Development in and Around Syracuse Discussion

[shandeezy7]

I assume this means the planned expansion of the building (which I believe included adding 2 or 3 floors) is not happening?

Former Post-Standard building springs back to life as VIP Structures moves in

Design-build firm's new home includes massive glass garage doors that open to an outdoor patio.

www.syracuse.com

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Former Marshall Street Starbucks property to become bagel shop, deli

The new bagel shop and deli was announced on Facebook by Syracuse real estate broker Christopher Snyder, who works for CSRE Real Estate Advisors LLC.

dailyorange.com

 

[OttoMets]

I assume this means the planned expansion of the building (which I believe included adding 2 or 3 floors) is not happening?

Former Post-Standard building springs back to life as VIP Structures moves in

Design-build firm's new home includes massive glass garage doors that open to an outdoor patio.

www.syracuse.com

According to VIP it's still structurally achievable but not planned (impractical with tenants in place). Residential was a great on paper (especially for its effect on the public space) but a tough sell to lenders at that time.

 

[shandeezy7]

According to VIP it's still structurally achievable but not planned (impractical with tenants in place). Residential was a great on paper (especially for its effect on the public space) but a tough sell to lenders at that time.

Too bad, it would have been a nice addition to Clinton Square.

 

[OttoMets]

Too bad, it would have been a nice addition to Clinton Square.

A take:

Clinton Square is terrible mostly because all the buildings around it are inappropriately short.

Yes, it's also because they don't have active ground floors and generally are low-density.

Whereas good urban parks like Fayette Park and Columbus Circle are pleasant spaces because they're surrounded by taller buildings (even though most of those are lower density with dead ground floors).

So, yeah, big missed opportunity for the community that that former Post-Standard monstrosity still only covers two low floors over two big downtown blocks. But good that there's some life inside now.

 

[shandeezy7]

A take:

Clinton Square is terrible mostly because all the buildings around it are inappropriately short.

Yes, it's also because they don't have active ground floors and generally are low-density.

Whereas good urban parks like Fayette Park and Columbus Circle are pleasant spaces because they're surrounded by taller buildings (even though most of those are lower density with dead ground floors).

So, yeah, big missed opportunity for the community that that former Post-Standard monstrosity still only covers two low floors over two big downtown blocks. But good that there's some life inside now.

I think that's an accurate take. It's too bad the Wieting Opera House on the south side of the square was torn down in the 30's. That would have made for a much more grand and inviting appearance for the square. Not to mention the old courthouse on the north side of the square that was replaced by the PS building.

 

[OttoMets]

I think that's an accurate take. It's too bad the Wieting Opera House on the south side of the square was torn down in the 30's. That would have made for a much more grand and inviting appearance for the square. Not to mention the old courthouse on the north side of the square that was replaced by the PS building.

I miss that little triangular building across North Clinton from the courthouse. Something that could never in a million years be built on that postage-stamp lot today but that added a lot to the character of the intersection. And was ultimately replaced by a pocket park...across the street from the largest downtown park. [Facepalm.]

 

[KellySyracuse]

Looking forward to this place opening, they've done a great job with Now & Later on Tipp Hill

Pioneering bar-and-bottle shop is expanding to downtown Syracuse

It will take a spot in the former Nynex building near City Hall

www.syracuse.com

"Syracuse, N.Y. — It’s known as the place where you can have a beer at the bar or grab a sixpack to go — or both.

The owners of Now & Later, the craft brew taproom and bottle shop (beer store) that opened on Tipperary Hill in late 2015, are now planning a second location in downtown Syracuse. It’s expected to open this summer.

It will be located in the still-under-development former Nynex building at 300 E. Washington St., just across from the State Office Building and down the block from Syracuse City Hall. It will occupy about 2,800 square feet on the ground floor at the corner of Washington and State streets."

 

[shandeezy7]

Looking forward to this place opening, they've done a great job with Now & Later on Tipp Hill

Pioneering bar-and-bottle shop is expanding to downtown Syracuse

It will take a spot in the former Nynex building near City Hall

www.syracuse.com

"Syracuse, N.Y. — It’s known as the place where you can have a beer at the bar or grab a sixpack to go — or both.

The owners of Now & Later, the craft brew taproom and bottle shop (beer store) that opened on Tipperary Hill in late 2015, are now planning a second location in downtown Syracuse. It’s expected to open this summer.

It will be located in the still-under-development former Nynex building at 300 E. Washington St., just across from the State Office Building and down the block from Syracuse City Hall. It will occupy about 2,800 square feet on the ground floor at the corner of Washington and State streets."

I was surprised to see this article today, since last I knew this project was dead in the water.

 

[KellySyracuse]

I was surprised to see this article today, since last I knew this project was dead in the water.

Interesting, I had completely forgotten about the NYNEX building redo as well until seeing this article today. Glad to see it moving forward.

 

[shandeezy7]

Interesting, I had completely forgotten about the NYNEX building redo as well until seeing this article today. Glad to see it moving forward.

Now & Later posted this on Facebook back in August. It seemed so dead in the water that they were selling equipment that they had purchased for the new location haha:

Now & Later​

We have some unfortunate news to share about our new location. As some of you may have already heard, we will no longer be moving forward with the plan to open at 300 E. Washington Street. Due to a combination of the long delay in getting permits from the City and a subsequent disagreement with the landlords, we have decided to cut our losses and move on from this plan.

While we were very excited about this location and the prospect of helping that part of downtown grow, the writing was on the wall that it just wasn't a good fit. We were very far along in the process and remained hopeful up to the very end that we could make it happen, but the obstacles and continued costs and risk became too much. We will continue to keep our eyes and ears open for a potential new location.

With that- we have some equipment that we purchased for the project that we may be looking to unload. If anyone is interested in an aluminum and glass garage door (very similar to the ones at our Tipp Hill Location), or an 8 foot by 16 foot display walk in cooler, send us a PM and we'll get you more details. We also have two 82" Samsung TVs still in the box we are looking unload.
Thank you all for your continued support!

 

[OttoMets]

Now & Later posted this on Facebook back in August. It seemed so dead in the water that they were selling equipment that they had purchased for the new location haha:

Now & Later​

We have some unfortunate news to share about our new location. As some of you may have already heard, we will no longer be moving forward with the plan to open at 300 E. Washington Street. Due to a combination of the long delay in getting permits from the City and a subsequent disagreement with the landlords, we have decided to cut our losses and move on from this plan.

While we were very excited about this location and the prospect of helping that part of downtown grow, the writing was on the wall that it just wasn't a good fit. We were very far along in the process and remained hopeful up to the very end that we could make it happen, but the obstacles and continued costs and risk became too much. We will continue to keep our eyes and ears open for a potential new location.

With that- we have some equipment that we purchased for the project that we may be looking to unload. If anyone is interested in an aluminum and glass garage door (very similar to the ones at our Tipp Hill Location), or an 8 foot by 16 foot display walk in cooler, send us a PM and we'll get you more details. We also have two 82" Samsung TVs still in the box we are looking unload.
Thank you all for your continued support!

Strange that the reporting doesn't address this background.

Building management sucks, though there was a lot of blame going around when Now and Later bailed last summer, my sense is that the landlord was unwilling or unable to remedy a lot of non-standard features in the area around the storefront (that weren't approved when their initial site plans went through) and the tenant got caught in the middle.

Either way, no new permits have been pulled but it looks like the original permit is still open for a few more months. This caught me by surprise, hope it works out.

 

[shandeezy7]

Strange that the reporting doesn't address this background.

Building management sucks, though there was a lot of blame going around when Now and Later bailed last summer, my sense is that the landlord was unwilling or unable to remedy a lot of non-standard features in the area around the storefront (that weren't approved when their initial site plans went through) and the tenant got caught in the middle.

Either way, no new permits have been pulled but it looks like the original permit is still open for a few more months. This caught me by surprise, hope it works out.

Right, it was almost as though the article was copy and pasted from earlier last year when it was first announced. I had to confirm on Facebook with the author that it was a new article and the project was back in motion and not just an accidentally-posted old article with a new date.

 

[shandeezy7]

Is this a smart move? With the two way ending at Jefferson, it feels like you’ll end up having a lot of people driving the wrong way down a one way street through Armory Square.

 

[KellySyracuse]

Is this a smart move? With the two way ending at Jefferson, it feels like you’ll end up having a lot of people driving the wrong way down a one way street through Armory Square.

Yes, I can totally see that happening unless they have giant signage but we see how well that option works on the parkway.

 

[shandeezy7]

Yes, I can totally see that happening unless they have giant signage but we see how well that option works on the parkway.

Yup, especially if we’re talking later at night. And people typically go pretty fast on that stretch of Clinton. I suppose with it being two way, there will be a bit of a road diet, cutting down the three lanes.

 

[OttoMets]

Is this a smart move? With the two way ending at Jefferson, it feels like you’ll end up having a lot of people driving the wrong way down a one way street through Armory Square.

A blockbuster or similar type of bump-out would solve that. Don't know if that's going to be incorporated. (Given recent downtown street reconstruction projects, I imagine not, unfortunately.)

I love this improvement; my only gripe is that NYSDOT strongly requested that the City not extend this conversion up to West Genesee (or West Willow or Herald? I forget) as initially planned.

 

[shandeezy7]

A blockbuster or similar type of bump-out would solve that. Don't know if that's going to be incorporated. (Given recent downtown street reconstruction projects, I imagine not, unfortunately.)

I love this improvement; my only gripe is that NYSDOT strongly requested that the City not extend this conversion up to West Genesee (or West Willow or Herald? I forget) as initially planned.

I don’t love the idea of that stretch of Clinton between Jefferson and Fayette being two way. It’s too narrow and congested and I imagine street parking spaces would have to be eliminated.

 

[bevosu]

I don’t love the idea of that stretch of Clinton between Jefferson and Fayette being two way. It’s too narrow and congested and I imagine street parking spaces would have to be eliminated.

What exactly is this two-way change supposed to accomplish?

Seems like a solution for a non-existent problem.

 

[xc84]

What exactly is this two-way change supposed to accomplish?

Seems like a solution for a non-existent problem.

It will allow cars to go in both directions

 

[OttoMets]

I don’t love the idea of that stretch of Clinton between Jefferson and Fayette being two way. It’s too narrow and congested and I imagine street parking spaces would have to be eliminated.

It's a pinch-point, for sure, especially the block north of Walton. Still, it'd definitely slow traffic on what is an unacceptably dangerous stretch in terms of speeding traffic. And with 66' of ROW, there's plenty of room for a pair of 8-foot parking lanes and 9- or 10-foot driving lanes in each direction. Slow 'em down with an all-way stop and maybe a raised intersection at Walton and it'd do wonders for the vibrancy of the neighborhood. (I think this is yet another instance of Syracuse's crappy legacy infrastructure limiting the potential of a neighborhood.)

 

[shandeezy7]

It's a pinch-point, for sure, especially the block north of Walton. Still, it'd definitely slow traffic on what is an unacceptably dangerous stretch in terms of speeding traffic. And with 66' of ROW, there's plenty of room for a pair of 8-foot parking lanes and 9- or 10-foot driving lanes in each direction. Slow 'em down with an all-way stop and maybe a raised intersection at Walton and it'd do wonders for the vibrancy of the neighborhood. (I think this is yet another instance of Syracuse's crappy legacy infrastructure limiting the potential of a neighborhood.)

I think closing Walton St completely to traffic between Clinton and Franklin would have a much greater impact on the vibrancy of the neighborhood over making that stretch of Clinton two way. I think the theater loading space there complicates things as well.

 

[OttoMets]

I think closing Walton St completely to traffic between Clinton and Franklin would have a much greater impact on the vibrancy of the neighborhood over making that stretch of Clinton two way. I think the theater loading space there complicates things as well.

The latter for sure.

Pedestrian-only streets in such low density/low traffic areas, I'd have to see it to believe it.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

I'm quite sure this doesn't add to the discussion, but I love this painting.

 

[Marty McFly]

I'm quite sure this doesn't add to the discussion, but I love this painting.

That's what Syracuse is Missing... at least in some form. The B&O Canal in DC with quaint tree lined Brick tow paths and shops in kind of a British countryside way... Maybe I am too idealistic but I'd love for Syracuse to find a way for the Creek walk to become something like that.