Syracuse football coach Dino Babers tests negative for COVID-19

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The Syracuse Football Twitter account posted the following message on Thursday morning” “Coach Dino Babers’ PCR test has come back negative for COVID-19. In accordance

New Luna Loca restaurant carries on where The Mission left off

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Leigh Ann and Ryan Benz opened a California-style Tex-Mex restaurant called Luna Loca at 304 E. Onondaga St. in downtown Syracuse in early June. Luna Loca (means Crazy Moon in Spanish) is in the former space of a popular Mexican eatery, called The Mission Restaurant, and formerly the site of a historic church.

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VIEWPOINT: Every business leader now has a new role: Healer-in-Chief

Business Mentors, Health Care, Subscriber Only

A study released by the CDC in early July revealed some eye-opening statistics about frontline workers in my industry: • Since March 2020, respondents (health-care workers) reported experiencing traumatic events or stressors. • 72 percent felt overwhelmed by workload or family/work balance • 11.8 percent have received job-related threats because of work • 23.4 percent have felt bullied, threatened, or harassed because

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A study released by the CDC in early July revealed some eye-opening statistics about frontline workers in my industry:

• Since March 2020, respondents (health-care workers) reported experiencing traumatic events or stressors.

• 72 percent felt overwhelmed by workload or family/work balance

• 11.8 percent have received job-related threats because of work

• 23.4 percent have felt bullied, threatened, or harassed because of work

These numbers are as alarming as they are disheartening. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve all weathered the same storm albeit in different boats. But the frontline workers in the health-care industry — the caregivers who stood firm during some of the rockiest times by working day and night caring and tending to others — are feeling exhausted and in need of care and attention themselves.

The Washington Post also reported in April 2021 that about 3 in 10 health-care workers have considered leaving their profession.

As leaders and managers, we may be grieving a loss in our company’s bottom line and be anxious to get back to normal. But, as anxious as we are to push for normalcy and implement a plan to recover from financial losses, now is just not the time. Now, we must focus on a new role — healer-in-chief.

The role of healer-in-chief requires a mind shift. Rather than asking for employees’ ideas on how to boost the bottom line and get back to normal, we need to be making an extra effort to ask how they’re doing and what we can do to help them. This mind shift isn’t restricted to work — it can also be applied as you relate to family and friends in your personal life.

The first step to establish this mindset is to recognize and meet people where they are. To help us do that, I offer these three key groups from “Helping Your Team Heal,” by the Harvard Business Review:

• Worried Well: These employees are healthy and have not experienced sickness in their immediate family. They may be missing key milestones (for example: graduations, weddings), normal work life (in person, not remote), and concern for the future. If they are optimists, they are hoping for the best. If they are less optimistic, they may be feeling the sky is falling.

• The Affected: These workers were sick themselves or are close to someone who was impacted by COVID. This group needs validation and accommodation.

• The Bereaved: These employees have lost a loved one and are grieving a death. Most will be far from acceptance at this point.

Once we understand people’s point of view, we can better understand how to approach them and what kind of support they may need. While the approach may differ, there are guidelines for handling life as the healer-in-chief:

• Acknowledge the facts.
• Accept the uncertainties of the present and the future.
• Acknowledge employees’ feelings.
• Be authentic.
• Go first.
• Employees hear bad (and good) news first.
• Create a culture of mutual support.
• Be intentional about creating meaning at work.

These guidelines come from “The Pandemic Conversations That Leaders Need to Have Now,” written by a faculty member at Harvard Business School and his research associates. I highly recommend you check it out — at https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/the-pandemic-conversations-that-leaders-need-to-have-now — if you’re looking for more in-depth information on this topic.

One final note — we are all human. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Honesty and vulnerability combined will get you far as you navigate the seemingly awkward conversations with co-workers, family, and friends. While our boats may be different, we can all feel the storm. And now more than ever, your organization and your team need a healer-in-chief.

Kimberly Townsend, Ph.D. is president and CEO of Loretto Management Corporation in Syracuse. She is an expert in the fields of health-care management, board governance, and leadership. Townsend is also author of “Lifecircle Leadership: How Exceptional People Make Every Day Extraordinary” and “Lesson in Lifecircle Leadership: A Guide to Pragmatic Altruism.”

Landmark Theatre installing new seats, new marquee in renovation project

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Crews spent the late part of August and early September installing new seats at the Landmark Theatre in downtown Syracuse, part of a renovation project that will also involve replacement of the venue’s exterior marquee. The renovation project and state funding for it were both announced in October 2019. Mike Intaglietta, executive director

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The renovation project and state funding for it were both announced in October 2019.

Mike Intaglietta, executive director of the Landmark Theatre, spoke with CNYBJ on Aug. 18, which represented the third day of the seat-installation process. He expected crews to finish installing all the new seats around Labor Day.

Irwin Seating Co. of Grand Rapids, Michigan is the vendor providing the new seats.

The Landmark Theatre is preparing for upcoming 2021 shows that include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which is set for Oct. 12-16; Daughtry’s The Dearly Beloved Tour on Nov. 10; and the show Waitress, which is set for Dec. 7-12.

Those walking or traveling along South Salina Street have likely noticed the structural steel that held up the Landmark Theatre’s previous marquee. Intaglietta says the organization wants to get the new marquee installed this fall. But with performances coming up, the Landmark had to make a decision.

“When it comes down to what do we need to do shows, we need chairs more than we need the marquee. That took the majority of our attention and resources to make sure that we could get this seating project done in a timely fashion,” says Intaglietta.

Wagner Electric Sign Co. of Elyria, Ohio is manufacturing the new marquee. Intaglietta described Wagner Electric as one of two marquee manufacturers in the country.

The cost of the project is between $2.4 million and $2.5 million. The Landmark Theatre used a portion of its general fund to complete the project, he notes.

The 2022 Landmark Theatre schedule includes Blue Man Group performing Feb 24-27; Hasan Minaj on March 3; performances of the musical “Hamilton” between March 15 and March 27; and “Cats” from April 26-30, per its website.

“We’ve got a great Broadway season prepared as well as several single-night shows that are both announced and unannounced,” Intaglietta says.

Project history

New York State Assemblyman William Magnarelli (D–Syracuse) announced the state funding during an October 2019 event inside the Landmark Theatre. At the time, Magnarelli noted that the seat-replacement project is “long overdue.”

“These important capital improvements will help to sustain the historical and iconic building for years to come,” Magnarelli said in his remarks.

The Dormitory Authority of State of New York will administer the $2 million grant funding, per a Landmark Theatre news release about the project.

The original plan was to have the work completed in the summer of 2020 until the coronavirus pandemic put the work on hold.

Festivals return, providing downtown with a boost

Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Festivals finally returned to downtown Syracuse this summer after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped them out in 2020 and delayed their return this year as well. Festivals are a big deal because they attract new visitors to downtown and showcase it, while boosting the urban lifestyle for downtown’s growing population. Kicking things off was

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SYRACUSE — Festivals finally returned to downtown Syracuse this summer after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped them out in 2020 and delayed their return this year as well.

Festivals are a big deal because they attract new visitors to downtown and showcase it, while boosting the urban lifestyle for downtown’s growing population.

Kicking things off was the 50th anniversary edition of the Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival, held July 23-25, along E. Onondaga, E. Jefferson, and Montgomery Streets. It was the first festival held in downtown Syracuse since 2019.

Throughout the weekend, attendees were able to shop and browse a variety of contemporary arts and crafts, including ceramics, sculptures, photography, painting, woodwork, and jewelry. The festival drew about 130 artists, representing 23 U.S. states. Strolling musicians, performers, and summer refreshments were also part of the festival.

“The traffic was constant. People were so happy that the festival was able to happen,” says Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc., which puts on the Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival. “I think people were definitely in the mood to spend because all of the artists and all the vendors did well during that weekend. People were just so thankful to have that return to normalcy.”

Other festivals that followed in forthcoming weeks included the Bacon Festival in Clinton Square, Aug. 13-14; the Syracuse Irish Festival Sept. 10-11, also in Clinton Square; and Festa Italiana Syracuse, held near City Hall Sept. 17-19.

Another key event that brought pop-up entertainment to downtown Syracuse for seven weeks was the new Salt City Summerfest, put on by CNY Jazz Central. Stretching from July 23-Sept. 11, the event brought street entertainment across the downtown area. That included Wednesday lunch-hour concerts at noon for downtown residents and workers in Perseverance Park at South Salina and Fayette streets. Jazz evenings on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown’s patio were also part of the event. And on Fridays and Saturdays, strolling musicians would serenade sidewalk dining areas in Hanover Square and Armory Square.

“So there are these smaller moments of just music for patrons and visitors to downtown to enjoy,” says Treier.

A new offering this year was the Shop Small Sunday event in the Salt City Market parking lot, the fourth Sunday of each summer month. More than 40 small-businesses — including antiquers, crafters, and creators — would display and sell their wares.

“There’s definitely a trend toward some of these smaller popup events in lieu of some of larger festivals that have not been able to happen because of restrictions. You’re seeing the popularity of some of these small popup events where people enjoy the opportunity to get out and support the local businesses and local artists,” says Treier.

Another key downtown event was the Party in the Square, held every Wednesday late afternoon/evening in Clinton Square from early July through the end of September. Live local music, food, and drinks were the calling cards of this party.

CEO FOCUS: GENIUS NY 5.0 Teams Work Toward Pitch Finals

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only

In mid-August, we announced the five new companies participating in the GENIUS NY program’s fifth round. These companies moved into CenterState CEO’s Tech Garden and put down roots in Central New York as they work to scale their businesses and advance their technologies. Supporting high-growth companies in the unmanned-aircraft systems (UAS) industry is a focus of the GENIUS

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Supporting high-growth companies in the unmanned-aircraft systems (UAS) industry is a focus of the GENIUS NY program, which, since 2017, has invested $12 million in 22 companies from around the world. Those businesses have attracted more than $40 million in follow-on funding and created more than 50 jobs in New York.

These five teams were selected from the most competitive pool of applicants the competition has seen to date. Additionally, three of the five companies are international teams, a record number for the program. [The five finalists are Circle Optics of Rochester; Airtonomy of Grand Forks, North Dakota; Airial Robotics of Hamburg, Germany; CarScanner of Krakow, Poland; and WindShape of Geneva, Switzerland.] The quality of the teams and the international interest reflect the region’s growing reputation as a global leader in the UAS industry.

The announcement was made at AUVSI Xponential 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia, where CenterState CEO, NUAIR, and other partners were representing the region to highlight the unique assets we have here and the opportunities for companies in this sector to grow in Central New York. In addition to showcasing our community’s expertise, our business-development team connected with companies interested in joining the dozens of other companies we have attracted to the region over the past decade. Those companies, and all the GENIUS NY teams to date, represent a burgeoning industry and ecosystem of support and leadership that we have worked hard to foster.

We are excited to welcome these five new companies to Central New York. We will invest $3 million to support their growth, including a $1 million grand prize. A virtual Pitch Finals event, is set for Oct. 26. To learn more about these teams, contact GENIUS NY Director Kara Jones at kjones@centerstateceo.com.

Robert M. Simpson is president and CEO of CenterState CEO, the primary economic-development organization for Central New York. This article is drawn and edited from the “CEO Focus” email newsletter that the organization sent to members on Aug. 19.

Tech & Culture speaker series focuses on workplace diversity

Subscriber Only, Technology

SYRACUSE — For people who want to pursue a career in engineering, David Richardson would advise them to “stay the course” and “network, network, network as much as possible.” He also tells them to get involved in as many organizations as they can. “Attend [events] like this. You never know who [you’ll] meet. You have

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SYRACUSE — For people who want to pursue a career in engineering, David Richardson would advise them to “stay the course” and “network, network, network as much as possible.”

He also tells them to get involved in as many organizations as they can.

“Attend [events] like this. You never know who [you’ll] meet. You have to have a degree and the grades, too, but the networking piece, I think, is very big. Always be open to new opportunities,” Richardson says when asked about offering advice to others pursuing engineering.

He would also advise those interested in the technology field to not “get too caught up” in your successes and failures.

Richardson is a system and test engineer at Cicero–based SRC Inc., a nonprofit research and development company that focuses on areas that include defense, environment, and intelligence.

He spoke virtually July 28 as part of CenterState CEO’s Tech & Culture speaker series.

Hosted by Generation Next, the Tech & Culture speaker series seeks to promote diversity, inclusion, and belonging in tech-related fields through diverse speakers who are leading in the tech industry.

Generation Next is a CenterState CEO initiative that seeks to “attract diverse talent to Central New York, foster opportunities for career advancement, and connect talented diverse professionals through social engagement and networking opportunities,” per the CenterState CEO website.

Richardson, a graduate of Syracuse University, started his career at Saab Sensis before eventually moving to SRC.

About the moderator, series

Marcus Webb, economic-inclusion fellow at CenterState CEO, moderated Richardson’s talk, asking questions throughout the hour-long presentation.

The speaker series started in July 2020 and 18 speakers have participated since the beginning, according to Webb. Videos of the speakers are available on the Tech Garden website and on YouTube.

CenterState CEO is using an AdvancingCities grant from JPMorgan Chase & Co. to try to bring diversity to the local technology sector, making sure that people on Syracuse’s South Side are “accessing opportunities and resources in the tech ecosystem here in Syracuse,” Webb told CNYBJ in a July 30 phone interview.

“We put a lot of money into the initiative that we created, which is called tech and culture, which is really about attracting and retaining diverse talent from outside of Central New York and have them come to work here… also, cultivating opportunities for our talent that we already have here,” says Webb.

The speaker series has included people from outside the state as well as those on a regional and local level. They talk about their careers in technology in hopes that they can “really motivate individuals from within those communities that we’re targeting to get into tech,” says Webb.

Joy Huggins, a cybersecurity professional from Washington, D.C., was the August speaker. She owns a business called Defender’s Academy in which she educates young people about the benefits of working in cybersecurity. She was scheduled to speak Aug. 26 at the OneGroup education center, representing the first in-person speaking event.

In September, the speakers include Korie Grayson, a biochemical engineer, who will speak virtually about STEM careers on Sept. 29.

When asked how this speaker series can help to revitalize those who work in the field and those who would like to, Webb says that the speaker series brings together people from diverse backgrounds “who may feel socially alienated in their organizations.”

“Being part of this Tech & Culture network, we’re trying to build something where people can come together and they can have these conversations and they can build the great rapport and relationships and talk about their experiences in these different tech fields and areas also serve as mentors to aspiring young individuals who are looking to get to where they’re at in life,” Webb tells CNYBJ.

Webb joined CenterState CEO in February 2020 for a year-long fellowship, but he says it’s been extended. The JPMorgan Chase grant funded the fellowship and Webb has been leading the group that’s coordinating the speaker series, he notes.

Webb is a 2013 graduate of Henninger High School in Syracuse. He later attended Onondaga Community College, where he earned an associate degree in business administration and management in 2017. Webb then transferred to Syracuse University, where he graduated with a degree in economics in 2019. He’s currently pursuing an MBA degree at Syracuse.

Syracuse mayor seeks developer for City Hall Commons building

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced in August that he has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for the acquisition and redevelopment of the City Hall Commons building. It’s a Hanover Square landmark, located at 201 E. Washington St., at the corner of Warren Street and East Genesee Street. The triangular, “flatiron” style building

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The triangular, “flatiron” style building is owned by the City of Syracuse and currently serves as office space for multiple city-government departments. Walsh also issued an RFP for office space to accommodate city staff, indicating Syracuse plans to move its workforce out of the structure.

“The City’s needs have changed since it first took ownership of City Hall Commons in 1991. Today, we think there is a higher and better use for this great building. The property is more than 150 years old. Without investment, the upkeep and maintenance needs will continue to rise,” Walsh said in a release. “Given the City’s needs and the interest in downtown, the time is right to return this property to a private owner.”

The RFP specifies that the city’s goal is to return the building to the tax rolls and increase the city’s tax base. Syracuse says it is looking for buyers “with a proven ability to provide creative and inclusive land use and create permanent job opportunities for Syracuse residents.”

The City Hall Commons building was constructed in 1869 as a four-story structure. It was expanded to seven stories in 1894. The original building includes a large annex of glass and steel added in 1986, known as the City Hall Commons Atrium, which opens to a public plaza.

The 49,879-square-foot building currently is home to the Syracuse Department of Neighborhood and Business Development — including the Division of Code Enforcement and the Central Permit Office, Planning, Zoning Administration — Syracuse Fire Department Bureau of Fire Prevention, Syracuse Police Department Community Policing and Office of Professional Standards, and the Citizens Review Board. Community organizations FOCUS Greater Syracuse and Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods Today are also in the structure.

More information about the RFPs can be found on the City of Syracuse website (http://www.syracuse.ny.us/PurchaseRFP.aspx) and hard copies can be made available through the City of Syracuse Division of Purchase. Those with questions can contact purchase@syrgov.net. Submissions for both RFPs are requested by Oct. 26.

Subcat Studios opens film post-production suite

Small Business, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — SubCat Studios, located at 219 S. West St. in downtown Syracuse, on Aug. 16 announced the opening of its new post-production suite. The idea for this suite originated in 2019 when the production team for the film “Odd Man Rush” needed a space for post-production in Syracuse. Since then, movie-production incentives like Onondaga

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SYRACUSE — SubCat Studios, located at 219 S. West St. in downtown Syracuse, on Aug. 16 announced the opening of its new post-production suite.

The idea for this suite originated in 2019 when the production team for the film “Odd Man Rush” needed a space for post-production in Syracuse.

Since then, movie-production incentives like Onondaga County’s PRIMED (short for production incentives for movies and entertainment development) have encouraged filmmakers to choose Central New York as their primary shooting location, “but still did not sway most from relocating their post to outside of the city,” SubCat said.

“We kept hearing the same thing from producers over and over again. ‘There isn’t a post-production studio in the area,’” Cody Slade, SubCat’s head of videography, said. “We were ready to change that. Now, local filmmakers and out-of-town production companies finally have a CNY–based post-production house that they can call home.”

SubCat made a “significant investment” to entice film productions to stay in the Syracuse area, TJ James, studio manager at SubCat, tells CNYBJ in an email.

The local studio hired Mixing Light LLC, a post-production consulting company from Washington, D.C., that helped it select of the equipment and screens for the editing room, James says.

The suite didn’t need much construction work, he notes. When the space was renovated once its recording studios were built, the film-production room, along with others on the 2nd floor of the SubCat facility, were built as isolated rooms on floating floors for rehearsal spaces, James says.

Realizing it was a chance to make full start-to-finish filmmaking possible here in Syracuse, the SubCat team set out to create an environment for post-production and make the city “a place for entertainment to stay.” For months, the SubCat team visited surrounding studios and consulted with professionals to calibrate the suite’s equipment and technology to the “highest industry standards.” Now, SubCat Studios’ clients are using the new space.

About the suite

The suite offers a set of tools and a team of audio experts to support all aspects of the post-production process, SubCat Studios says.

Editors and colorists can work with a new Apple Mac Pro Tower, with access to top-of-the-line film-editing and creative software, DaVinci Resolve 17 and Adobe Suite. These programs are paired with a Blackmagic color-grading board and DaVinci speed editor.

KRK monitor speakers and two 32” and 55” LG monitors span the length and width of the room, allowing for a “collaborative viewing experience from all angles,” according to SubCat.

Just one floor beneath the post-production room is a multi-million dollar recording studio, where SubCat’s audio engineers can help filmmakers rework their audio or track ADR (audio dialogue replacement) sessions directly into the suite.

Firm to redevelop former M&T Bank building on S. Salina St.

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

SYRACUSE — A Washington, D.C.–based development firm plans to convert the building at 101 South Salina St. to a residential facility and will build about 120 apartments. M&T Bank, which owned and operated a branch inside the building, sold the structure to Douglas Development for $7,155,000 and the transaction closed earlier this year. The bank

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SYRACUSE — A Washington, D.C.–based development firm plans to convert the building at 101 South Salina St. to a residential facility and will build about 120 apartments.

M&T Bank, which owned and operated a branch inside the building, sold the structure to Douglas Development for $7,155,000 and the transaction closed earlier this year.

The bank completed the sale after relocating to a different office space two blocks away at 250 S. Clinton St. in Syracuse.

Norman Jemal, managing principal at Douglas Development, explained to CNYBJ why his company found the property attractive.

“It’s not any one thing. It’s the location. It’s the fact that it has a 500-car parking garage; the aesthetic and quality of the building,” says Jemal, who spoke with CNYBJ on Aug. 13.

Jemal also noted how Douglas Development learned of the property’s availability.

“A fellow [we’ve known] for many, many years was marketing it and he sent it to us and we were interested,” he says.

That individual was John Clark, who had represented M&T Bank in the sale of the building. He had notified Douglas Development of its availability.

Besides Clark, Joyce Mawhinney MacKnight of Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company also represented M&T Bank in the sale.

The demolition work on the project was expected to begin by about mid-September. Jemal said in the interview.

The building’s shell will remain and Douglas Development will perform interior demolition, ripping out offices in order to build apartments. Jemal figures the work will finish in late 2022.

Douglas Development has yet to determine which contractors will handle the project. Antunovich Associates of Chicago handled the design work.

“We have the flexibility of doing retail or office on the first floor and then we also will be offering the old bank hall, which is absolutely magnificent, as event space,” says Jemal.

The property, with its original tower built in 1896, grew over the years to more than 120,000-square-feet of office and retail space, per a June 24 news release about the sale from Cushman & Wakefield / Pyramid Brokerage Company.

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