Prolonged Symphony Tower project heading for finish line

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SYRACUSE — A project to renovate the Symphony Tower that started in 2007 and included a lengthy legal battle is heading toward completion. It’s a $17.4 million mixed-use project in the 15-story building at 111-113 E. Onondaga St. that remains in progress. Symphony Tower, situated on the corner of East Onondaga Street and South Salina […]

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SYRACUSE — A project to renovate the Symphony Tower that started in 2007 and included a lengthy legal battle is heading toward completion.

It’s a $17.4 million mixed-use project in the 15-story building at 111-113 E. Onondaga St. that remains in progress.

Symphony Tower, situated on the corner of East Onondaga Street and South Salina Street, formerly served as an annex to the Hotel Syracuse (now the Marriott Syracuse Downtown), when it was built in the 1980s.

“We’re finishing the building as it was originally contemplated as an apartment building with 76 one- and two-bedroom apartments,” Gary Thurston, CEO of the Hayner Hoyt Corporation, tells CNYBJ in an Aug. 30 phone interview.

Thurston anticipates having apartments ready for rent on Dec. 1.

The first and second floors will include rental space for retail outlets or offices. The first floor will also have a recreational area and a pickle ball court, Thurston says. Floors 3 through 15 will have apartments.

The first floor will also include All About Me Childcare Center, which plans to relocate to the building, according to Thurston. It currently operates at 422 W. Onondaga St. in Syracuse, per its website.

The structure will eventually be known as Symphony Place under Thurston’s ownership entity called Symphony Tower, LLC, he notes.

Hayner Hoyt is the contractor and construction manager on the project, while Holmes King Kallquist & Associates, Architects of Syracuse is the design firm on the project.

Project history

Hayner Hoyt’s work at Symphony Tower started back in 2007. As Thurston explains it, his firm was working for a developer from Israel.

Personnel from Hayner Hoyt worked on the project in 2007 and through the fall of 2008 after the developer stopped paying the Syracuse firm a few months earlier, says Thurston.

What followed was a seven-year legal battle with the original lender, an Israeli financial firm, until 2015 when the two sides reached a settlement.

He also tells CNYBJ that a few years earlier, Hayner won an early legal battle and bought the property in 2012 at a foreclosure sale. But the litigation continued, calling the purchase into question. In September 2015, Hayner Hoyt and the Israeli financier reached an agreement that involved Hayner Hoyt paying a fee in exchange for the clear title and an end to the ongoing the legal challenges.

In the agreement, Hayner Hoyt “basically bought them out,” according to Thurston.

“So, in 2015, we finally got clear title to the building,” he says.

At that same time, Hayner Hoyt was finishing up work on renovations to the former Hotel Syracuse, what is now the Marriott Syracuse Downtown.

Thurston went on to say that Hayner Hoyt considered a suggestion to renovate the building into an extended-stay hotel, signing a franchise agreement with Hyatt. However, the project got delayed. As time passed, the pandemic became an issue and it “shut down any financing of hotels,” according to Thurston.

A few years ago, Hayner Hoyt decided to return the original plan to renovate the structure for one- and two-bedroom apartments, he adds.

Project to expand the Tech Garden is underway

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — After a lot of planning, a $32 million expansion project at the Tech Garden in Syracuse is well underway. It’s expected that crews from Hueber-Breuer Construction Co., Inc. will complete the work in about 14 months. Empire State Development (ESD) is providing up to $16.6 million for the project, the office of Gov.

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SYRACUSE — After a lot of planning, a $32 million expansion project at the Tech Garden in Syracuse is well underway.

It’s expected that crews from Hueber-Breuer Construction Co., Inc. will complete the work in about 14 months. Empire State Development (ESD) is providing up to $16.6 million for the project, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news release about the project.

CenterState CEO on Aug. 9 hosted a groundbreaking event for the project on the Tech Garden patio at 235 Harrison St. in Syracuse, across from the Marriott Syracuse Downtown.

The expansion will include a two-story, 46,000-square-foot addition; renovations to the facility’s existing space; and updates to the on-site mechanical and security systems.

Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, called it an “incredibly exciting moment” for the organization.

“We have been working towards this vision of expanding this facility for our entrepreneurs for the better part of six, almost seven years now,” Simpson said in his remarks at the groundbreaking. “We would not be here today were it not for the incredible support of our partners in business.”

Besides Hueber-Breuer, those partners also include QPK Design of Syracuse, which handled the design work, and Eli Smith of E. Smith Contractors of Syracuse.

The expansion effort includes a 5,000-square-foot roof terrace for uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) companies to launch and test drones, a 3,000-square-foot meeting room with seating for up to 180, private tenant offices for 35 additional resident startups, coworking areas, an expanded hardware space for prototype and product development, and a new entrance, Hochul’s office said.

The Tech Garden is home to the New York State–supported Genius NY competition.

A state-certified Innovation Hot Spot, the Tech Garden is the “key” tech business incubator for the Central New York region, per Hochul’s office. In 2022, 114 companies were served by one of CenterState CEO’s technical-assistance programs.

These teams employed 409 people, created 113 jobs, generated $70.7 million in total revenue and half were minority, woman, veteran, and/or disabled-owned businesses.

In his remarks, Simpson touched on the Tech Garden’s history.

“This building behind us was a collapsed parking garage, and over the course of the last 15 years, it has grown billion-dollar companies. That’s remarkable,” he said.

In that time period, he noted that companies in the Tech Garden have created more than 1,300 jobs and raised almost $350 million in follow-on capital.

“And those are dollars that have been raised mostly from venture capital … [out of-town investors] that are being put to work right here in Central New York,” Simpson said, to applause from those gathered at the event.

“This $32 million investment will completely transform the southwest gateway of downtown [Syracuse], creating a vibrant, exciting space for innovative companies to call home,” Dan Kolinski, ESD’s acting regional director of the Central New York region, said in his remarks at the groundbreaking event. “This building and its entirely new façade will better reflect the world class innovation ecosystem supported inside by CenterState CEO and further reinforces Gov. Hochul’s commitment to investing in the future of upstate New York’s flourishing high-tech economy.”

Kolinski went on to say, “This project will allow them to continue those focused efforts to lead the charge in the growth of advanced incubation and acceleration services, helping to make upstate New York the next major hub for innovative, high tech, 21st century businesses. The expanded facility will also serve as the anchor of Syracuse’s city center innovation hub, a core component of the Syracuse Surge economic development strategy and will serve as a gateway to innovation alley right here on Warren Street.”

Simpson also told the gathering that the Tech Garden expansion has been “one of the hardest projects that we’ve ever worked on,” citing the COVID-19 pandemic and the rising cost of construction materials. At the same time, he also acknowledged that the Tech Garden has deep personal meaning as well.

“It’s really been … one of the most rewarding parts of my job over my career to watch the evolution of the innovation ecosystem,” Simpson said.

Miss Prissy’s targeting early 2024 for move to new location

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Small Business, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — The co-owner of Miss Prissy’s says the restaurant is targeting the first quarter of 2024 to move into its new space at 431 S. Warren St. in Syracuse. Miss Prissy’s, one of the eight original tenants of the Salt City Market, in mid-April announced it had signed a lease for its future storefront.

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SYRACUSE — The co-owner of Miss Prissy’s says the restaurant is targeting the first quarter of 2024 to move into its new space at 431 S. Warren St. in Syracuse.

Miss Prissy’s, one of the eight original tenants of the Salt City Market, in mid-April announced it had signed a lease for its future storefront. The Salt City Market is located at 484 S. Salina St. in Syracuse.

The eatery in mid-August applied for a building permit so it can have a contractor begin renovation work on the space, Dreamer Glen tells CNYBJ in an Aug. 22 phone interview.

Miss Prissy’s is still operating in the Salt City Market every day except Tuesdays, she notes.

Glen believes the eatery’s time inside the Salt City Market has accomplished what she hoped it would, as the location was “always meant to be a starting point.”

“We’ve outgrown it, to be honest … We can’t keep enough food in stock. We’re catering for upwards of 400 people out of a 460-something-square-foot stall. We’ve just outgrown the space,” she stresses.

Customers have been “clamoring” for the business to move and “showcase” more of its menu. “With a larger space, we’ll be able to do that,” Glen says.

Glen and co-owner Cyrus Thornton heard about the 3,500-square-foot space on South Warren Street through some friends, and it fit their needs.

“We’re excited about it,” Glen tells CNYBJ.

Shalimar Properties 407 LLC owns the property, per its profile on the website of the Onondaga County Department of Real Property Services.

Miss Prissy’s currently has six employees and will need a staff of between 20 and 24 people as it plans to offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner service in its new space.

The new home for Miss Prissy’s will include 3,000 square feet with table and lounge seating for about 70 guests, bar and counter seating for 12, and a private meeting room for special engagements and mealtime meetings.

To prepare the space for operation, Glen has enlisted the services of Jenn Mullane, managing partner of Redev CNY at 451 S. Warren St. in Syracuse, as the contractor for the project. In addition, Dwyer Architectural of Syracuse is space designer, and Shawni Davis of Luminary Electrical Contractor, LLC is the electrician for the project.

Besides the upcoming move, Miss Prissy’s also used its initial April 18 announcement to promote its involvement in the Mainvest platform for fundraising.

When asked about the effort, Glen tells CNYBJ that they exceeded their fundraising goal through the platform. They amassed a total of $63,000 through community investors and community support, says Glen. The original goal was at least $50,000, per their April announcement.

“The campaign has closed,” she says, noting they’ll use the funding to help fund the move to the new space.

In their April announcement, Glen and Thornton provide an explanation on why they chose Mainvest instead of GoFundMe for fundraising.

“Mainvest is an investment platform that allows community members, local businesses, and fans to invest in us. So instead of using a donation-based system, we chose to reward our investors, believers, and supporters using Mainvest, which offers opportunities for revenue-sharing notes. This is a way for us to say thanks for believing in Miss Prissy’s and to share in our growth,” the owners stated.

When asked about the business got its name, Glen tells CNYBJ that Thornton named the business Miss Prissy’s in a nod to the way Glen approaches a project.

“I’m very particular and very detail oriented,” she says in explaining the origin of the business’s name.

Emerald Cocktail Kitchen brings new offerings to Tipp Hill

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SYRACUSE — For nearly 20 years, her father Jerry Roesch ran George O’Dea’s Pub in Syracuse’s Tipperary Hill area, but when Michele Roesch bought the business from him in 2019, she knew she wanted to put her own stamp on the place. Initially, she even tried to sell the building, located at 1331 W. Fayette

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Initially, she even tried to sell the building, located at 1331 W. Fayette St., but the sales never went through.

“Something just told me I was supposed to stay and vamp up the building,” Roesch says. Knowing the building’s history, and that it used to have two more floors before they burned down many years ago, she started thinking.

“My dad’s customers always used to say it was the best view in the city,” from the roof of the pub, she says, so she began investigating whether the building could support a rooftop bar.

Roesch worked with in-ARCHITECTS to design her vision and Smith Structures, Inc., to bring it to life. “I can’t say enough positive things about either of them,” she says of the two companies.

Over the next two and a half years, the existing space was renovated and two new floors were added. Work included installing new plumbing and electric, structurally reinforcing the building, and adding an elevator. Roesch worked with M&T Bank on financing for the more than $2 million project and praised the Onondaga Small Business Development Center for its help along the way.

On June 18, Roesch’s vision was realized when Emerald Cocktail Kitchen opened for business.

The bar, which Roesch co-owns with her mother Nora Roesch, is 9,000 feet spread over the four floors and can accommodate 200 people. Each floor has its own theme, with a stone wall uncovered during renovations now highlighted on the first floor. The second floor, in a nod to redoing the entire building, features secondhand items as part of the design, Roesch says.

Then there is the crowning piece, literally — the rooftop bar. It features a covered bar, some covered seating, and plenty of tables and umbrellas.

Some might question a rooftop bar in a city known for its snowy winters, but “I think our city is beautiful in all seasons,” Roesch says. “A lot of people have said to us they just don’t feel like they are in Syracuse” when they are on the rooftop.

With the word right in the name, Emerald focuses on cocktails, bringing a new element to the area’s nightlife, she says. While there are several other drinking establishments in the area, each one has its own focus. It all adds to the nightlife scene, helping draw people to the area, she adds.

Emerald is also a nod to Tipperary Hill’s Irish history and Roesch’s own Irish ancestry.

Along with classic and custom cocktails, Emerald Cocktail Kitchen also serves up sharable plates and treats. The bar currently employs between 40 and 50 people.

Roesch also just launched the 1331 Food Truck, a take-out area in the bar offering grab-and-go foods. The name is a nod to Emerald’s 1331 W. Fayette St. address.

“I would love to open more places in the future,” Roesch says of her future plans in Syracuse. Roesch and her mother have also operated The Brasserie Bar & Bistro in Township 5 in Camillus for about eight years.

“I really do love Syracuse,” she says. “I think there’s so much potential for growth. I think Syracuse is really blossoming.”

Emerald Cocktail Kitchen is open Wednesday through Monday from noon until 1 a.m. It’s closed on Tuesdays.

SCH readies for operations in new building near existing location

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Health Care, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Syracuse Community Health (SCH) anticipates it’ll be able to see patients in its new building at 930 S. Salina St. in October. The vast majority of the work on the outside is complete, says Keith Cuttler, COO of SCH, who spoke with CNYBJ on Aug. 23. As for the interior, the work is

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SYRACUSE — Syracuse Community Health (SCH) anticipates it’ll be able to see patients in its new building at 930 S. Salina St. in October.

The vast majority of the work on the outside is complete, says Keith Cuttler, COO of SCH, who spoke with CNYBJ on Aug. 23.

As for the interior, the work is at “the 11th hour,” he adds.

The interior work still includes painting on the second floor, and the organization has already started moving some furniture in.

Syracuse Community Health is the rebranded name of the Syracuse Community Health Center, located at 819 S. Salina St. in Syracuse.

As of the Aug. 23 interview, SCH hadn’t received the certificate of occupancy from the City of Syracuse, according to Cuttler.

SCH has also been submitting required paperwork to the New York State Department of Health, so it can conduct final site inspection and approve the organization as an Article 28 license diagnostic-treatment center.

“Due to some delays, particularly with manufacturing, it’s not going to happen when we wanted it to,” Cuttler tells CNYBJ. “We had really hoped that we would be seeing patients on Monday, Sept. 18. We’re talking now about October.”

The project cost will come in at about $23 million, he notes. Future plans for the existing building nearby at 819 S. Salina St. are still to be determined.

Hueber-Breuer Construction Co. Inc. of Syracuse is the general contractor on the project, and King + King Architects, also of Syracuse, designed the facility. Cuttler says the construction effort “has gone very well,” especially coming off the pandemic.

In speaking at the August 2022 groundbreaking event, Mark Hall, president and CEO of Syracuse Community Health, said the new building will be a 56,000-square-foot structure, which he described as a “downsize” compared to the 78,000 square feet available at the current location.

SCH in August 2022 said its new brand identity, logo design, and website reflect “our deep roots in the community and our long-term commitment to serve them. The new tagline, ‘healthy happens here,’ offers a promise that people can get the patient care they need from Syracuse Community Health.”

The new facility also joins the organization’s already established SCH offices at 1938 E. Fayette St. and 603 Oswego St. in Syracuse.

Syracuse Community Health is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) serving the Syracuse area and Onondaga County. Founded in 1978, SCH serves about 30,000 patients each year. As an FQHC, the nonprofit SCH is a community-based health center providing primary care and dental and mental-health services to area residents, “especially to those who might have limited access to health care,” per an SCH news release.

Plan for existing space

As Cuttler explains it, SCH had plans for the existing building at 819 S. Salina St., but they were all predicated on the receipt of a New York State Capital Transformation grant in round three. It’s a grant intended for health-care organizations with capital projects.

SCH had combined the grants it was awarded from the first and second Transformation grant rollouts to pay for the new building, Cuttler notes.

“We had submitted an application under round three of the Transformation grants and did not receive an award,” he says. “We had about $20 million in that grant application for renovating the current building.”

He went on to say that SCH will apply again in the fourth round of the Transformation grant process. Until then, SCH is working with a consultant to identify the “best” use of the space that will be available.

He figures SCH will have about 40,000 square feet of space available in the existing building after those moving to the new building begin operations there.

“It’s quite a bit, but we want to know what’s going to best serve the community around us,” he says.

Moving forward

When SCH begins operations in the new facility, Cuttler says mostly administrative- support staff will remain at the existing building. That includes information-technology staff, the entire finance department, medical records, and human resources.

“The design and the intent of building a new building was to make … as much clinical space for the patients as possible …and not fill the brand new space with a lot administrative-support services. That [new] building is for the patients,” says Cuttler.

Services in the new structure will include the optometry office, podiatry, OBGYN, pediatrics, family medicine, dental services, and optician and pharmacy vendors as well.

Cuttler says SCH provides services for those who are underinsured, uninsured, and are of a lower socioeconomic status.

“We feel very strongly that it doesn’t matter how much money you make or where you live, you deserve the very best [in health care], so that’s what we did with this building. It’s not just a new building. Everything in it is top of the line,” says Cuttler.

Interest-rate hikes impact Salina 1st project

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SYRACUSE — A partner in the Salina 1st project the effort is now working on an updated schedule prompted by all the recent interest-rate increases. The Salina 1st project site is located south of downtown Syracuse at 1081 S. Salina St., across from the JMA Wireless campus. Salina 1st describes itself as Syracuse’s first minority

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SYRACUSE — A partner in the Salina 1st project the effort is now working on an updated schedule prompted by all the recent interest-rate increases.

The Salina 1st project site is located south of downtown Syracuse at 1081 S. Salina St., across from the JMA Wireless campus. Salina 1st describes itself as Syracuse’s first minority and woman-led commercial development.

In an Aug. 29 phone interview, Gail Montplaisir tells CNYBJ she updated the schedule a day earlier on Aug. 28. Project completion is still targeted for late 2024.

“With the interest rate [hikes] that started in 2022 and just kind of kept going up … I think they were a real challenge for us as well as most other developers,” says Montplaisir.

Montplaisir is president of the Washington, D.C.–based Taurus Development Group and a partner in the project.

Even a half a point increase in rates creates another “$200,000 gap,” meaning the partners have been working with supporters in raising more funding, bringing more sources and more capital in, and “getting all of our loans lined up,” she says.

“We’re in a really good place now, and we’re very very excited about it,” Montplaisir adds.

As she explains it, site work was scheduled to continue around the middle of September with some foundation drilling work set for October. Additional footings and foundations work is set for November and December.

“We anticipate actually starting to do the vertical construction probably around Jan. 15 or so, maybe the beginning of February,” she notes.

Besides Montplaisir, Emanuel Henderson of JHP Industrial Supply Co., and Eli Smith of E. Smith Contractors are spearheading the Salina 1st project.

The partners describe Salina 1st as a “catalytic,” mixed-use, community-development project. The 52,000-square-foot facility will include residential, retail, light industrial, and incubator/shared-office space, per a project news release.

JF Real Estate partnership

Salina 1st on June 20 said JF Real Estate of Syracuse would serve as its commercial broker to help with leasing the property’s commercial real estate.

Salina 1st signed a one-year agreement with JF Real Estate to spread the word about the project both within the community and to potential tenants as the project gets closer to vertical construction, Montplaisir tells CNYBJ.

JF Real Estate is communicating with Black real-estate agents throughout the community who’ve been very supportive of the project and attended a lot of real-estate networking receptions.

“If people don’t really know that the project is there, it makes it a little bit difficult, obviously, to find good, long-term tenants. They’re working within the community as well as all of their own sources to bring in new people,” says Montplaisir.

JF Real Estate is a real-estate brokerage company that provides services such as brokerage, development, tenant and owner representation, site selection, space planning, architecture, design, construction, financing, and building management. The company currently exclusively represents about 3 million square feet of commercial space and over 175 apartments, all in the greater Syracuse area.

“We look forward to working with the Salina 1st team,” Matt Funiciello and Tom Schneider, representatives with JF Real Estate, said in a news release. “We anticipate transformative, inclusive growth in the city’s Southside, and we are embracing the opportunity to find commercial tenants to finalize the development of Salina 1st.”

Commercial tenants that have committed to occupying the property so far include JHP Industrial Supply Company, Inc., Ebonomy, SGTR, and E. Smith Contractors.

NBT helps finance growth of housing in Syracuse

Banks & Credit Unions, Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — With housing a top concern in Syracuse now and looking ahead to when Micron arrives, NBT Bank is working with organizations to do its part to alleviate the housing strain. The latest such project, in partnership with Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc., is the Creekside Landing project, which will bring about 200 new homes

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SYRACUSE — With housing a top concern in Syracuse now and looking ahead to when Micron arrives, NBT Bank is working with organizations to do its part to alleviate the housing strain.

The latest such project, in partnership with Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc., is the Creekside Landing project, which will bring about 200 new homes to south and southwest Syracuse.

For NBT, the banking subsidiary of NBT Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: NBTB), its commitment to the communities it serves goes well beyond just having a branch in town, says David Kavney, senior VP and regional president for the Mohawk Valley and Central New York for NBT.

“We remain very focused on the communities where we exist,” he says, and the ability to help finance beneficial projects is important. “This project just makes sense.”

Creekside Landing, using existing vacant lots and abandoned properties from the Greater Syracuse Land Bank, will create 32 three-bedroom and four-bedroom duplexes and 20 apartments in a rehabilitated commercial building at 414-416 W. Onondaga St.

The entire project, slated at $31 million, will include multiple sites and is on point with Housing Visions’ mission to promote neighborhood revitalization, Housing Visions President/CEO Ben Lockwood says.

“We need housing across the board in Syracuse,” he says. Even more importantly, the city needs affordable housing. Creekside Landing rents will range from $520 to $1,400 a month, according to Lockwood.

The project will also include 5,000 square feet of consumer space that Jubilee Homes, a nonprofit community and workforce-development organization, will use as a workforce-development and construction-trade training center.

While NBT is the primary bank financing the project, there are numerous funding sources including the city, private investors, and state funding. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in May the project is one of 27 around the state that will share in $875 million.

All those funding sources, which also includes tax credits and grants, have to work together, says Richard Driscoll, NBT senior commercial-banking relationship manager. “You really have to understand how it all fits together,” he says.

Fortunately, NBT has experience after working on other projects with Housing Visions include a scattered-site project on East Genesee Street and the $16.6 million Butternut Crossing project, completed in 2020, that brought 53 housing units around St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Such projects are important to NBT, Kavney says, as it works to strengthen the communities it serves. The bank also recently financed a new position with OnPoint for College to help drive interest in careers in the semiconductor industry.

As the area prepares for the arrival of Micron, it’s an exciting time, Kavney adds. “What we’ve got in front of us is surely transformational.”

For his part, Lockwood says, “Our goal is really to be the catalyst.” His hope is that this latest housing project will provide the spark in that area that spurs more community development and investment.

Housing Visions, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit is a neighborhood-preservation company and a community-housing-development organization. It operates more than 1,600 housing units and developments in 16 communities around the northeast.

Lockwood says Housing Visions expects to close on the property for Creekside Landing sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving, with construction to start soon after with an 18-month timeline.

“And then we go to work on the next one with NBT,” he adds.

Tardiff named city director of neighborhood & business data and evaluation

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SYRACUSE — Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh recently announced the appointment of Rose Tardiff as director of neighborhood and business data and evaluation. In this post, Tardiff oversees data evaluation and analysis of programs and policies administered by the city’s Department of Neighborhood and Business Development (NBD). She is responsible for managing data collection, along with

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Willow Street restoration project was a labor of love

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SYRACUSE — When Joseph Crabbe and his business partner, Rosario Amato, first purchased the old Howard & Jennings pump factory building at 123-129 E. Willow St. in downtown Syracuse several years ago, the plan was to open a restaurant there. The pair already operate eight Original Italian Pizza (OIP) restaurants, but ultimately steered away from

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The pair already operate eight Original Italian Pizza (OIP) restaurants, but ultimately steered away from their restaurant plans for the building with the nearby I-81 viaduct project and increasing costs as key factors.

“We ended up switching gears,” Crabbe says of their plans. “It became too overwhelming to do what we wanted to do.” They pivoted and opted to renovate the 1879 building into ground-floor commercial space and four apartments upstairs.

Once home to the Colella Galleries antique store, the building has quite a history, according to a collection of newspaper clippings and information amassed by Crabbe. Designed by architect Charles E. Colton, the building became a concern to the city in 1971 when bricks fell from the front of the building. Nicholas Collela renovated the building in the early 1970s, and then renovated it again after a 1975 explosion on the 200 block of North Salina Street damaged the building. The building’s fourth floor was destroyed in the blast and wasn’t rebuilt.

Crabbe says they needed to make sure the building, which still boasts two of its original three rooftop gargoyles, was historically restored when they started the project.

“We ended up gutting the entire place,” he says. The business partners spent a total of $1.9 million to purchase and renovate the building. The end result is Willow 123 Lofts — four luxury apartments and 3,000 square feet of commercial space.

The apartments range from about 1,450 square feet to just over 1,600 square feet for the penthouse unit. Each unit has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and 12-foot ceilings. Three units showcase the original wood-support beams of the building. The penthouse includes a mezzanine level and a rooftop terrace. All of the units feature granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances, and parking is available.

The goal, Crabbe says, was to build the kind of apartment he would want to live in.

“I fell in love with the project,” he adds.

While leasing the apartments was fairly easy, Crabbe says he’s having a harder time leasing the commercial space. It isn’t due to lack of interest, he notes, but because he’s being picky about what type of business goes into the space.

“I think it would make a great café,” he says. An office or even retail space would also be a good fit, considering the tenants up above.

Crabbe is ok being patient and waiting for the right tenant for the space, especially with the I-81 project looming.

“When the 81 project is done, that building is going to be on a great corner,” he notes.

New club brings song, dance, comedy, and more to Syracuse

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SYRACUSE — Couldn’t get tickets for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour? The city’s new nightclub, The Song & Dance, has you covered. Do you love metal, emo, pop? Whatever the genre, they’ve got you covered there, too. The club, which opened in early August, is a venue for everyone, co-owner and co-founder Eric Binion says.

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SYRACUSE — Couldn’t get tickets for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour?

The city’s new nightclub, The Song & Dance, has you covered.

Do you love metal, emo, pop? Whatever the genre, they’ve got you covered there, too.

The club, which opened in early August, is a venue for everyone, co-owner and co-founder Eric Binion says.

“You could go there one night and see a bluegrass show, and the next night see a heavy-metal show,” he says.

Binion and his business partner, Dennis Ferry, both work as talent buyers at After Dark Entertainment, Inc., a Buffalo–based independent concert promoter bringing shows to Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and the Finger Lakes.

“Opening our own venue in Syracuse was the next logical step,” Binion says. Syracuse makes sense, not just because he lives here, but because the city lacks smaller venues like The Song & Dance.

At about 3,700 square feet, the club can hold just under 400 people, which is exactly the size they were seeking, Binion says.

The idea to open their own club first started about five years ago, and it was a process to find just the right location. “Then we found this spot at the Acropolis Center,” he says.

Located at 115 E. Jefferson St., the building is just around the corner from The Landmark Theatre and has both office and retail space for lease. The Song & Dance is located in the basement, which provides ideal acoustics for musical performances, Binion says.

The pair worked with Ryan Benz of Acropolis Realty Group to find the space and began work at the beginning of this year to get it ready. Unique Development Companies of Syracuse was the general contractor on the project, which included building a stage, green room, bathrooms (including separate bathrooms for performers), and a bar.

“We were able to build the space exactly how we wanted it to be,” Binion says. The interior of the club was intentionally left without any specific theming, he notes, so that all types of acts feel right at home.

The Song & Dance is right in the sweet-spot capacity-wise, he says, for club-sized acts. “It’s that nice in-between spot,” he says. “Not too big, not too small.” More importantly, it means acts looking for venues that size no longer have to bypass Syracuse when setting up their tours.

As talent buyers, Binion and Ferry can now offer their venue up to artists and have been busy booking events including various musical acts and themed nights devoted to artists like Taylor Swift or themes like disco, anime, and gamers.

And while ticket prices are set by the artists, most average around $20, making The Song & Dance an affordable option for a night out,

Along with bringing more performances to Syracuse, the club also helps bring people out in the community when they come to see events, Binion says. He hopes those crowds benefit other area businesses like restaurants. The Song & Dance also sets every performer up with an advance package that includes local business information such as restaurants they may wish to visit while in town.

The nightclub includes a bar and limited food options. The Song & Dance is only open on event nights and employs as many as 10 people per event.

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