Development in and Around Syracuse Discussion

[KellySyracuse]

Have been impressed with how McMahon has handled this, better than I thought he would

McMahon unloads on unhappy golfers: ‘Are you kidding me?’ (briefing 4/7)

County Executive Ryan McMahon also addressed Easter and the youngest COVID-19 cases.

www.syracuse.com

 

[OttoMets]

Have been impressed with how McMahon has handled this, better than I thought he would

McMahon unloads on unhappy golfers: ‘Are you kidding me?’ (briefing 4/7)

County Executive Ryan McMahon also addressed Easter and the youngest COVID-19 cases.

www.syracuse.com

For a "conservative" so extreme he's said he doesn't believe in land use restrictions, yeah, he's exceeded expectations by a lot. He's pretty much gone full nanny state. And I'm totally cool with that.

 

[shandeezy7]

59 new apartments planned for Syracuse’s Franklin Square

The apartments will be part of the redevelopment of two former industrial buildings in the square.

www.syracuse.com

 

[Ghost]

59 new apartments planned for Syracuse’s Franklin Square

The apartments will be part of the redevelopment of two former industrial buildings in the square.

www.syracuse.com

I haven't been through in a bit - but Franklin Square seemed like a nice space. It is fairly nice place to live? Just curious on second hand reports, etc...

 

[Ghost]

Was reading through the thread on Chucks and saw the pics of the new housing on Marshall St - is it finished?

Why do all these buildings going up now look like extended stay hotels? Does Marriott or Hilton design these things for people in case they want to buy them in the future?

Every building that goes up now has to have that squared off block that drifts over onto one side. So bizarre how common that is.

 

[shandeezy7]

I haven't been through in a bit - but Franklin Square seemed like a nice space. It is fairly nice place to live? Just curious on second hand reports, etc...

Yeah, Franklin Square is a very nice area to live. Decent mix of condos, apartments and office space. The only thing it's missing is in the cafe/bar/restaurant scene. There isn't really much there, besides a coffee shop and a couple of restaurants on the outskirts.

Here are a couple of available condos in the square:

429 N Franklin St #409, Syracuse, NY 13202 | Zillow

429 N Franklin St #409, Syracuse NY, is a Townhouse home that contains 2694 sq ft and was built in 1999.It contains 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.This home last sold for $500,000 in April 2021. The Zestimate for this Townhouse is $595,200, which has increased by $2,920 in the last 30 days.The...

www.zillow.com

429 N Franklin St #306, Syracuse, NY 13202 | Zillow

429 N Franklin St #306, Syracuse NY, is a Townhouse home that contains 1901 sq ft and was built in 1994.It contains 2 bedrooms.This home last sold for $350,000 in June 2016. The Zestimate for this Townhouse is $458,900, which has increased by $14,000 in the last 30 days.The Rent Zestimate for...

www.zillow.com

 

[KellySyracuse]

Yeah, Franklin Square is a very nice area to live. Decent mix of condos, apartments and office space. The only thing it's missing is in the cafe/bar/restaurant scene. There isn't really much there, besides a coffee shop and a couple of restaurants on the outskirts.

Here are a couple of available condos in the square:

429 N Franklin St #409, Syracuse, NY 13202 | Zillow

429 N Franklin St #409, Syracuse NY, is a Townhouse home that contains 2694 sq ft and was built in 1999.It contains 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.This home last sold for $500,000 in April 2021. The Zestimate for this Townhouse is $595,200, which has increased by $2,920 in the last 30 days.The...

www.zillow.com

429 N Franklin St #306, Syracuse, NY 13202 | Zillow

429 N Franklin St #306, Syracuse NY, is a Townhouse home that contains 1901 sq ft and was built in 1994.It contains 2 bedrooms.This home last sold for $350,000 in June 2016. The Zestimate for this Townhouse is $458,900, which has increased by $14,000 in the last 30 days.The Rent Zestimate for...

www.zillow.com

I love the less expensive condo with the exception of the carpeting in the bedroom but holy smokes, the HOA fee is $435 a month plus $872 a month for property taxes.

 

[shandeezy7]

I love the less expensive condo with the exception of the carpeting in the bedroom but holy smokes, the HOA fee is $435 a month plus $872 a month for property taxes.

That's where Zillow can't be trusted, because those are all estimates. I just looked up the taxes on that property and total property taxes are roughly $4,600 ($383/month). Not sure how accurate the HOA fee is either.

 

[KellySyracuse]

That's where Zillow can't be trusted, because those are all estimates. I just looked up the taxes on that property and total property taxes are roughly $4,600 ($383/month). Not sure how accurate the HOA fee is either.

okay, I'm with you there about Zillow. When I was looking for my house a few years ago a majority of their listings were incorrect and my realtor made sure to tell me as such. Maybe they added the monthly property tax and HOA fees together to arrive at that $800 plus number.

 

[shandeezy7]

okay, I'm with you there about Zillow. When I was looking for my house a few years ago a majority of their listings were incorrect and my realtor made sure to tell me as such. Maybe they added the monthly property tax and HOA fees together to arrive at that $800 plus number.

They do at least put a disclaimer on their "monthly costs" section that they are all mostly estimates.

 

[shandeezy7]

Quick take. King + King does good work. Looks better than I might have feared. Needs street-facing retail on both frontages; hope that is revised in predevelopment with the city.

Aside: the city and its consultants drafted excellent zoning standards specific to the Lakefront before the neighborhood was developed, but they've been handing out variances left and right in the last decade. Bad precedent. Hope it doesn't continue with this project.

So the word now is that the BHG project is on hold indefinitely and may end up being scrapped totally.

 

[OttoMets]

So the word now is that the BHG project is on hold indefinitely and may end up being scrapped totally.

I feared that they'd have to reconsider expansion plans. Construction site's been quiet for almost two months, obviously. Hadn't heard anything about this project, I know that some others are quietly moving forward, but everyone's having a tough time lining up financing.

 

[Noexcuse]

Was wondering what was going on here, since they cleared the site a year or two ago and then did nothing.

DeWitt project: 72 apartments, office, possible restaurants

The apartments would all feature high-end finishes.

www.syracuse.com

Looks like this may be moving ahead. Drove past on the weekend and noticed construction was starting.

 

[shandeezy7]

I feared that they'd have to reconsider expansion plans. Construction site's been quiet for almost two months, obviously. Hadn't heard anything about this project, I know that some others are quietly moving forward, but everyone's having a tough time lining up financing.

Doesn't sound like financing was the issue, but more of a shift in company culture, with work from home becoming more accepted and prevalent. No need for a bigger office building if you're changing the model of how you use office space. I think the commercial real estate industry has to be terrified of this same scenario playing out all over.

 

[bballbeadle]

Looks like this may be moving ahead. Drove past on the weekend and noticed construction was starting.

We had long wondered what was going up there, but I wasn’t thinking it would be that complex.

 

[Fly Rodder]

I think the commercial real estate industry has to be terrified of this same scenario playing out all over.

Absolutely. I can do ~85% of my work from home with zero dropoff. Heck, I probably spent 90% of day just cooped up in my office with the door closed. But I miss being able to chat with colleagues about day-to-day stuff. Teams is OK, but it's not the same as random encounters through the day.

I also think that open office plans are going bye-bye as far as new designs go.

 

[shandeezy7]

Absolutely. I can do ~85% of my work from home with zero dropoff. Heck, I probably spent 90% of day just cooped up in my office with the door closed. But I miss being able to chat with colleagues about day-to-day stuff. Teams is OK, but it's not the same as random encounters through the day.

I also think that open office plans are going bye-bye as far as new designs go.

Yeah there are benefits to working from home, but I do think that it limits relationships, creativity and with some people, productivity (I worked from home for 4.5 years before starting a new job back in an office on March 2nd, only to go back to WFH 2 weeks later). While change is inevitable and can definitely have positive effects, I would hope that there aren't too many knee-jerk reactions made as we try to emerge from this, as the long-term problems they create down the road won't be able to be easily corrected.

 

[KellySyracuse]

has anyone tried this place yet?

Hidden Gems of CNY: An old trailer that serves the Dominican flavor from a vacant city parking lot

This well-used trailer serves Dominican food in a vacant lot on the city's Near West Side. And it's spectacular.

www.syracuse.com

Syracuse, N.Y. — Believe it or not, you can find a new place serving great food during a pandemic. I happened by one last week.

And this gem is more disguised than it is hidden. It’s an old 18-foot camper parked in a vacant lot on the city’s Near West Side. At the corner of Seymour and Niagara streets you’ll find El Trailer del Sabor, Spanish for The Flavor Trailer.

Inside Lucy Diaz will be preparing authentic Dominican food, and her boyfriend Manuel Lopez will be at the window taking orders from customers.

“I love the look on people’s faces when they take their first bite of my food,” Lucy said. “People will try it, and they’ll come back, and they’re willing to wait for it if there’s a line. I like to test Americans with something new.”

She grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she cooked three meals a day at home. She emigrated to the United States 10 years ago.

Lucy and Manuel met a few years ago. He was driving a taxi, taking her to work at Dominick’s Neighborhood Market on the North Side. She talked about her passion for cooking, and he commiserated about how ride-sharing apps like Uber were killing his business. They’ve been together since.

They bought this camper for $300 in LaFayette and gutted it, replacing the insides with kitchen equipment bought from a restaurant that had closed. After painting it blue with a red stripe and tacking on some white lights, they got their restaurant permit from the city in September and opened for business.

 

[OttoMets]

has anyone tried this place yet?

Hidden Gems of CNY: An old trailer that serves the Dominican flavor from a vacant city parking lot

This well-used trailer serves Dominican food in a vacant lot on the city's Near West Side. And it's spectacular.

www.syracuse.com

Syracuse, N.Y. — Believe it or not, you can find a new place serving great food during a pandemic. I happened by one last week.

And this gem is more disguised than it is hidden. It’s an old 18-foot camper parked in a vacant lot on the city’s Near West Side. At the corner of Seymour and Niagara streets you’ll find El Trailer del Sabor, Spanish for The Flavor Trailer.

Inside Lucy Diaz will be preparing authentic Dominican food, and her boyfriend Manuel Lopez will be at the window taking orders from customers.

“I love the look on people’s faces when they take their first bite of my food,” Lucy said. “People will try it, and they’ll come back, and they’re willing to wait for it if there’s a line. I like to test Americans with something new.”

She grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she cooked three meals a day at home. She emigrated to the United States 10 years ago.

Lucy and Manuel met a few years ago. He was driving a taxi, taking her to work at Dominick’s Neighborhood Market on the North Side. She talked about her passion for cooking, and he commiserated about how ride-sharing apps like Uber were killing his business. They’ve been together since.

They bought this camper for $300 in LaFayette and gutted it, replacing the insides with kitchen equipment bought from a restaurant that had closed. After painting it blue with a red stripe and tacking on some white lights, they got their restaurant permit from the city in September and opened for business.

Sounds great. Never been. About five blocks down South Geddes or so there's a fantastic Latin place called Jandy. Great pork. But I'll look forward to checking this trailer out as well. (As long as they don't try to serve me a side salad, obviously.)

 

[shandeezy7]

I posted this in the Coronavirus Updates thread but it's likely lost in the shuffle there. The comment from Eric Ennis, who is the Director of Business Development for the City of Syracuse, is interesting. I believe discussions surrounding closing down Walton Street to traffic were happening even before the COVID-19 crisis. Does anyone have any further insight into this? My guess is this project wouldn't happen without state/federal money and I have to believe the purse strings will be tightened greatly for the foreseeable future.

 

[Fly Rodder]

I posted this in the Coronavirus Updates thread but it's likely lost in the shuffle there. The comment from Eric Ennis, who is the Director of Business Development for the City of Syracuse, is interesting. I believe discussions surrounding closing down Walton Street to traffic were happening even before the COVID-19 crisis. Does anyone have any further insight into this? My guess is this project wouldn't happen without state/federal money and I have to believe the purse strings will be tightened greatly for the foreseeable future.

View attachment 181271

I drive drove this in the morning on my commute, it is used heavily by delivery trucks during the day more than anything else.

 

[OttoMets]

I posted this in the Coronavirus Updates thread but it's likely lost in the shuffle there. The comment from Eric Ennis, who is the Director of Business Development for the City of Syracuse, is interesting. I believe discussions surrounding closing down Walton Street to traffic were happening even before the COVID-19 crisis. Does anyone have any further insight into this? My guess is this project wouldn't happen without state/federal money and I have to believe the purse strings will be tightened greatly for the foreseeable future.

View attachment 181271

SMTC released a study about this last year. It's probably still on their website. When's Eric's comment from, recently?

I don't see it happening. Syracuse doesn't have the density to support carless streets. If anything I see the 200 block of East Genesee Street reverting to limited vehicular traffic before this kind of thing happening.

I believe Buffalo recently took one of its major streets back for limited motorized traffic after a failed pedestrian experiment?

 

[shandeezy7]

I drive drove this in the morning on my commute, it is used heavily by delivery trucks during the day more than anything else.

Delivery trucks would be the main issue, I think. Other cities make it work though, so I don't really get how Syracuse would be different in that regard.

 

[shandeezy7]

SMTC released a study about this last year. It's probably still on their website. When's Eric's comment from, recently?

I don't see it happening. Syracuse doesn't have the density to support carless streets. If anything I see the 200 block of East Genesee Street reverting to limited vehicular traffic before this kind of thing happening.

I believe Buffalo recently took one of its major streets back for limited motorized traffic after a failed pedestrian experiment?

Yes, that comment is from last week, and if there was anywhere in the city with the density to support it, it would be Armory Square. I mean, we are talking about one block on a street that is not a through street. It's supposed to be the centerpiece nightlife district in the city, and frankly it looks like crap. If the tiny city of Burlington can make Church Street pedestrian only for multiple blocks, then I think Syracuse could easily do the same with one block.

Main Street in Buffalo is in the process of reopening a number of blocks to vehicle traffic (it's about half-way done), although it wasn't the result of a failed pedestrian experiment. Main Street was closed to traffic when the Metro Rail line was built there. I wouldn't say the rail line made the street really all that more pedestrian-friendly, as I don't think that was part of the initial rail project goals.

 

[OttoMets]

Yes, that comment is from last week, and if there was anywhere in the city with the density to support it, it would be Armory Square. I mean, we are talking about one block on a street that is not a through street. It's supposed to be the centerpiece nightlife district in the city, and frankly it looks like crap. If the tiny city of Burlington can make Church Street pedestrian only for multiple blocks, then I think Syracuse could easily do the same with one block.

Main Street in Buffalo is in the process of reopening a number of blocks to vehicle traffic (it's about half-way done), although it wasn't the result of a failed pedestrian experiment. Main Street was closed to traffic when the Metro Rail line was built there. I wouldn't say the rail line made the street really all that more pedestrian-friendly, as I don't think that was part of the initial rail project goals.

Agree that Walton's pretty grubby, but I think that'd hurt. One place I could see it working is Marshall Street, it's really the only place in the region with that density and drawing power.