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Former Rosie’s Pub property in Syracuse sold for $750,000
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The property at 1443 West Genesee St. in Syracuse’s Tipperary Hill area, which was formerly home to Rosie’s Sports Pub & Grille, was recently sold. Great Bear Industries, of Oswego, purchased the property for $750,000, according to Matt Funiciello, a real-estate salesperson with JF Real Estate. Funiciello represented the seller, 1443 W. […]
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The property at 1443 West Genesee St. in Syracuse’s Tipperary Hill area, which was formerly home to Rosie’s Sports Pub & Grille, was recently sold.
Great Bear Industries, of Oswego, purchased the property for $750,000, according to Matt Funiciello, a real-estate salesperson with JF Real Estate.
Funiciello represented the seller, 1443 W. Genesee St. Prop. LLC, in this transaction, and Michael Green, of CBD Companies, represented the buyer.
Great Bear Industries has not disclosed its plans for the building, according to Funiciello.
The property, located on the corner of West Genesee and West Fayette Streets, is comprised of a one-story, 3,320-square-foot building situated on about 1.35 acres, according to Onondaga County’s online real-estate records. The structure was built in 1984.
Onondaga County hotels post nearly 18 percent occupancy increase in October
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County hotels welcomed substantially more guests in October than in the year-ago month. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county jumped 17.6 percent to 68.3 percent this October from the year-earlier month, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel-market data and analytics company. The October
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County hotels welcomed substantially more guests in October than in the year-ago month.
The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county jumped 17.6 percent to 68.3 percent this October from the year-earlier month, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel-market data and analytics company. The October gain in this measure was the highest since the more than 25 percent rise seen in June. Year to date, hotel occupancy in the county was up 18.8 percent to 60.8 percent.
Revenue per available room (RevPar), a key industry gauge that measures how much money hotels are bringing in per available room, jumped 37 percent to $94.78 in Onondaga County in the latest month compared to October 2021.
Average daily rate (ADR), which represents the average rental rate for a sold room, moved higher by 16.6 percent to $138.83 in October from the same month in 2021. So far this year, ADR is up 20.4 percent to $121.66.
Lockheed’s Salina plant wins nearly $85M Air Force contract for radar systems for Kuwait
SALINA , N.Y. — Lockheed Martin Corp.’s (NYSE: LMT) plant in suburban Syracuse has won an $84.5 million U.S. Air Force contract for ground-based radar systems for Kuwait. This defense pact provides for four standalone radar systems, ancillary equipment, spare parts, training, warranty, and contractor logistic support, according to a Nov. 17 announcement from the
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SALINA , N.Y. — Lockheed Martin Corp.’s (NYSE: LMT) plant in suburban Syracuse has won an $84.5 million U.S. Air Force contract for ground-based radar systems for Kuwait.
This defense pact provides for four standalone radar systems, ancillary equipment, spare parts, training, warranty, and contractor logistic support, according to a Nov. 17 announcement from the U.S. Department of Defense. This contract includes options, all of which are being exercised at the time of award.
Work will be performed in Lockheed’s Salina facility and in Kuwait. The pact is expected to be completed by Nov. 11, 2027. This contract involves foreign military sales (FMS) to Kuwait and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. FMS funds totaling $84,336,361 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts is the contracting authority.

Syracuse Stage program gets boost from M&T Bank donation
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse Stage plans to use a $20,000 grant from M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB) to substantially increase the number of pay-what-you-will performances for each show remaining in its 2022-23 season. The funding will allow the organization to provide more opportunities for Central New Yorkers to see live theatre. Syracuse Stage will also use
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse Stage plans to use a $20,000 grant from M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB) to substantially increase the number of pay-what-you-will performances for each show remaining in its 2022-23 season.
The funding will allow the organization to provide more opportunities for Central New Yorkers to see live theatre. Syracuse Stage will also use the funding to bring back the Stage for All program.
The two programs “help ensure all community members have access to high quality live theatre while removing cost as a barrier,” per the Syracuse Stage Nov. 10 announcement.
“There’s nothing like the joy that live entertainment brings. It’s a chance to join with family and friends, to unplug from our screens and to celebrate our vibrant arts community. We are proud to help bring that shared experience to as many members of our community as possible,” Steve Gorczynski, Central New York regional president of M&T Bank, said in the Syracuse Stage announcement.
The M&T Bank pay-what-you-will performance program allows 76 tickets over the course of five days for each production to be available for whatever price patrons wish to pay.
The pay-what-you-will performances are available on the following dates:
• “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” — Nov. 30 through Dec. 4
• “Espejos: Clean” — Feb. 15 through Feb. 19
• “Our Town” — March 29 through April 2
• “Tender Rain” — May 3 through 7
• “Clue” — June 7 through 11
Since the pay-what-you-will program’s inception in the 2017-18 season, patrons have purchased more than 1,100 tickets at a price point that community members are able to pay, Syracuse Stage contended. The grant from M&T Bank subsidizes the gap between the actual ticket price and the amount paid for a pay-what-you-will ticket, which averages between $7 and $8.
“At Syracuse Stage, we believe theatre should be accessible to all,” Bob Hupp, artistic director of Syracuse Stage, said. “Regardless of the barrier to attendance, each of us should be able to enjoy the communal and transformational experience of sharing the intimacy of live theatre. This grant goes a long way in breaking down the barrier of price to our neighbors, and we’re grateful to M&T Bank for its generosity.”
Syracuse Stage cites the organization Americans for the Arts, which says improving access to the arts not only provides benefits to the individual — such as decreased stress levels and social isolation) — but also points to research indicating that the arts have “benefits for communities as a whole.” Americans for the Arts, based in Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit organization that focuses on advancing arts and arts education.
Syracuse Stage also cited a five-year study of low-income Chicago neighborhoods by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation that found access to the arts brought 5-10 percent increases in housing, population, and school-test scores, along with decreases in crime.

Syracuse Jazz Fest seeking $650K in funding to stage 2023 event
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Private and public-sector funding totaling $650,000 is what the executive producer of Syracuse Jazz Fest says the organization is currently pursuing for the 2023 event. The music festival returned last June following a five-year hiatus. “The cost of mounting a world class, non-ticketed festival — one that remains free of charge for
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Private and public-sector funding totaling $650,000 is what the executive producer of Syracuse Jazz Fest says the organization is currently pursuing for the 2023 event.
The music festival returned last June following a five-year hiatus.
“The cost of mounting a world class, non-ticketed festival — one that remains free of charge for area residents and visitors — has risen dramatically since large-scale events have returned to the scene in the aftermath of the peak of the pandemic which put a halt to live events nationwide for an extended two-year period,” Frank Malfitano, festival founder and executive producer, said in a release.
Syracuse Jazz Fest returned in June with the help of a combined $400,000 raised from federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that filtered through the City of Syracuse; surplus monies from the Onondaga County room-occupancy tax; and the “game-changing” corporate-sponsorship funding from e-commerce giant Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN). The 2022 event attracted 16,000 attendees.
“In many cases, major artists fees have doubled and even tripled since the pandemic,” Malfitano said. “People are trying to make up for two years’ worth of lost revenue. While we understand that the financial landscape has changed for artists, agents and management, our desire to continue presenting the biggest name entertainers possible to Syracuse audiences remains unchanged.”
Malfitano went on to say, “While we were successful in helping revitalize the region’s cultural and music scene by achieving those goals, we simultaneously fell a little short of securing needed and hoped for multi-year funding commitments for Jazz Fest. But, we’re hoping our success in 2022 will lead to even greater success in 2023.”
He also noted that anyone interested in learning more about 2023 Syracuse Jazz Fest sponsorships can email him at the festival’s headquarters at info@syracusejazzfest.com.
Syracuse Jazz Fest — now in its 37th year — ranks as the nation’s 12th longest running festival and as the world’s 24th longest running jazz festival, per the release.

Funding for NYS foods offers local farmers’ opportunities
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets recently announced $25.8 million in funding for the New York Food for New York Families Program. The money, which come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), not only provides a boost to New York’s farmers, but also increases communities’ access to local foods and will
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The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets recently announced $25.8 million in funding for the New York Food for New York Families Program. The money, which come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), not only provides a boost to New York’s farmers, but also increases communities’ access to local foods and will help increase the resiliency of New York’s food system.
“It’s created new opportunity for farmers in upstate New York,” says Myron Thurston III, food-supply chain marketing specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County. “If a farmer is interested, they can absolutely reach out to their local food bank and see if they need any New York goods.”
Food banks that receive grants through the program must spend 67 percent on New York food products. Grants through that track range between $200,000 and $2 million.
A second grant track provides grants between $10,000 and $50,000 to organizations working within the food system to help producers access new markets, fill gaps in the supply and distribution chain, or increase access to local food in underserved communities.
Applications for both grant tracks are due Jan. 18 and are available online at agriculture.ny.gov/funding-opportunities under the New York Food for New York Families program.
The goal of the new program is to establish and broaden partnerships between New York farmers, the food-distribution community, and local food networks to bring fresh New York foods to rural, remote, and/or underserved areas while supporting local and traditionally disadvantaged farmers and producers. It will expand and create marketing and economic opportunities for those farmers.
Eligible grant applicants include not-for-profit organizations, agricultural cooperatives, tribal organizations, public educational institutions, and local or municipal governments.
The funding comes at a much-needed time when inflation is really taking a toll on people’s wallets at the grocery store, Thurston says. Inflation has that same negative effect on food banks, which are burning through their funding faster than normal due to higher prices and increased need, he adds.
There are approximately 600 farms in Oneida County, according to Thurston. Statewide, there are about 33,000 family farms in the state and nearly 7 million acres of farmland.
New York’s food products include dairy, apples, sweet corn, other fruits and vegetables, and maple syrup.
Other state programs that support New York foods include the state’s Farm-to-School program and the Nourish NY program, which has purchased nearly $100 million worth of food from local farmers and delivered it families in need.

New York home sales dive nearly 23 percent in October
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York realtors sold 11,105 previously owned homes in October, down 22.8 percent from the 14,379 homes they sold in October 2021. Pending sales in October fell 18 percent, likely foreshadowing further declines in closed home sales in the next couple months. That’s according to the New York State Association of Realtors
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ALBANY, N.Y. — New York realtors sold 11,105 previously owned homes in October, down 22.8 percent from the 14,379 homes they sold in October 2021.
Pending sales in October fell 18 percent, likely foreshadowing further declines in closed home sales in the next couple months.
That’s according to the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR)’s October housing-market report issued on Nov. 18.
“Interest rates ballooned to the highest monthly average in two decades and housing inventory declined yet again in October, slowing home sales even further across the Empire State,” NYSAR said in its report.
Home-price increases slowed significantly in October compared to prior months. The October 2022 statewide median sales price was $370,000, up just 0.5 percent from the October 2021 median sales price of $368,000. Earlier this year, we saw double-digit, year-over-year home-price increases.
New York state’s months’ supply of homes for sale at the end of October stood at 3.4 months, down slightly from 3.5 months a year ago, per NYSAR’s report. A 6-month to 6.5-month supply is considered to be a balanced market.
The number of homes for sale in the state totaled 39,064 in October, down 12 percent compared to the October 2021 figure of 44.379.
Pending home sales in the Empire State totaled 10,626 in October, down
18 percent from the 12,959 pending sales in the same month in 2021, according to the NYSAR data.
All home-sales data is compiled from multiple-listing services in New York state, and it includes townhomes and condominiums in addition to existing single-family homes, per NYSAR.

Crockett selected for CNYSME Crystal Ball Award
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Stephanie Crockett, president and COO of Mower, will be the 46th recipient of the Central New York Sales & Marketing Executives (CNYSME) annual Crystal Ball Award. Mower is an advertising, marketing, and public-relations agency headquartered inside the Jefferson Clinton Commons at 211 W. Jefferson St. in Syracuse. The agency has offices across
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Stephanie Crockett, president and COO of Mower, will be the 46th recipient of the Central New York Sales & Marketing Executives (CNYSME) annual Crystal Ball Award.
Mower is an advertising, marketing, and public-relations agency headquartered inside the Jefferson Clinton Commons at 211 W. Jefferson St. in Syracuse. The agency has offices across the nation.
Crockett calls it an “honor” to be selected as the recipient of the next Crystal Ball Award.
“Being in the same company as incredible leaders in our community including Laura Serway, Ray Halbritter and of course my mentor, Eric Mower, is truly humbling. I served on the CNYSME board early in my career and am so happy to see this organization continue to celebrate and promote our exciting industry,” Crockett tells CNYBJ in an email.
CNYSME will present the award during the annual Crystal Ball and Sales & Marketing Excellence Awards presentation and celebration, which is set for May 18, 2023, at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown.
“If there is a continuing thread over 46 years of CNYSME’s Crystal Ball Awards, it is the recognition of one, exceptional individual each year who strives to make our Central New York Community a far better place to live and to work. Quite appropriately, this year the recognition goes to Stephanie Crockett in light of her notable professional accomplishment and her engaged civic leadership,” Eric Mower, chairman and CEO of Mower, and himself a 1984 Crystal Ball Award recipient, said in a CNYSME release. “Stephanie is inspirational. She aspires to excellence in all she does and, in doing so, she engenders ambition in others. That is evidenced by the tangible, beneficial impact she has every day with her clients and co-workers as well as numerous area organizations including United Way of Central New York, Landmark Theatre and CenterState CEO among others. I salute CNYSME on their well-considered selection and I salute Stephanie Crockett on her well-deserved recognition.”
In her work duties, Crockett is responsible for growth, planning, culture, and leading all external activities of the Mower agency. She also leads the client-leadership team at Mower as well as the agency’s energy & sustainability practice.
Drawing on her 25 years in marketing and communications, Crockett has led complex marketing communications for key clients including National Grid, Turning Stone Resort Casino, Crouse Health, Community Bank, the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority, FirstEnergy, Exelon, Avangrid, LG, and Bausch & Lomb.
“An enduring symbol of the organization’s mission,” the CNYSME annually awards the Crystal Ball to a local businessperson or group of businesspeople in recognition of their contributions to the sales and marketing profession and for their endeavors in the areas of community development and support.
The criteria for Crystal Ball recognition includes but is not limited to: a person whose visibility impacts the progress and prosperity of Central New York, a leader who demonstrates commitment to superior quality and professionalism, a person who fosters excellence in their industry, local involvement in community and civic organizations, and demonstrates and practices an appreciation of the sales and marketing industry.
Recent past CNYSME Crystal Ball recipients include Ed Riley of Brine Wells Development/Marriott Syracuse Downtown in 2022; Laura Serway, philanthropist and former owner of Laci’s Tapas Bar in 2021; Mark Re of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services in 2019; Howard Dolgon, owner, president, CEO, and team governor of the Syracuse Crunch minor-league hockey team in 2014; and Peter Belyea, president of CXtec and TERACAI in 2013.
Community Bank System to pay Q4 dividend of 44 cents a share in January
DeWITT, N.Y. — Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) — parent company of Community Bank, N.A. — announced that it has declared a cash dividend of 44 cents per share on its common stock for the fourth quarter. The dividend will be payable on Jan. 10, to shareholders of record as of Dec. 15. The
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DeWITT, N.Y. — Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) — parent company of Community Bank, N.A. — announced that it has declared a cash dividend of 44 cents per share on its common stock for the fourth quarter.
The dividend will be payable on Jan. 10, to shareholders of record as of Dec. 15.
The quarterly payment represents an annualized yield of about 2.75 percent, based on Community Bank System’s current stock price.
DeWitt–based Community Bank System has total assets of more than $15.5 billion and is among the nation’s 125 biggest banking institutions. Community Bank operates more than 210 branches across upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, and western Massachusetts.
Broome County hotel occupancy jumps more than 10 percent in October
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Broome County hotels posted a double-digit percentage increase in guests compared to the year-ago month. The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county rose 10.4 percent to 64.8 percent in October, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel market data and analytics company. It topped the single-digit
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BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Broome County hotels posted a double-digit percentage increase in guests compared to the year-ago month.
The hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county rose 10.4 percent to 64.8 percent in October, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel market data and analytics company. It topped the single-digit year-over-year occupancy increases seen in each of the prior three months. Year to date, occupancy is up 17.3 percent to 62.2 percent.
Broome County’s revenue per available room (RevPar), a key industry gauge that measures how much money hotels are bringing in per available room, soared 25.8 percent to $74.95 in October compared to the year-earlier month. Through the first 10 months of this year, RevPar has climbed 37.7 percent to $67.62.
Average daily rate (ADR), which represents the average rental rate for a sold room, rose 14 percent to $115.61 in the county in the 10th month of the year, compared to October 2021. Year to date, ADR has risen 17.4 percent to $108.70.
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