Oneida County hotels see 24 percent increase in occupancy in April

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UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County’s hotel-occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) rose 24.3 percent to 60.7 percent in April from the

Two CNY firms certified as service-disabled vet-owned businesses

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New York Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner Jeanette Moy recently announced that businesses in Fulton and Carthage have each been certified as a service-disabled veteran-owned business (SDVOB). The New York OGS Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development (DSDVBD) issued the certification to Travani Construction LLC, a flooring contractor located in Carthage, and Harmer Structural

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Salina office building sold for $1.1 million

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SALINA, N.Y. — The more than 20,000-square-foot multi-tenant office building at 3300 Vickery Road was recently sold for $1.1 million. Stephen Saleski of Sutton Real Estate Company, LLC. represented the buyer of the office building, per a Sutton new release, which didn’t disclose the buyer’s name. The seller was represented by Josh Emhoff of Emhoff

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Patrick appointed to SUNY Oswego College Council

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OSWEGO, N.Y. – Christine Patrick of Fulton has been appointed to SUNY Oswego College Council by New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul for a five-year term. The College Council is mandated by New York State Education Law, which provides for the establishment of a local council to supervise the operations and affairs of each state-operated

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OSWEGO, N.Y. – Christine Patrick of Fulton has been appointed to SUNY Oswego College Council by New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul for a five-year term.

The College Council is mandated by New York State Education Law, which provides for the establishment of a local council to supervise the operations and affairs of each state-operated institution of the State University.

Patrick is a graduate of SUNY Oswego, having earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education. Her career is grounded in social work and service to the community. She climbed the ranks as a caseworker, senior caseworker, grade B supervisor, and ultimately to director of services for the Oswego County Department of Social Services — a position she held from 2013 to 2017.

“I am pleased and proud to be a member of the SUNY Oswego College Council,” Patrick said in a release. “I am looking forward to contributing to this worthwhile body and to promoting SUNY Oswego.”

Patrick currently serves as a commissioner on the Fulton Fire and Police Commission. She is a member of the Towpath Towers Senior Housing board, and a past member of the Fulton Library Board and the Child Protective Advisory Council. Patrick is also a graduate of the Leadership Oswego County civic-leadership training program.

“We look forward to the many contributions we know Christine will make and the added perspective she will bring to the College Council,” said SUNY Oswego Officer in Charge Mary C. Toale.

Each state-operated campus of the SUNY system has a College Council, appointed by the governor. The SUNY Oswego College Council is mandated by Article 8, Section 356 of the New York State Education Law, which provides for the establishment of a local council to supervise the operations and affairs of each state-operated institution of the state university. The councils function subject to the general management, supervision and control of, and in accordance with rules established by the state university trustees.

North Country small-business owner appointed to Thousand Islands Commission

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ALEXANDRIA BAY, N.Y. — A North Country business owner, Michael J. Chavoustie was recently confirmed by the New York State Senate to serve on the Thousand Islands State Park, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commission. Chavoustie owns and operates two small businesses in Jefferson County: French Town Market and Cup of Joy Cafe, both located in

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Marvin School Apartments in Clinton sold for more than $1.4 million

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CLINTON, N.Y. — The Marvin School Apartments, a 16-unit apartment complex at 7 1/2 Marvin St. in Clinton, has been sold. G2N2 Properties LLC sold the property for $1,430,000 to an undisclosed buyer, according to a release from Hemisphere Holdings Corp. Richard L. Will, president of Syracuse–based Hemisphere, brokered the sale. The transaction closed on

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Barclay Damon adds Porcello as partner

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Barclay Damon LLP announced that Joe Porcello has recently joined its commercial litigation, intellectual property litigation, and insurance coverage & regulation practice areas as a partner. His primary office location is in Syracuse. Porcello has nearly 15 years of global law-firm experience. He comes to Barclay Damon after more than three years

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Salina 1st project targets 2024 completion

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — More than three years after its groundbreaking event, construction work on the Salina 1st project at 1081 S. Salina St. in Syracuse is underway. The construction site — just south of downtown Syracuse — is located across from the 5G manufacturing facility of JMA Wireless. Project partners Emanuel Henderson, Eli Smith, and

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — More than three years after its groundbreaking event, construction work on the Salina 1st project at 1081 S. Salina St. in Syracuse is underway.

The construction site — just south of downtown Syracuse — is located across from the 5G manufacturing facility of JMA Wireless.

Project partners Emanuel Henderson, Eli Smith, and Gail Montplaisir 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.

E. Smith Contractors of Syracuse and Taurus Renovation & Construction are overseeing the construction effort, Montplaisir tells CNYBJ in an email. Construction on the Salina 1st project is scheduled to be completed by 2024.

All three partners spoke during a June 2 event to announce the start of construction on the project for which they broke ground in 2019. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh; Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens, who served as master of ceremonies for the event; Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon; Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO; and Me’Shae Brooks-Rolling, executive director of the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance were among the local dignitaries who also spoke during the event.

Salina 1st is the first all-minority-led commercial development in the history of Syracuse, per the release.

With an estimated investment of more than $10 million, the Salina 1st project seeks to “embrace, not displace” neighborhood residents and aims to “hire within the community.”

Spearheading the Salina 1st project are Emanuel Henderson of JHP Industrial Supply Co.; Eli Smith of E. Smith Contractors; and Gail Montplasir, a real-estate developer from Washington, D.C., working with Taurus Development Group.

It’s been “a long time coming,” Henderson said to begin his remarks.

“My vision for this project and why I invested in this project … it was simple. We needed to give back to this community,” he said.

Montplaisir and Smith graduated from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 small-businesses program together. In her remarks, Montplaisir said Smith invited her to Syracuse and during her initial visit, she met Henderson.

“But now, I feel like I’m really part of a community that is strong, is visionary, and is doing things that Syracuse has needed for a long time but didn’t have the overall support to do,” Montplaisir said. “Both of my partners have always worked for racial, financial, environmental, and energy equality and equity, and Salina 1st is the first step for all of us.”

Salina 1st will create renewable energy and is considered a net-zero energy project, meaning the amount of energy provided by on-site renewable-energy sources is equal or equivalent to the amount of energy used.

NYSERDA supported the Salina 1st project with a $1 million grant award through the Carbon Neutral Community Economic Development program.

Black Economic Development Fund

New York City–based LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) oversees the Black Economic Development Fund, a $250 million fund to help combat economic-development challenges in the Black community. The fund is providing the project more than $2.5 million, Montplaisir tells CNYBJ.

“It’s probably the largest institutional fund in the country with the word Black in the actual legal documents,” George Ashton, president of LISC Fund Management, said is his remarks at the June 2 event.

Empire State Development is assisting the project through a $1.3 million Capital Grant recommended by the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council (CNYREDC), per a May 22, 2019 ESD news release that followed the project’s groundbreaking event.

This long-term investment in the community has the potential to impact a number of areas, Me’Shae Brooks-Rolling, executive director of the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance, said in her June 2 remarks.

“[That includes] revitalizing the south side; stimulating economic growth in the local and regional Central New York economies; building workforce development and minority commerce,” Brooks-Rolling said.

Commercial tenants planning to move in upon completion include JHP Industrial Supply Company, Inc.; SGTR, a minority-owned construction company specializing in federal contracting; and E. Smith Contractors.

Moyer Carriage Lofts to offer apartments, commercial space

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The complex on Syracuse’s North Side that was once known for making carriages and cars will soon be filled with apartments. Construction is underway on the $55 million project to convert the four-building Moyer carriage and car factory complex at 1714 N. Salina St. in Syracuse into apartments and ground floor commercial

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The complex on Syracuse’s North Side that was once known for making carriages and cars will soon be filled with apartments.

Construction is underway on the $55 million project to convert the four-building Moyer carriage and car factory complex at 1714 N. Salina St. in Syracuse into apartments and ground floor commercial space.

It’s the complex with a building that’s known for the red-colored house on the rooftop.

The project will create 128 “affordable and supportive” apartments, including 50 homes reserved for individuals and families in need of supportive services, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul announced June 1.

Besides the 128 apartments, the development involves the adaptive reuse of the Moyer factory complex to create 3,670 square feet of commercial space.

Four interconnected buildings will undergo a gut rehabilitation, but exterior architectural details will remain intact.

The Moyer factory complex was built in 1881 but has been vacant since 2005.

State financing includes $3.6 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds; federal low-income housing-tax credits that will generate $18.2 million in equity; and $10.7 million in subsidies from New York State Homes and Community Renewal, per Hochul’s office.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has facilitated the use of federal and state historic tax credits that will generate nearly $12 million in equity.

Additionally, the site participated in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s brownfield-cleanup program and became eligible for $6.4 million in tax credits upon the project’s completion.

The New York State Office of Mental Health is administering more than $1.2 million in annual operating funding for the 50 supportive units. The City of Syracuse also contributed $500,000 in HOME funds.

“We believe this project will be a catalyst for positive change across the community, while providing safe, affordable housing to those that most need it,” Ryan Benz, managing member of Redev CNY, LLC, said. “The CNY of tomorrow needs to be inclusive and affordable; and Moyer Carriage Lofts will be one of many examples of equitable opportunities for all.”

The development team is a joint venture between Housing Visions and Redev CNY LLC.

“Housing Visions is excited to partner with our local team to undertake this high impact development at Moyer Carriage Lofts,” Ben Lockwood, president and CEO of Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc., said. “The project preserves an important piece of Syracuse history, provides high quality development on the Northside, and will house residents in come of the best apartments Syracuse has to offer.”

Oswego Health COO Backus to lead organization in 2023

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OSWEGO, N.Y. — Oswego Health will use the remainder of 2022 to prepare for a leadership transition beginning in January. The health-care system’s board of directors has chosen Michael Backus as the next president and CEO, effective on Jan. 1, 2023. He’ll succeed the retiring Michael Harlovic, who has led of Oswego Health as president

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OSWEGO, N.Y. — Oswego Health will use the remainder of 2022 to prepare for a leadership transition beginning in January.

The health-care system’s board of directors has chosen Michael Backus as the next president and CEO, effective on Jan. 1, 2023.

He’ll succeed the retiring Michael Harlovic, who has led of Oswego Health as president and CEO since 2017.

Backus, who joined Oswego Health in 2020, has been serving as COO and executive VP, working with Harlovic and the system’s senior-leadership team, per Oswego Health’s June 1 announcement.

“We’re confident in Michael Backus and his ability to take Oswego Health to the next level and provide the quality of care this community deserves and needs,” Ed Alberts, vice chair of the Oswego Health board of directors, said. “Lifelong resident, a local leader, and someone who is beyond vested in this community, Backus will not only offer a smooth transition for staff but continue to advocate and position Oswego Health as a leader in local health care.”

Backus called it “the honor of my professional life” to succeed Harlovic as president and CEO of Oswego Health.

“I thank the board of directors for their confidence in not only me but our entire senior leadership team. Most importantly, I thank the employees of Oswego Health as throughout the past two years I’ve seen us rise to many challenges and I am every day impressed by the heroism of our caregivers,” Backus said. “Ensuring they have the resources they need — the infrastructure, the teammates, and the work/life balance health care heroes need right now — is the job of our leadership team at Oswego Health and will continue to be at the forefront of our efforts.”

Harlovic and Backus will continue to work together to “ensure a smooth transition” throughout the remainder of 2022.

“Though his career in health care spans nearly 40 years, Michael’s leadership and forward-thinking has never been more evident than throughout the past two years as he’s helped guide not only the health system but this community throughout the pandemic,” Atom Avery, chairman of the Oswego Health board of directors, said. “His ability to take on significant challenges and responsibilities, combined with his foresight for growth and resources has positioned Oswego Health as a strong, independent health system, one in which our community needs.”

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