

He knows from his own experience organizing a festival that it is difficult, especially for smaller festivals, to get things off the ground. Monto wanted the city to do what it could to help these events. Since most festival organizers start with a small budget, that seemed an effective way to help because even a small grant can make a dramatic difference, he adds.

“We’re one of the most diverse places around,” Monto says. “The idea that we celebrate those festivals matters.”

Big events around holidays like Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day soak up a lot of the spotlight, but the smaller festivals throughout the year are the ones that continue to bring people to the city, Monto contends.

“The city can show everybody they have a place here,” he says. Festivals celebrating other cultures also help combat fear and negativity.

It wasn’t too difficult to get Mayor Ben Walsh and the rest of the Common Council on board with the Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund, which is now in its third year. In the first two years, the money helped fund more than 20 different festivals around the city.

For the Hanover Thursdays Music Series, that money helped legitimize what lead organizer Joe Driscoll was trying to do.

“You’re basically selling an invisible dream,” Driscoll says of trying to start a festival. “This fund and Visit Syracuse [Onondaga County’s official tourism promotion agency] were the two that believed in us to get us started.”

Now in its third year, that first-year funding was vital to get the Hanover Thursdays Music Series started. It helped pay for the bands that performed, which in turn drew the crowds.

“That funding was essential the first year,” Driscoll says. And the success of the inaugural event helped him add more funding sources for subsequent years. Also wrapping up its third year, the Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund money remains an important part of the festival budget, but is no longer the main source of funding, he says.

The Hanover Thursdays Music Series has been so successful, he adds, that other neighborhoods are now reaching out asking for their own festivals. Driscoll and his crew have expanded into Westcott Street this year with a Thursday night event through September.

More than just something to do, festivals help contribute to the revitalization of the neighborhoods they are located in, and that benefits the entire city, Driscoll says.

“It’s been amazing to see Hanover Square packed,” he adds. That vibrancy leads to other positive things like people looking to move to that area or even businesses opening there.

The Downtown Syracuse Foundation administers the Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund. The funding is designed to reimburse organizers for eligible expenses, but consideration may also be given for direct payment to vendors for eligible services rendered.

Applications are reviewed based on several factors including how the festival attracts visitors to public spaces, increases the community’s awareness of cultural or artistic assets, builds appreciation for a diversity of cultures, and/or creates opportunities to celebrate diversity and artistic opportunities.

Eligible festivals and events must be held in public spaces, be free for the public to attend, and provide entertainment or activities for patrons. Applications for funding should be submitted at least two months prior to the event date.

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