Mirabito Holdings adds three new board members

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BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Mirabito Holdings, Inc. recently appointed three employees as new members of its board of directors. Joining the board are Justin Fisher, senior VP of supply; Jason Mirabito, senior VP of wholesale; and Matthew Meehan, senior VP of home comfort & commercial fuels. In his role, Fisher negotiates and executes purchasing and hedging […]

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HUNT’s Crocker serving as president of NYS Commercial Association of Realtors for 2022

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CLAY, N.Y. — Dana Crocker, licensed associate real-estate broker in the Clay office of HUNT Commercial Real Estate, was recently named president of the New York State Commercial Association of Realtors for 2022. Crocker has been in the real-estate industry for 45 years, including the last 22 years specializing in commercial real estate, HUNT said

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Crews begin work to replace Sentinel Heights Road bridge in town of Onondaga

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ONONDAGA, N.Y. — Work is underway on a $6.2 million project to replace the Sentinel Heights Road bridge over Interstate 81 in the town of Onondaga. The project will replace the existing bridge, which was built in 1963. Crews will construct a new two-span, multi-girder structure that will “enhance safety and improve resiliency along an

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ONONDAGA, N.Y. — Work is underway on a $6.2 million project to replace the Sentinel Heights Road bridge over Interstate 81 in the town of Onondaga.

The project will replace the existing bridge, which was built in 1963. Crews will construct a new two-span, multi-girder structure that will “enhance safety and improve resiliency along an important connector,” linking the communities of Nedrow and Sentinel Heights, New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez announced March 15.

Also known as Onondaga County Route 174, Sentinel Heights Road is frequently used by emergency service vehicles and provides access to the nearby Onondaga Nation territory, the DOT added.

“This bridge replacement project will help ensure that an important route for local residents and emergency service vehicles remains open and accessible for many years to come, facilitating the continued well-being of the entire region,” Dominguez said.

The new bridge will be 35 feet wide and have higher clearances above I-81 than the original structure, the DOT said. It will also feature five-foot shoulders on each side and concrete barriers with fencing to facilitate pedestrian and bicycle use and enhance safety.

Located just north of Onondaga Nation territory, the new bridge will also be adorned with the image of an Onondaga Nation wampum belt, honoring the Nation’s culture and heritage. The DOT collaborated with the Onondaga Nation to develop the plans for the image, the department noted.

“While the I-81 Community Grid project is often discussed, we are also making progress with other pieces of critical infrastructure,” New York State Assemblymember Pamela Hunter (D–Syracuse) said. “The Sentinel Heights Road Bridge is over a half-century old and I support the New York Department of Transportation’s decision to invest in its replacement. This will be a great benefit for local residents who frequently use the span as well as emergency services that rely on safe and modern transportation infrastructure.”

During construction, traffic will be directed to a signed detour route to the south utilizing Kennedy Road, Kennedy Road Spur, U.S. Route 11, and Rockwell Road. As part of the preliminary project work, the detour routes will also undergo significant improvements, including resurfacing, restriping, and guiderail replacement.

Construction is expected to be completed by this December, the DOT said.

Area localities get Climate Smart Community project funds

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Communities in Central New York, the Mohawk Valley, and the Southern Tier were among those recently awarded funding from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC’s) Climate Smart Communities grant program. In all, $11 million went to municipalities as part of the $196 million in Regional Economic Development Council awards, Basil Seggos, commissioner of

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In all, $11 million went to municipalities as part of the $196 million in Regional Economic Development Council awards, Basil Seggos, commissioner of the DEC, said in a release.

The projects will help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and adapt to the ongoing impacts of climate change, including reducing flood risk, increasing natural resiliency, and relocating or retrofitting critical infrastructure, the DEC said.

Established in 2016, this 50/50 matching-grant program supports municipalities seeking to become certified Climate Smart Communities and implement projects that advance that state’s climate-change goals, the DEC said.

The program is jointly sponsored by seven state agencies: the DEC, NYSERDA, New York Power Authority, as well as the state Departments of State, Health, Transportation, and Public Service.

The program supports the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which requires New York to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Since the program’s inception, DEC has awarded more than $50 million to municipalities in support of local climate mitigation and adaptation projects, the department said.

The 2021 Climate Smart Communities Grant awards are as follows.

Central New York

The Town of Cazenovia will use $232,000 in funding for stormwater-flood mitigation. This project addresses two locations in the town where the existing stormwater infrastructure is increasingly unable to capture and convey runoff from intense rainfall events. Work includes the removal and replacement of collapsed and inadequate culverts and improperly located catch basins and storm piping to increase flow capture, removal of curbing and catch basins and repaving to provide sheet flow, a new storm sewer and swale system to intercept runoff, and a hydrodynamic separator unit for one site that will provide sediment removal to improve the quality of runoff water into a tributary of Cazenovia Lake.

The Town of Geddes received a grant of $219,000 for improvements at the Westvale Plaza. The town will implement a key recommendation from a recently adopted comprehensive plan to incorporate sidewalk extensions to Westvale Plaza and provide improved multi-modal connectivity between current and future developments along the corridor. Pedestrians are frequently observed attempting to cross busy intersections in this area and this route is used by bicyclists riding to and from the city of Syracuse.

The Town of Manlius will use $22,000 in funding on climate-action plans. The town will develop two plans for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, including one that’s focused on government operations and a second one addressing emissions from the whole community.

Mohawk Valley

In the Mohawk Valley, the Town of Whitestown in Oneida County will use $210,000 for work on the third phase of the Sauquoit Creek Flood Bench. Phase three of the Sauquoit Creek channel and floodplain-restoration program involves the construction of three floodplain benches. These benches will reduce flood stage during extreme-weather events, cut impacts of flooding to town and village properties, and restore natural riverine processes by connecting Sauquoit Creek to its original floodplain.

The Town of Oneonta will use a $14,000 award for a comprehensive-plan update. The town will update its 2014 plan to include sustainability, smart growth, and climate-resiliency elements.

The Town of Otsego will also use its $14,000 grant for a comprehensive-plan update. The town will update its 2008 plan to include sustainability elements in alignment with the related Climate Smart Communities certification action and the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, the DEC said.

Southern Tier

In the Southern Tier, the Town of Sherburne will use a $30,000 grant award to update its comprehensive plan. Town officials will update their 2004 plan to include sustainability and resiliency elements in alignment with the related Climate Smart Communities certification action.

ICS expands Northeast footprint by acquiring Massachusetts firm

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ENDICOTT, N.Y. — ICS has expanded with the acquisition of a company in Raynham, Massachusetts. It purchased Unified Networking Solutions, a provider of information-technology (IT) services in the Southeastern Massachusetts market. ICS didn’t disclose any financial terms of its acquisition agreement in its news release announcing it. Founded in 1986, ICS is an Endicott–based provider

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M&T Bank names two to CNY Directors Advisory Council

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — M&T Bank recently appointed Alicia Dicks and Sheena Solomon to its Directors Advisory Council for the Central New York region. This 11-member council meets regularly to discuss business, customer, and community issues and provides insights to support M&T’s ongoing efforts to develop locally customized solutions and service models, the bank said in

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — M&T Bank recently appointed Alicia Dicks and Sheena Solomon to its Directors Advisory Council for the Central New York region.

This 11-member council meets regularly to discuss business, customer, and community issues and provides insights to support M&T’s ongoing efforts to develop locally customized solutions and service models, the bank said in a news release.

Dicks is president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, an organization with stewardship over more than $175 million in charitable community assets. She is deeply involved in Utica and the Mohawk Valley, sharing her expertise to foster inclusive growth and positive change.

Solomon is the executive director of the Gifford Foundation. Under her leadership, the Gifford Foundation is creating lasting community change and advancing racial justice and equity through various projects, M&T Bank said.

“M&T’s Central New York Directors Advisory Council plays an important role in helping us to ensure the bank is consistently making a difference in people’s lives throughout our region. The local business and community leaders on our board care deeply about Central New York and the Mohawk Valley. Working together, we identify new and different ways to uplift our communities and strengthen the local economy,” M&T Bank Regional President Steve Gorczynski said.

“I’m incredibly excited Alicia Dicks and Sheena Solomon have decided to join the council,” he added. “For years, they have worked tirelessly to advance social justice and racial equity, creating positive change through major initiatives and everyday moments to lend support. Their perspectives and insights will help inform and augment our enduring commitment to meet the changing needs of our community.”

In addition to Solomon and Dicks, M&T Bank’s Directors Advisory Council for the Central New York region consists of J. Andrew Breuer, president of Hueber-Breuer Construction; Me’Shae Brooks-Rolling, franchise owner of EventPrep Inc. and executive director of the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance; Mara Charlamb, VP and owner of United Radio; James A. Fox, managing director and president of Ramboll Group; Karyn Korteling, owner of Pastabilities; Joseph Mancuso, partner at Hancock & Estabrook LLP; Scott Shatraw, president of Utica First Insurance; Meg Tidd, CEO of VIP Structures; and Melissa Zell of The Pioneer Companies.

M&T Bank has 41 offices and employs nearly 360 people in its Central New York region, which covers Onondaga, Cayuga, Oswego, Madison, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, and Seneca Counties. It operates a regional headquarters on South Clinton Street in downtown Syracuse. M&T says it holds the region’s highest deposit share and is the top Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in Central New York. Each year, the bank also contributes more than $1 million to dozens of nonprofit organizations in the Central New York region.

Crouse to offer path to nuclear-medicine technologist certification

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Crouse Health is partnering with a Massachusetts college to provide local health professionals a chance to become a certified nuclear-medicine technologist. Crouse is working on the initiative with the School of Nuclear Medicine at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MSCPHS) in Boston. The 12 to 14-month program is designed

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Crouse Health is partnering with a Massachusetts college to provide local health professionals a chance to become a certified nuclear-medicine technologist.

Crouse is working on the initiative with the School of Nuclear Medicine at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MSCPHS) in Boston.

The 12 to 14-month program is designed for students located in the upstate New York region who hold an associate degree in medical imaging or a bachelor’s degree “in any field,” Crouse Health said in a release.

The program builds on previous college studies, preparing participants to become a board-certified nuclear-medicine technologist licensed in New York State for the practice of nuclear-medicine technology. It also teaches participants how to “safely and compassionately” administer radioactive drugs, or radiopharmaceuticals, to patients.

Those taking part will complete course work online through MSCPHS, with Crouse Hospital providing clinical training. Crouse is one of three hospitals in New York state to participate in the program, the organization said.

Students will learn how to obtain rapid-succession images of where radiopharmaceuticals concentrate in the body, giving the medical team insight that’s essential to diagnosing patients. Students will also discover the functions of the many organs and tissues found in the human anatomy and learn how to treat several medical conditions using targeted radiation, per the release.

“We’re excited to partner with MSCPHS on this innovative educational and clinical opportunity,” Brad Hellwig, director of medical imaging at Crouse Health, said.

Students will follow a synchronous distance/online class schedule, offering the flexibility of online education coupled with the community-building experience associated with classroom learning, according to Crouse Health.

“Program participants will work alongside industry experts and gain firsthand knowledge of what it’s like to be a nuclear-medicine technologist,” Hellwig added.

Cayuga Health buys space at The Shops at Ithaca Mall

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LANSING, N.Y. — Cayuga Health plans to redevelop the former retail space at The Shops at Ithaca Mall into a new mixed-use health-care facility. Plans will also include the development of a new health-education center in partnership with Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins Cortland Community College. The health-care system on March 15 announced that

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LANSING, N.Y. — Cayuga Health plans to redevelop the former retail space at The Shops at Ithaca Mall into a new mixed-use health-care facility.

Plans will also include the development of a new health-education center in partnership with Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins Cortland Community College.

The health-care system on March 15 announced that it bought 108,000 square feet of space at The Shops at Ithaca Mall and proposes to redevelop, relocate, and consolidate existing medical practices into one location.

The organization says it spent $8.5 million to acquire the former big-box retail parcels where Bon Ton and Sears previously operated, per its news release.

Cayuga Health contends the move is “making access more convenient for patients.” The health system plans to lease some of the space to prospective new vendors as well.

The Shops at Ithaca Mall is located at 40 Catherwood Road, near Route 13 in the village of Lansing.

“We see this capital expansion as a necessary next step in our strategic plan as we continue to reimagine our operations by making health care more accessible to everyone in the communities we serve,” Dr. Martin Stallone, president & CEO of Cayuga Health, said in the release. “This acquisition allows us to consolidate existing practices into one location for efficiency and improved patient access. We have been operating at The Shops at Ithaca Mall since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and it has been proven to be a valuable location within the community and for our health system.”

Cayuga Health acquired the property from an ownership group that includes Mason Asset Management and Namdar Realty Group, two Long Island–based real-estate investment companies that oversee leasing and management efforts at the mall.

“We are thrilled to welcome Cayuga Health as a permanent fixture of The Shops at Ithaca,” said Elliot Nassim, president at Mason Asset Management, which is responsible for leasing efforts at the mall. “Our team has worked closely with Cayuga Health over the last few years and is excited to see that relationship we’ve built come to fruition in a way that will benefit the community and create a mixed-used shopping experience offering convenience for many people.”

Cayuga Health has retained HOLT Architects of Ithaca to lead the redevelopment plans for the newly acquired space. Renderings of the designs will be on display at The Shops of Ithaca Mall for anyone interested in seeing the new capital-project planning.

“Malls around America were a beacon of success for decades, unfortunately with increased globalization and ecommerce they have seen a decline,” Tom LiVigne, chairman of the Cayuga Health board of directors, said. “Adapting and reusing big-box retail space like this supports our local economy, including The Shops at Ithaca Mall, by driving increased foot traffic to the businesses remaining and prospects.”

Cayuga Health has been occupying the retail space since March 2020 when it identified the facility as an “ideal location for critical” COVID-19 operations.

Its partnership started with the opening of a mass drive-through COVID testing center, which “proved to be essential during the height of pandemic.” The partnership expanded with an indoor vaccination clinic (the previous Sears location), occupying 200,000 square feet when the vaccines became available for distribution.

Willie’s opens new café location in Utica

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UTICA , N.Y.— After five years with just one location, Willie’s Bagel Café is bringing its New York City–style bagels to even more people with a second location in the former Patio Drive-In property on Oriskany Street. Willie’s Gourmet Cafe, which opened in early March, fulfills a longtime dream for owner William Rodriguez, who always

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Willie’s Gourmet Cafe, which opened in early March, fulfills a longtime dream for owner William Rodriguez, who always wanted a location on Oriskany Street, says his son Ronny, who manages the new café.

When Patio Drive-In owner Lawrence Gurdo decided to retire and sell the building last summer, Rodriguez says he jumped on the opportunity. According to online real-estate records, Rodriguez purchased the property and its 2,532-square-foot building for $265,000.

The first Willie’s Bagel Café opened in 2016 and has done well, Rodriguez says. The location at 219 North Genesee St., however, is a little out of the way for some customers. Close to the Thruway and a number of hotels nearby, that café does a brisk business with travelers looking to grab a quick breakfast or lunch to go.

The new Willie’s Bagel Café at 1401 Oriskany St. still offers meals to go, but also has something the original spot doesn’t.

“The biggest difference is dining in,” Rodriguez says. The new café features a large dining area where customers can sit and enjoy their meal. It’s a great fit for the more residential neighborhood, he says.

It is also a prime location to serve employees at the Wynn Hospital of the Mohawk Valley Health System once it opens just a short drive away. Projected to open in 2023, the hospital will employ about 3,000 to 3,500 people.

“It’s a place for families to gather and co-workers to come to lunch together,” Rodriguez says.

The Oriskany Street site is one that’s important to many people who live in the area and were used to visiting the Patio throughout its 65 years in business. Rodriguez is proud that they have brought back an option for breakfast and lunch to people in the neighborhood.

There are several competitors nearby, including a Dunkin’ Donuts just a few blocks away, but Rodriguez isn’t worried.

“What sets us apart in general is we provide New York City bagels to Central New York,” he says. Willie’s also offers Boar’s Head brand meats for its sandwiches. “For any NYC natives, that’s a big deal,” Rodriguez notes.

On top of the bagel recipe perfected by his father — who ran a bagel shop on Long Island for 20 years — the freshness of their food sets them apart. “You can see us cooking,” Rodriguez says.

Both locations serve a variety of bagels including seasonally colored bagels, flavored cream cheeses made in house, wraps, sandwiches, salads, soups, pastries, and more. Many of the sandwiches are named after family members, and those same family members help run the family-oriented business.

Willie’s Bagel Café was fortunate through the pandemic to still do well, Rodriguez says. But now that cases have been dropping, he’s excited to welcome both old and new customers to the new location where they can relax and dine in. To help facilitate things, they invested in a pager system so customers can place their order and find a table while they wait. Just in case the COVID landscape changes yet again, the new café has a pick-up window it can use if the need arises, Rodriguez says.

Next on the agenda for the new Willie’s Bagel Café is an addition of a conference room. “We want to build a conference room with a projector where people can host their meetings here,” he says.

Federal-spending plan includes funding for Syracuse projects

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Construction-job training efforts and police-body cameras are earmarked for federal funding in the recently signed fiscal year 2022 spending plan. That’s according to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.), who announced the funding March 10. President Joe Biden signed the measure into law March 15

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Construction-job training efforts and police-body cameras are earmarked for federal funding in the recently signed fiscal year 2022 spending plan.

That’s according to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.), who announced the funding March 10.

President Joe Biden signed the measure into law March 15 after both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives approved the spending bill days earlier. It funds the federal government for the current fiscal year, which started back in October.

The Syracuse projects include $300,000 for the Syracuse Build initiative to train Syracuse youth for construction jobs with the Interstate 81 (I-81) viaduct-replacement project, the lawmakers said.

The federal plan will also provide $1 million to help Syracuse’s Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative to build 50 new homes for income-qualified homeowners, and 150 rental units.

In addition, $3 million is set aside to help pay for the construction and renovation of the new Catholic Charities of Syracuse Housing Services Center for emergency homeless housing and mental-health services.

Besides the construction-related projects, the City of Syracuse and Syracuse Police Department will get $140,000 to continue efforts to equip all uniform officers and supervisors with body-worn cameras, the lawmakers said.

Additional project details

Schumer and Gillibrand explained that the $300,000 they secured for I-81 construction-job training will help young people who are not enrolled in school or participating in the formal labor market get the support and training they need to start careers in construction, specifically working with the I-81 redevelopment project.

Last year, the lawmakers brought Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to Syracuse to visit I-81 and to push for the use of a local-hire program to connect “disadvantaged workers, including disadvantaged young people,” to construction jobs created by the I-81 project, Schumer’s office said.

The senators were able to eventually include a permanent local hire program in the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs law.

Syracuse’s Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative will use the $1 million to bolster the city’s ongoing project to increase the city’s inventory of “quality, affordable” homes. Specifically, the funding will help pay to build the final 19 of 50 planned homes.

In addition to their joint requests, Schumer personally secured $3 million for the construction and renovation of the new Catholic Charities Housing Services Center, his office said. It will include an 80-bed emergency shelter for homeless men.

The new facility is expected to include six apartments for homeless men who are either living on the streets or in a shelter. It will also offer on-site health and mental-health services, case management, a job training program, and will establish a large office space for the Catholic Charities staff who are currently spread out throughout Syracuse.

Besides the construction-related projects, the proposal also offers $140,000 to outfit the remaining 14 uniformed sergeants of the Syracuse Police Department with body-worn cameras, “promoting public safety and accountability.”

In recent years, the City of Syracuse and Syracuse Police Department have worked to equip the majority of their uniformed police officers with body-worn cameras. This expansion will put body-worn cameras on all uniformed officers and supervisors, Schumer’s office said.

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