Genesee Fever : A Vision for the Future of the Downtown Rochester Waterfront

May 26, 2019

Project Overview

The Genesee River is the lifeblood of Rochester. From the wide, flowing river in the south, to the mighty rapids that rip through Downtown Rochester, to High Falls that plunges down a nearly 100 ft. cliff, the Genesee River has shaped not only the land but also the economy of the Greater Rochester Region.

Harnessing the river’s power since the early 1800s was vital to the city’s growth and economic might. Mills and industrial plants lined the waterfront. The Erie Canal supercharged commercial growth, concentrated around the aqueduct that passed over the Genesee River (where Broad Street currently runs). The Mount Morris Dam, 40 miles south of the city, has eliminated the fear of wild, unpredictable flooding, allowing the city to grow. While the river proved central to the city’s success, that success slowly polluted the river and repelled the general public. Historic buildings along the waterfront were built with industry in mind, not residents looking to connect with the river. As the city began to shrink over the last several decades, economic concerns pushed any revitalization efforts to the back burner. Currently the city continues to struggle to attract business, including lucrative conventions to the riverside convention center. Many have expressed that the lack of local amenities has convinced conventions to look elsewhere.

These are the challenges of adapting an industrial waterfront to the modern age. While there is plenty of park space and greenery that lines the river towards the south, the riverfront that runs through downtown provides few opportunities for the public to engage with the water. A few overlooks and sidewalks on bridges are all that pedestrians are able to enjoy, even with some of the most dramatic vistas occurring in the heart of the city.

With new investment pouring in to Downtown Rochester and the residential population of the neighborhood expanding quickly, the Genesee River has the chance to become the heart of the city and region once more. Ensuring public access to the river is vital to creating an open and inviting city. Rochester’s future hinges on attracting new residents and retaining the thousands of students educated in the colleges throughout the region. Providing amenities unique to the city, and to the river, will go a long way in revitalizing Rochester’s image to workers and corporations alike.

Policy/Funding Opportunities for Future Development

New York State is highly supportive of efforts to revitalize both waterfronts and city centers. For the redevelopment along the Genesee River, Rochester will be able to tap into a variety of programs and philanthropic opportunities to fund these designs. First, these designs must be integrated into the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) that was most recently updated in 2018. The update has expanded the area covered by the LWRP to include all of the Genesee River that runs through the city and sets in place the goals of expanding public access to the water. Through the LWRP process, New York State makes grants available through the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to aid communities in reaching their vision for their waterfronts.

Due to the river running through Downtown Rochester, any design initiatives are also able to tap into funds from the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Each year New York State selects ten cities to receive $10 million in funding to help with strategic investment planning and implementing large scale projects in the community. Any major plan for the waterfront would easily fit into an application for this funding, allowing the city to tie its waterfront to further economic development in the surrounding area.

Another important opportunity for funding comes from the New York State Historical Preservation Grant Program. The aqueduct is considered a historical site due to its use carrying the Erie Canal over the river. Enhancing the park space around the aqueduct would fall under the grading criteria of addressing deficiencies in open space for the downtown neighborhood, as well as increasing the physical connection to its historic past.

Beyond the usual grant programs available to communities throughout the state, the Rochester region was the recipient of $500 million in state funding through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. As part of the city’s pitch to receive these funds was the revitalization of the Genesee Riverway through Rochester, securing $50 million in funding for improvements along its shores. These funds have been packaged together in the ROC the Riverway vision to help guide development.

We also benefit, as a city, from having generous local philanthropists who have seen growth of the city as part of their fundamental mission. Tom Golisano and the Golisano Foundation have continually supported efforts in the city to improve health access to low-income residents. As part of this, they have also emphasized access to exercise facilities and outdoor spaces. Bringing the Golisano Foundation to help guide the redevelopment effort will not only provide access to needed funds, but also involve the business community to see this project as a launching pad for future development.

ROC the Riverway

With the ROC the Riverway vision, the city has taken steps to address the desires of residents to have access to their river. Rochester has the ability to transform it’s waterfront to a greater extent than many other industrial hubs due to past decisions not to route railways and highways along the river’s banks. Combined with the variations in how the river behaves, the Roc the Riverway plan offers up a variety of riverfront experiences for residents; ranging from hiking trails along the South River to a revitalized aqueduct in Downtown Rochester to a running track bridge beyond High Falls.

Focusing on the waterfront that runs through Downtown Rochester, the vision plan calls for an expansion of public spaces, including the complete reimagining of the aqueduct that carries Broad Street across the river. Each element would be interconnected and intersect with the Genesee Riverway Trailway, providing a vital link between 9 miles of trails south of and the 7 miles north of downtown.

As part of this plan, the library would see the construction of an overlook terrace as well as a promenade behind the structure above the river. Broad Street would be removed, and the bridge would be deconstructed down to the original aqueduct level in order to make a more uniform walkway throughout the neighborhood. This deconstruction would remove all that remains of the former Rochester subway system while looking to mimic the former path of the Erie Canal. Just north of the library, the Rochester convention center would see an addition to allow for more active space facing the river. Across the river to the west, the Blue Cross Arena would also see improvements to create more active riverside frontage. Each of these pieces are designed with the intent of focusing visitors towards the river.

This vision is a strong step in the right direction, but there are opportunities to push the development along the waterfront further to create a truly unique neighborhood that preserves multiple histories of the river and the aqueduct.

Improving the Plan

ROC The Riverway achieves a grand vision for the entirety of the Genesee River through Rochester, but requires an expansion of thought when approaching the downtown portion of the river. In order to achieve a true reinvention of the downtown waterfront there are three major pillars that must be addressed; Preserving the former subway, adding greenery to the city, and getting residents close to the river. Each of these pillars will lead to a truly remarkable space in the urban center of the region and provide a catalyst for further development along the riverway.

Preserving the Former Subway

While ROC The Riverway concentrates on bringing the aqueduct back to the level of the former Erie Canal, it misses the history of what followed. The Rochester subway last ran across the Broad Street bridge in 1956, and has since given way to a living art piece, which is the remaining tunnel. Thousands of pieces of graffiti line the walls creating a vibrant, colorful experience for any visitor to the aqueduct.

Removing the roadway, as is required under the ROC The Riverway plan, would allow for a seamless route of promenades that lead to a newly constructed park on the aqueduct, but it would also remove the artwork that has been generated over decades in one of the most unique locations in the city. Instead, the designs should be reworked to preserve this semi-indoor art walk as part of the new park, while creating an outdoor space where the roadway currently runs.

There have been numerous ideas of how to utilize the abandoned subway tracks, including creating a nightclub and event space, but should, in the end, remain open to the public as a park. Creating a semi-indoor park space will allow the waterfront to remain active all year round as visitors can be sheltered from harsh winter weather. The park will feature the current graffiti art while allowing for new graffiti to be painted, continuing with the tradition of this living art piece. With such a strong and vibrant arts community, emphasizing this artistic treasure will encourage the development of further art spaces and promote the city as a place that values creativity.

Outside of the aqueduct, at grade level with the new promenades, will be an additional promenade that runs the length of the bridge, providing views into the subway while remaining close to the water, with views of the rapids beneath.

Minimal greenery and public space in the surrounding areas.

Adding Greenery to the City

Where the roadway currently sits will be transformed into a green park with a narrow waterway that is reminiscent of the Erie Canal. It is important for this park to be filled with greenery as the surrounding area is devoid of greenspace, which is evident when looking at satellite images.. This bridge will be overflowing with trees, flowers, and open green space for residents, workers and visitors to enjoy. With the convention center and Blue Cross Arena straddling either side of the bridge, this open space will act as a connection between both entertainment complexes, while also providing outdoor recreation area.

The greenery would continue on to the promenades that will connect throughout the neighborhood. This will be reminiscent of the “green ribbons” that originally connected the major parks within Buffalo, NY, still one of the greatest examples of park systems within the United States. As the central hub of the Genesee Riverway Trailway, these green promenades will act in a similar fashion to the “linear parks” of the Buffalo parks system, allowing visitors to feel engulfed by plant life until they arrive at one of the larger parks along the route, gaining access to open space and views of the city center.

Getting Residents Close to the River

The final piece to the vision for Downtown Rochester is about access. While the water is too turbulent for boating opportunities in the city center, residents and visitors should be able to feel as though they are interacting with the river. There are two spaces that provide opportunities for water access.

Directly behind Blue Cross Arena, a lower promenade can be constructed to provide closer viewings to the rapids as they rush under the Court Street bridge. A second viewing area, as proposed by ROC The Riverway, would be located just to the north of Blue Cross Arena along Thomson Reuters. These two promenades offer the only opportunities for visitors to be near the water in Downtown Rochester, as well as provide excellent opportunities for fishermen to fish in an urban environment.

Sources

“The Genesee River” City of Rochester, NY, https://www.cityofrochester.gov/geneseeriver/. Accessed April 23, 2019
Horbovetz, Adrian. “Why Rochester is so Disconnected from the Genesee River.” The Urban Phoenix, Feb. 7, 2018, https://theurbanphoenix.com/2018/02/07/disconnectedgenesee/. Accessed April 23, 2019
Williamson, Ryan. “Downtown Rochester’s Upward Climb.” City Newspaper, March 27, 2019, https://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/downtown-rochesters-upward-climb/Content?oid=9917396. Accessed May 2, 2019
“Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP).” City of Rochester, NY, https://www.cityofrochester.gov/LWRP/. Accessed April 27, 2019
“Environmental Protection Fund: Local Waterfront Revitalization Program Grants.” NYS: Department of State of Planning and Development, https://www.dos.ny.gov/opd/grantOpportunities/epf_lwrpGrants.html. Accessed April 27, 2019
“Downtown Revitalization Initiative.” New York State, https://www.ny.gov/programs/downtown-revitalization-initiative. Accessed April 27, 2019
“Historic Preservation Grant Program.” New York State Parks, https://parks.ny.gov/grants/historic-preservation/default.aspx. Accessed April 28, 2019
“Next Generation Manufacturing and Technology.” Finger Lakes Forward, http://fl.he2.us/categories/3. Accessed April 27, 2019
“Philanthropy.” The Golisano Foundation, http://www.golisanofoundation.org/Tom-Golisano/Philanthropist-Philanthropy.aspx. Accessed May 2, 2019
ROC the Riverway Advisory Board. ROC the Riverway: A Vision Plan for the Future of Rochester’s Genesee Riverfront, prepared by Bergmann, May 2018
Vondrack, Otto M. “About the Once Vital, Now Abandoned Rochester Subway.” Rochester Subway, http://www.rochestersubway.com/rochester_subway_history.php. Accessed April 27, 2019
“Reimagining Rochester’s Underground.” Rochester Subway, August 31, 2014, http://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2014/08/reimagining-rochesters-underground/. Accessed April 27, 2019
Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy. “Introduction.” The Olmsted City, 2003, http://regional-institute.buffalo.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2015/11/The-Olmsted-City-TheSystemPlan2008.pdf. Accessed April 28, 2019
“Genesee River.” Lake Ontario Fishing, https://ilovenyfishing.com/genesee-river/. Accessed April 28, 2019

I-81: Healing the Divide

May 10, 2019

This is my in depth look into why the community grid should be approved by New York State to replace the current I-81 viaduct. The following piece was written before the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was released in mid-April 2019 in regards to the I-81 project. Although some of the numbers from the previously leaked report are now out of date, they remain useful for the analysis and would still hold true with the new numbers.

I hope this helps to inform the discussion as we now move forward into the comment period for the DEIS. Although the community grid is the preferred option, that does not mean it will be selected in the end. It also means that we must advocate for further inclusions to the plan, which I lay out a few at the end. As always, I love to hear what people are thinking on these subjects and invite a discussion.

The Syracuse metropolitan area has some of the highest concentrations of poverty in the United States for African Americans and Hispanics, along with dramatic racial and economic divides between the city and its surrounding suburbs. The current footprint of I-81 has furthered this divide within the community. The decision on how to replace the aging viaduct must be made with economic and social equality in mind. To address these issues, the following memo will provide: a brief summary of the socioeconomic breakdown of the Syracuse region; an understanding of the impacts I-81 has had on furthering the socioeconomic divide within the community; and, a review of the current options for replacing the I-81 viaduct (a new viaduct, a community grid, or a tunnel), including the concerns raised by the community for each option.

Based on the analysis, I recommend the New York State Department of Transportation opts to pursue the Community Grid option with added emphasis on:

Enhancing public transportation with bus rapid transit (BRT)
Returning newly uncovered lands to the city
- Some to be sold for private development
- Some developed into low- and medium-income housing
Connecting residents of public housing with work opportunities on the project

Background on the Syracuse Metropolitan Area

Syracuse is the fifth largest city in New York State with a population of 144,405 and sits within a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) of 659,262 (U.S. Census Bureau). Our MSA consists of three counties; Madison, Onondaga, and Oswego. In order to gain a fuller picture of the region you must also include Cayuga, Cortland and Oneida counties as they’re economies are tied closely to that of Syracuse, which pushes the region’s population to 1,018,239 (U.S. Census Bureau).

We must look at the counties outside of Onondaga County due to the commutes required into the Syracuse area. Each county has a relative high percentage of residents working outside their home county, with the main employment destination being near Downtown Syracuse (see employment maps below). With residents being primarily dependent on personal vehicles, the interstate network in the region is vital to their transportation needs (see Public Transit Usage in Table 1). Those traveling from east or west will be most likely to utilize I-90 and I-690 in order to access the downtown area. Oswego County, coming from the north, will utilize I-81 until the I-690 interchange in Downtown Syracuse. Finally, Cortland County residents, coming from the south, are the most likely residents to use the section of the I-81 viaduct in question for replacement; namely the 1.4 mile section from the southern I-481 interchange up to the I-690 interchange in Downtown Syracuse.

Within Onondaga County we must also acknowledge the dominance of traveling by personal vehicles and the continued reliance on the interstate for commutes. Again, the towns in the southern portion of the county (Fabius, Lafayette, Marcellus, Otisco, Pompey, Skaneateles, Spafford, and Tully) are the most likely to use the portion of the I-81 viaduct in question.

2007 Employment Density

2035 Employment Density

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

These counties and towns are significantly less diverse racially and economically compared to the City of Syracuse. This diversity is important to consider due to the history of I-81’s current footprint, which resulted in the destruction of a majority African American neighborhood (Haas). As of 2017, the census tracts located directly adjacent to I-81 are predominantly Black or African American with poverty concentrations of up to 63% (U.S. Census Bureau). Onondaga County as a whole is predominantly white with relatively low levels of poverty (see maps below), as are the surrounding counties.

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The I-81 Viaduct

With the I-81 viaduct having reached the end of its useful life in 2017, we must consider the alternatives with respect to the socioeconomic differences within the region to find the solution that best promotes equity amongst residents. The three current options include:

Rebuild the viaduct up to modern federal DOT standards ($1.7 billion)
Replace the highway with an improved street grid while sending through traffic along I-481 outside the city; known as the community grid ($1.3 billion)
Build a tunnel through the city with elements of the community grid plan on top of the tunnel footprint; known as the hybrid option ($3.6 billion) (Hannagan).

The 1.4 mile section of the viaduct in question runs from the southern edge of Syracuse north until the I-690 interchange. To the east of the highway is Syracuse University and SUNY Upstate Medical Campus, two of the largest employers in Central New York. To the west of the highway resides a mixture of low-income and public housing that reach to the edge of Downtown Syracuse. The viaduct’s footprint runs directly through the former 15th Ward, a predominantly African American neighborhood that was deemed uninsurable for federally backed mortgages during red lining (see Red Lining map below).

During the original planning for I-81, African American residents found themselves segregated to the 15th Ward, with many realtors refusing to show suburban houses to them. This resulted in a neighborhood that was three times as dense as the rest of the city, including numerous buildings falling below safety codes. The state saw the interstate system as a form of slum clearance and a way to bolster housing demand (Haas). The mayor at the time, Anthony Henninger, believed that the highway would box in the downtown area and strangle the growth of the city (Croyle). Many others believed the growth of the suburbs would help propel growth in Syracuse as well. Instead, many businesses along South Salina St. have closed, or were torn down to be replaced by gas stations, while the suburbs have continued to expand. Housing options were limited for African Americans, resulting in many being forced into newly constructed public housing (Haas). In this way, I-81 has always had unequal effects on the community depending on who you are and where you are from.

While the bulk of the construction will be centered in the City of Syracuse, the effects of the chosen plan will be felt throughout the region, just as the original plan was. On that note, there are a few major concerns that residents and elected officials have raised.

Access to Community Resources

The first concern to many residents is how each proposal will affect their accessibility. Syracuse has relatively short commute times compared to most of the country. Many suburban residents are concerned that their commutes will be drastically longer should the community grid option be chosen. Documents released from a preliminary Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) from 2016 show most commutes would be more or less unchanged when comparing the community grid to current conditions (New York State Department of Transportation. “Alternatives.”).

For those living in Dewitt along I-481, there has been concern about the increased usage of the route as thru-traffic would be rerouted around Syracuse, including truck routes (Magnarelli). As part of the mitigation plans, I-481 would see improvements that would likely include sound barriers, to counteract any increase in traffic.

Hotel owners just north of Syracuse are concerned about the loss of business due to the removal of the highway, noting that 20% of their guests do not have reservations when they arrive (Lohmann, “I-81 Voices…”). In his town hall on the subject, Representative John Katko (R-Camillus) reassured the hotel owners that they would still be located off of I-90, which would still bring in travelers.

One group, Save 81, has focused on proving that the community grid cannot support the traffic that heads into Syracuse each day. They have warned that over 100 intersections would see their level of service drop a full level, including 61 that would rank as an E or F (Lohmann, “I-81 Grid Opponents…”). While these concerns are valid, most level drops will be negligible. In Syracuse, most roads are rated with very high levels of service, A’s or B’s. Dropping from an A to a B would go unnoticed by most drivers (Lohmann, “I-81 Grid Opponents…”).

On the other hand, the current viaduct and its replacement do not provide adequate access for the communities directly beside it. While many will argue that residents can walk underneath the viaduct to reach employment opportunities on the other side, the street network below the viaduct is dark, cluttered, and unfriendly to pedestrians. A revamped viaduct would be taller, allowing for more sunlight to reach beneath it, but would not solve the problem of high traffic volumes funneling towards the on-ramps.

Source: I-81 Independent Feasibility Study November 2017 by WSP

The Orange tunnel option, the preferred tunnel path, would seem to appease both residents needing improved pedestrian access and suburban commuters concerned about having high speed access through the city. Ultimately, the plan would not provide any exits from when it initially goes underground until it reemerges at the I-690 interchange (see map above). This configuration would result in a large portion of the commuter traffic to opt for the street grid to reach their destinations, removing any benefit of high speed travel for commuters.

Safety

Along with accessibility, many worry about the safety of their communities. The preliminary DEIS produced estimates on different types of vehicular accidents at peak hours to compare the effectiveness of their safety measures (see Table 2). The preliminary DEIS did not compared any of the tunnel options due to the plans being deemed inappropriate for the scope of this project. The results show dramatically lower accident totals for the community grid when compared to the current highway and the new viaduct design. This is mostly attributed to slower speeds and the street design.

Source: New York State Department of Transportation. I-81 Viaduct Project: Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Section 4(F) Evaluation (Preliminary) — Source: New York State Department of Transportation. *I-81 Viaduct Project: Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Section 4(F) Evaluation (Preliminary)*

Safety goes beyond vehicle accidents. Neighbors who live directly beside the highway are exposed to high levels of toxins from exhaust fumes that often lead to persistent asthma in children. While these cases have seen a decrease over the last two decades, most likely due to improved fuel efficiency and increased regulations, there is still a strong link between living beside highways and asthma rates (Khreis). Researchers have shown that poorly controlled asthma can lead to more frequent absences in school and lower grades overall. Many of these students live in poor neighborhoods without access to healthcare that can help prevent chronic asthma (Preidt).

Neighbors in Dewitt along I-481 are right to be concerned with the emissions from increased traffic but their neighborhoods are more sparsely populated and are at an increased distance from the highway (see maps below). I-81 currently sits directly above some of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the region, resulting in their children underperforming in school due to absences and health issues, creating a cycle that goes unbroken.

2007 Household Density

2035 Household Density

The tunnel option, while removing cars from the surface, will continue to release exhaust fumes into these same low-income neighborhoods through its ventilation system. To maintain clean air within the tunnel, large ventilation plants would need to be constructed to pump out the exhaust. These plants are often placed in low-income neighborhoods and placed without concern for how they visually impact their surroundings (“Vent Buildings…”).

Taxable Property/ Economic Impact

Syracuse, like many central cities, struggles with an abundance of tax-exempt land. Over half of the land in the city is off of the tax rolls; including Syracuse University, SUNY Upstate Medical Campus, churches, government buildings, parkland, etc. (Lohmann, “If ‘Community Grid’ Replaces...”). As we know from research from Dreier, et al (“What Can Motown…”), central cities have felt an increasing burden to provide services from federal and state mandates without financial support. With property taxes as one of the only financial levers city governments have to raise funds, this abundance of tax exempt lots creates an added stress to an already financially strapped city.

City residents are rightfully concerned with the retention of tax paying properties through this reconstruction project. Rebuilding the viaduct up to current DOT standards would result in a wider, taller structure with a straighter course. This new path would require the destruction of 24 buildings, including some historic structures. The community grid and the tunnel would require far fewer demolitions; five and twelve, respectively (Hannagan).

On top of preserving structures, the community grid and the tunnel, to a lesser extent, will open up land for development. If the community grid is chosen, the removal of the viaduct will free up over 18 acres of land. This land could generate up to $33 million in tax revenue every year for the city (Lohmann, “If ‘Community Grid’ Replaces...”). The tunnel would allow for slightly less development due to the structure of the tunnel preventing construction of supports for buildings on the surface (WSP), but ultimately would create room for new development.

While the tunnel offers opportunities for new development, the benefits are offset by the estimated $10 million in maintenance costs per year. This includes running pumps to remove salt water and around the clock monitoring (Lohmann, “I-81 Tunnel…”). Some have offered up the idea of paying tolls to use the tunnel, but that would likely reduce usage to a point where the high speed access is unnecessary (Lohmann, “I-81 Voices…”).

Recommendations

Based on the information provided, I must recommend that the New York State Department of Transportation move forward with the community grid option. The current viaduct, and any other future high speed route through the city, acts as a physical barrier to marginalized communities directly adjacent to its path. The community grid offers an opportunity to remove the barrier, improve pedestrian and public transit connections to the neighborhood, and encourage private investment on the newly usable land. Beyond choosing the community grid, there are three specific policies that must be in place to ensure that the growth spurred by this development is equally shared.

Enhance Public Transit/ Implement Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

With large percentages of residents adjacent to the viaduct having no access to a private vehicle, providing improved public transit service is vital to increasing accessibility. While residents live within close proximity to a high concentration of employment opportunities, many require advanced education and skills. Low-skill work has moved outside of the city, requiring longer commutes for residents and prompting some employers to overlook city residents for these opportunities (“Ending Spatial…”). This is a trend that researchers have noticed time and again; applicants being characterized due to the address on their application, not based on their skills and knowledge (Squires, 53-53).

As part of the funding for the community grid, there should be additional funding put in place to expand bus service as well as develop BRT routes through the city. The Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC) has already developed plans for two BRT routes through the city, connecting many low income neighborhoods with employment and education centers. The plan would cost $30 million to build out and $8 million a year to run the service (Abbott). This funding is more than CENTRO, the local transit authority, is able to come up with on its own, but is a fraction of the price difference between the community grid and a rebuilt viaduct. Funding BRT through Syracuse would help improve accessibility for the least mobile residents in the region.

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Return Uncovered Land to the City/ Build Affordable Housing

As previously mentioned, the community grid would free up over 18 acres of land for redevelopment. Due to this project being conducted by the state, the land would still be under state ownership when the viaduct is removed. It is within New York DOT standard practices to return all land not needed for future transportation purposes back to the city (Lohmann, “If ‘Community Grid’ Replaces...”). The city should first look for opportunities to build affordable housing on the newly acquired land.

This construction should be tied to the Blueprint 15 plan to rebuild affordable and mixed-income housing on the current sites of Pioneer Homes, McKinney Manor, and Central Village. These public housing communities are the oldest in New York State and offer substandard living conditions for residents. The Blueprint 15 plan calls for the demolition and reconstruction of the entire neighborhood with an aim of mixing low-income housing with attracting private commercial development (Eisenstadt). The city should require that the newly uncovered land be used as the beginning of this development. Building housing on the new land first and giving priority to public housing residents before beginning the demolition of the old structures. Mixed in with the new low-income housing should be private development that will help bolster the city’s tax base. This land should not go to the universities in the area, but instead tax-paying developers that are willing to commit to providing affordable housing.

Connect Residents with Employment Spurred by Construction

The final piece is the requirement that residents located adjacent to the viaduct should be in line for employment on this project. This may require an apprenticeship program for construction workers, training for positions as a bus operator, or maintenance positions on the newly constructed housing units. Without an employment guarantee for local residents, they will not be able to fully share in the economic stimulus that comes with a project of this size. Teaching residents the skills necessary to participate in the project will also provide them opportunities long after the construction is complete. We must look to use state funding to improve the lives of citizens beyond a single infrastructure project.

Works Cited/ Bibliography

Abbott, Ellen. “Could 'Bus Rapid Transit' change the way central New Yorkers get around?” WRVO, Nov. 13, 2017, https://www.wrvo.org/post/could-bus-rapid-transit-change-way-central-new-yorkers-get-around. Accessed April 26, 2019
Advanced Media NY Editorial Board. “Let’s Unite Syracuse: Replace I-81 with Community Grid.” The Post Standard, July 29, 2018, /www.syracuse.com/opinion/2018/07/lets_unite_syracuse_replace_i-81_with_a_community_grid_editorial. Accessed March 8, 2019
Centerstate CEO. Community Grid Plus: Expanding the I-81 Conversation Beyond the Highway, Feb. 22, 2019, http://www.centerstateceo.com/sites/default/files/Community%20Grid%20Plus_Web.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2019
CNY Fair Housing Council. Mapping Economic, Educational, & Housing and Neighborhood Opportunity in Onondaga County & Syracuse, NY, Prepared by Alys Mann, Alys Mann Consulting, May 2014, pp. 17, 20, 21, 31, 34, 35.
Congress of New Urbanism. “I-81: Syracuse, New York.” Freeways Without Futures, 2019, https://www.cnu.org/sites/default/files/FreewaysWithoutFutures_2019.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2019
Croyle, Jonathan. “Throwback Thursday: Editorials, Syracuse Mayor Condemn Elevated I-81 in 1958.” The Post Standard, April 13, 2017, https://www.syracuse.com/vintage/2017/04/throwback_thursday_editorials_and_mayor_warn_about_elevated_highways.html. Accessed April 22, 2019
Dreier, Peter, Mollenkopf, John, and Swanstrom, Todd. “City Limits: What Can Motown Teach Us about Wealth, Poverty, and Municipal Finance?” Place Matters: Metropolitics for the Twenty-First Century, 2014, pp. 175-191
Eisenstadt, Marnie. “$100 Million Plan Would Turn Syracuse Public Housing into Neighborhood for All.” The Post Standard, Feb. 15, 2019, https://www.syracuse.com/news/2019/02/exclusive-100-million-plan-would-turn-syracuse-public-housing-into-neighborhood-for-all.html. Accessed April 26 2019
“Ending the Spatial Mismatch in Syracuse.” In the Salt City, April 1, 2019, https://inthesalt.city/2019/04/01/endingthespatialmismatchinsyracuse/. Accessed April 26, 2019
Grimm, Sergei. Map of the City of Syracuse, New York, Dec. 1937, http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/waer/files/styles/x_large/public/201712/SWAER17121813070_0001_1.jpg. Accessed April 19, 2019
Haas, David. “I-81 Highway Robbery: The Razing of Syracuse’s 15th Ward.” Syracuse New Times, Dec. 12, 2018, www.syracusenewtimes.com/highway-robbery-5-decades-ago-syracuse-neighborhoods-were-razed-to-construct-interstate-81/. Accessed March 8, 2019
Hannagan, Charley. “Experts Share Why They Believe NY will Tear Down I-81, Put Traffic on Syracuse Streets.” The Post Standard, Oct. 27, 2016, www.syracuse.com/news/2016/10/signs_point_to_demolishing_i-81_and_putting_traffic_on_syracuse_streets. Accessed March 8, 2019
Khreis, Haneen. “Mapping Where Traffic Pollution Hurts Children Most.” City Lab, April 15, 2019, https://www.citylab.com/environment/2019/04/mapping-where-traffic-air-pollution-hurts-children-most/587170/. Accessed April 15, 2019
Lohmann, Patrick. “Grid or No Grid? See Where Groups, Politicians, Others Stand on I-81’s Future.” The Post Standard, July 29, 2018, www.syracuse.com/news/2018/07/grid_tunnel_or_rebuild_see_where_groups_officials_stand_on_i-81s_future. Accessed March 8, 2019
Lohmann, Patrick. “I-81 Grid Opponents Warn of Congestion, so Why Don’t They Release the Proof?” The Post Standard, March 13, 2019, https://www.syracuse.com/news/2019/03/i-81-grid-opponents-warn-of-congestion-so-why-dont-they-release-the-proof.html. Accessed April 21, 2019
Lohmann, Patrick. “I-81 Tunnel: Project Would Take up to $4.5 Billion, 10 Years, Long-Awaited Study Says.” The Post Standard, Dec. 4, 2017, https://www.syracuse.com/news/2017/12/long-awaited_study_i-81_tunnel_feasible_but_costly.html#incart_breaking. Accessed April 21, 2019
Lohmann, Patrick. “I-81 Voices: Truckers, Motel Owners, Suburbanites; Would You Pay a Toll for a Tunnel?” The Post Standard, Feb. 20, 2019, https://www.syracuse.com/news/2019/02/heres-four-perspectives-on-i-81-from-katkos-third-town-hall.html. Accessed April 21, 2019
Lohmann, Patrick. “If ‘Community Grid’ Replaces Interstate 81 in Syracuse, What will Happen to the Land?” The Post Standard, Nov. 12, 2018, www.syracuse.com/news/2018/11/grid_land_i-81_dot. Accessed March 8, 2019
Magnarelli, Tom. “Trucking Concerns Among Top Issues at Katko’s I-81 Town Hall in Auburn.” WRVO, Feb. 5, 2019, www.wrvo.org/post/trucking-concerns-among-top-issues-katko-s-i-81-town-hall-auburn Accessed March 8, 2019
New York Civil Liberties Union. “The I-81 Story.” NYCLU, https://www.nyclu.org/en/campaigns/i-81-story?fbclid=IwAR3fUp5vseeA6aGQk1lyW4mp3nZovNXoT-XGW-9dT2YD5E-EvUc6U2y9ruw. Accessed April 15, 2019
New York State Department of Transportation. “Alternatives.” I-81 Viaduct Project: Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Section 4(F) Evaluation (Preliminary), Dec. 2016, http://graphics.advancemediany.com/2019/deis/05_Transportation_and_Engineering_Considerations_12-23-2016.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2019
New York State Department of Transportation. “Social, Economic, and Environmental Considerations.” I-81 Viaduct Project: Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Section 4(F) Evaluation (Preliminary), Dec. 2016, http://graphics.advancemediany.com/2019/deis/05_Transportation_and_Engineering_Considerations_12-23-2016.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2019
New York State Department of Transportation. “Transportation and Engineering Considerations.” I-81 Viaduct Project: Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Section 4(F) Evaluation (Preliminary), Dec. 2016, http://graphics.advancemediany.com/2019/deis/05_Transportation_and_Engineering_Considerations_12-23-2016.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2019
Preidt, Robert. “Poor Asthma Control Can Mean Worse Grades for Kids.” WebMD, March 11, 2019, https://www.webmd.com/asthma/news/20190311/poor-asthma-control-can-mean-worse-grades-for-kids. Accessed April 21, 2019
Squires, Gregory D. and Kubrin, Charis E. “Privileged Places: Race, Uneven Development and the Geography of Opportunity in Urban America,” Urban Studies, Vol. 42, No. 1, January 2005. Pp 47-68
Steuteville, Robert. “Time to Restore the Grid.” Public Square: A CNU Journal, April 9, 2019, https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2019/04/09/time-restore-grid?fbclid=IwAR3TlrAsSlSnprQ1cOMdQSrMOqt5tPMCmBJ3INlcADpk-2S-ypvI2QxX58I. Accessed April 15, 2019
Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council. SMTC Travel Demand Model, Prepared by Resource Systems Group, Inc.Version 3.023, April 2012, pp. 22, 23, 25, 26. http://thei81challenge.org/cm/ResourceFiles/resources/SMTC%20Model%20Version%203.023%20Documentation.pdf Accessed March 8, 2019
U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
“Vent Buildings Spark Controversy.” Boston.com, 2003, http://graphics.boston.com/traffic/bigdig/vents.htm. Accessed April 21, 2019
WSP. I-81 Independent Feasibility Study, November 2017, https://www.scribd.com/document/366284718/I81-Independent-Feasbility-Study-Report-Nov2017#from_embed?campaign=SkimbitLtd&ad_group=126006X1587360Xa05b94d808e88f2bed9fbf8c418f69e5&keyword=660149026&source=hp_affiliate&medium=affiliate. Accessed April 21, 2019

Syracuse skyline from the Genessee Grand Hotel

Keep the City Urban: My Overarching View on the Future of Development in Syracuse

March 19, 2019

I’ve written a lot over the last couple years about how I envision change in Syracuse. Most have focused on specific neighborhoods within the city or the decision about I-81. While I plan on continuing to write out specific ideas in regards to development within the city, I think it’s appropriate to explain my overall view when it comes to planning.

These are overarching themes that you will continue to see throughout my work and how I believe they can lead us to a more connected and vibrant city in the near future. Many of these do not require a great deal of investment, but instead just a simple change of policy to guide future development. With ReZone Syracuse still in the works, Blueprint15 being discussed, and a decision on I-81 looming, this is the time that everyone should be staking out ground on what they believe the city can achieve. This is our moment to define what our community should be like moving forward.

Before getting into the specific categories below, I want to focus on the main title of this piece, “Keep the City Urban.” Something that has happened to cities throughout the country was this feeling that we need to adapt and take on more suburban characteristics to compete with the suburbs. This includes an emphasis on single family homes, shopping malls, big box stores, parking lots, etc. Each of the items I’ll address take the view opposing these types of developments. We should be embracing what makes cities unique and providing a true alternative lifestyle to the suburbs, one based on interconnected neighborhoods, walkable streets, accessibility for all age groups, and, most of all, a dense network of different cultures working together. Good urban planning and urban design can help us reach towards these goals.

Implement and Urban Growth Boundary

This doesn’t apply directly to the City of Syracuse, but instead to Onondaga County. Former County Executive Joanie Mahoney had discussed the need to limit new development within the county to our current footprint, and she was right to do so. Onondaga County has had a stable population for 40 years, and yet we have continued to expand outward. This is disastrous for our municipal budgets, having to pay for more infrastructure with the same or less tax money than we previously had, and is also disastrous for our environment. The further people live from the city center, the further they must drive to reach most employment centers.

We should look to Portland in regards to their work using an urban growth boundary, but we should be much stricter when it comes to not expanding the right to develop. Unless our community grows exponentially, we have developed more land than we need. If anything we should be working to bring some of those living in the exurbs back in towards the city. Any future development should be infill development that increases the density of our communities.

This will likely face backlash, especially amongst those living and representing those further out communities, but we must focus our development in productive ways that add to the cohesion of our region, not put ourselves in silos far from each other.

I recently read a blog post titled “Upstate Most Earn ‘Parity’” in which the author breaks down why Upstate communities have not earned the right to demand more funding for their transportation systems because they have not done enough to come up with a plan to control their sprawl. In her eyes, additional transportation funding would be wasted because we haven’t put together a framework for how our communities will develop moving forward, so we will constantly be needing to extend lines outward to serve fewer and fewer people. I whole heartedly agree with her on this. We have not done enough to curb sprawl and create a unified vision for our county and region.

She also brings up a few other ideas that I will address later in this piece, including the idea of high speed rail across New York State.

Upstate Must Earn “Parity”

Get Rid of Single Family ONLY Zones/ Redefine a Single Family Home

America has been sold the idea that the quickest way to the middle class is to own your own home. I won’t get into the political and economic history of this ideology, but I will address the need for our urban centers to move away from exclusive zonings for detached single family homes.

The ReZone Syracuse effort has preserved detached single family zonings across a handful of neighborhoods within the city. When looking through the code I just can’t help but feel it would benefit our city to turn every one of these zones into One and Two Family zones. This wouldn’t prevent single family homes from existing, but would give home owners and developers the option to create a more dense community if the so choose.

While this is a good first step, we should also be redefining what a single family home can be. One thing we are missing in Syracuse, especially when you look to our fellow Upstate cities of Albany and Troy, is a stock of townhouses and row houses. These homes allow for dense, urban development while still providing the opportunity for home ownership and green space. These should not be the townhouses found in suburban developments, along winding roads without sidewalks and hidden among parking lots.

This can be referred to as the “missing middle,” as its not quite dense apartment living but a much more walkable community than our current detached single family neighborhoods. They line the street with an attractive street wall which invites neighbors to be part of the street instead of pushed back into a guarded home. Think of the brownstones in Brooklyn or the row houses in Philadelphia.

We should also be pushing for more investment in condos throughout downtown and the more densely populated business districts. If we are to work within our economic system that emphasizes home ownership, we should be providing residents with more urban options, instead of relying on an outdated want to compete with the suburbs. Again, keep the city urban, provide those who find an urban environment appealing with more options.

The New ‘Dream Home’ Should Be a Condo - NY Times

Exclusionary Zoning in One Neighborhood Will Gentrify Another - In the Salt City

In the zoning examples below from ReZone Syracuse, the pale yellow is all detached single family homes, prominent in the less diverse neighborhoods within the city. The darker yellow is a combination of 1&2 family homes, most noticeably on the Northside. The brownish yellow color is multi family homes, more prominent as you move towards Downtown from the Southside. Downtown and the immediate areas around it are the newly minted mix-use zone in various shades of purple. Finally the red commercial zones dominate Erie Blvd. and section of the Southside.

Eastwood

East Side

Erie Blvd.

Downtown

Southside

Northside

Mix-Use Instead of Single Use

Mix-use is finally getting its day in Syracuse, after decades of our daily needs being separated by zoning. Our old, traditional neighborhoods, like Little Italy on North Salina St., have continued to have mix-use development, while the rest of our city was split between housing and commercial development. Downtown has been pushing towards mix-use for over a decade now, and ReZone Syracuse is looking to finally put this desire in code through a large part of our city. This is all good news, but it doesn’t go far enough.

Erie Blvd. is left out of the mix-use development, remaining almost solely commercial, even while its prime real estate to take advantage of a bus rapid transit (BRT) system, as well as the cross state bike path that will be running right through the heart of the city. It can also follow the path of the new Dewitt zoning that’s looking to concentrate growth along the corridor in dense developments. Erie Blvd. was once the most vital artery of our city as the Erie Canal, there’s no reason we can’t connect back to this history with mix-use development.

Bus Rapid Transit for the Eastside - In the Salt City

Parking Maximums Not Minimums

Within minutes of speaking with me about planning we will probably address the subject of how there is too much parking. Most people will disagree and complain about the fact that they often have to circle forever to find an open spot. In fact they are identifying the real issue, too much free parking. Free parking has led more people to drive because they’ve been subsidized a spot to put their car for the 95% of the time they’re not in it. By requiring businesses to build off-street parking we had further subsidized the use of cars and our restructuring of the city around them. This goes against everything I mean when I say “keep the city urban.”

Hidden parking rules hurt our cities. Will Chilton and Paul Mackie of Mobility Lab explain.

We should not require any businesses to build parking spaces, but instead encourage active development along bus lines where it’s more efficient to move people. This will become even more apparent in my following topic as to why this will work. But to focus on parking; it adds unneeded costs to development that raises rents for both businesses and home renters alike, it chops up the streetscape making it unappealing to walk across large swaths of near vacant land, and it promotes more driving which has a negative impact on the environment, our health, and our economy.

Instead we should focus on introducing parking maximums that cap how many spaces a development can build, while also giving them the option of not building any. This leaves it up to the business or the apartment building to decide whether it is beneficial to them to have spaces on their property or if they believe street parking is sufficient. It’s not saying parking will be taken away, it’s just allowing businesses to decide what works best for them. And if we begin to focus on transit oriented development (TOD), which I highly recommend, more people may be able to access their businesses and get to work without use of a car to begin with.

Real Bus Rapid Transit/ Free Public Transit/ Revive Ontrack

Bus rapid transit (BRT) has been around for decades, but has only recently caught on in the US at a major scale, although only a few lines are truly BRT and not just priority lanes. Most BRT systems in the US simply paint a red lane down the side of the road that reads “Bus Only,” while also reducing the number of stops and introducing off-vehicle fare payment. While these are important steps and can drastically improve service, it doesn’t live up to what BRT can be.

Streetfilms LA’s Orange Line BRT system

The Orange Line is Los Angeles is probably the greatest example of a BRT line in the US, as it runs on completely separated lanes in the middle of the road designated only for buses and emergency vehicles. This removes all other traffic and allows the bus to operate with the same efficiency as a light rail or subway line. This is what a BRT line should be like. New York’s buses struggle to keep up due to cars constantly parking in bus lanes or using them as turn lanes. BRT systems need lanes that are curbed to keep all unwanted traffic out and ideally in center lanes to show its priority. These curbs can contain vegetation or other decorative designs that show a level of care and concern for the system.

There are multiple streets throughout Syracuse that could be more efficient if we implemented BRT properly, including Erie Blvd., James St., and Salina (both North and South). Every college in the Syracuse area should include at least one stop and have frequent service as those are all major employment destinations as well as a major source of riders since many students do not have cars. But these systems must be implemented with daily commuters in mind.

This is also why I believe our public transportation system should be free. If we truly see the purpose of government and public transit as being the great equalizer we should be putting our money towards programs that benefit the greatest number of people. By making public transit free you not only benefit current riders and low income workers, but you also start to attract new riders who may decide it makes more sense to live without a car when they can hop on a bus so easily, especially when there’s a new and improved system. This is an idea I’ll be exploring in much greater detail in future writings, but it’s a topic that people should be considering.

Another aspect of our transit conversation should be the revival of OnTrack. I won’t go too far into this topic here as I have already laid out my case on this topic in a previous post, The argument essentially breaks down to providing more palatable options for commuters as people tend to have higher opinions of trains than buses. If you are interested in reading more please see my piece “I-81: A Chance to Change Our Relationship with Transportation.”

City Beautiful: This idea of free mass transit is not as crazy as you might think.

Bike Lanes for Everyone

This goes along with the idea of improving access to public transit as we must also focus on alternative modes of transportation. Already we’ve been seeing bike lanes pop up throughout Syracuse, some are much better than others (looking at you ‘sharrows’), but its encouraging to see them at all. What the city should be doing is every time a road is up for a complete repaving we should be looking at how we can include bike infrastructure on the new surface. This can be as simple as a few painted line (personally believing every bike lane should be painted bright green to bring more awareness to it) or a completely separated lane for enhanced safety along busier streets.

Currently our bike lane network is almost completely disconnected. Until we can find ways to connect these lanes it’ll be tough to convince an infrequent rider to venture out onto the city streets and contend with traffic. The Empire State bike path that is to follow the length of the Erie Canal is a huge boon for bike infrastructure and we should be using it as a catalyst for more lanes, especially in order to connect it to the Creek Walk and our Loop the Lake effort. We should be a destination for bike riders no matter the season, which means we should be plowing all of our bike lanes with the same frequency as we plow roads.

Implementing these lanes along with the introduction and hopeful expansion of Sync (the new Syracuse bike share program) could transform our relationship to transit. We should have a Sync station at every BRT stop, allowing for us to solve those “last mile” issues.

Rent an apartment, get a bike: Baltimore developers pitch a new, carless way to live - Baltimore Sun

Build Stronger Connections with New York and Toronto

The final major theme that I will continue to address is strengthening our connections to the two thriving metropolises within hours of our city. Often we think of New York City and Toronto as these distant places completely disconnected from the economy and world of Syracuse and Upstate New York. When we think that way we are shutting down the possibilities our location provides us.

Above I mentioned a blog post about Upstate needing to earn its parity with Downstate. Within that post, the author describes how a high speed rail (HSR) from Toronto to New York, passing through Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany, could completely revitalize our cities. I agree with this. Currently the average train ride from Syracuse to NYC takes 5.5 hours. A flight takes 45 minutes, but with a great deal of time going through security and then getting from the airports to the central business districts.

HSR could make it more viable for businesses to locate certain offices in Upstate cities with it taking only a couple hours for transit between Syracuse and NYC, or maybe even just an hour to get to Toronto. We should be looking for ways to tie ourselves to these global cities, especially through our universities. We have highly respected educational institutions throughout our region that should be vying to capture investments from companies in these major markets.

I also believe SUNY ESF should be part of more conversations in our region as the world looks to move more towards environmentally friendly technologies. We have one of the premier institutions on that subject in our backyard, and yet we let it become overshadowed by its proximity to Syracuse University. We need both institutions to work within our city to reshape it as a progressive home to forward thinking individuals.

The Road Ahead

As I said, these are the major themes that will continue to come up in my individual pieces. I truly believe Syracuse and our Upstate neighbors have strong bones that can be built upon, we just need to think about policies and planning that can strengthen our urban cores and create modern cities that are leading the way on both environmental and equity issues. These two issues go hand-in-hand and can be addressed with many of the ideas I’ve laid out here. I hope this piece helps to clarify my thoughts moving forward and begins a conversation with anyone who reads this.

I’d love to hear feedback on these ideas as it only helps to shape how I look at these issues.

Washington Square - A Future More Lively Than Franklin Square

January 10, 2019

Syracuse is filled with beautiful historic buildings, many of which were factories and warehouses from the early 20th Century. Over the years those in Armory Square and Franklin Square have been saved and repurposed, creating a vibrant bar and entertainment scene (Armory) and an exclusive condo and office park (Franklin) in the process. One area that has the same good bones but has not seen the same level of investment is Washington Square on Syracuse’s Northside.

Along North Salina St., from Lemoyne Ave up to Hiawatha Blvd., and over to Carbon St., you have many beautiful old buildings, including the famous factory with a house on top, that are ripe for redevelopment. Currently the neighborhood is occupied by multiple strip clubs, a smoke shop that doesn’t hide its products are used for pot, and numerous nearly if not completely abandoned warehouses along Wolf St. and Hiawatha Blvd. While these buildings could use TLC, they maintain their original beauty and a surprisingly walkable street, even though some of the sidewalks are in desperate need of repair.

Unlike Franklin Square, these buildings are right in the heart of the neighborhood, not separated by an invisible gate that makes the area feel exclusive. At the same time it has easy access to the nearby highways as well as a quick walk to Destiny USA, the Regional Market and NBT Bank Stadium. Development at the Inner Harbor is just blocks away, only adding to the feeling that time has come for these buildings to see new life.

Transforming this small section of Washington Square should be done with the lessons learned from Franklin Square and Armory Square, while keeping true to its working class history. This should not become an exclusive neighborhood like Franklin Square, or too rowdy of a bar scene like Armory Square. Instead it should embrace its manufacturing history. Some of these buildings would make perfect makerspaces; places open to artists, craftsman and small scale manufacturing. Matched with affordable apartments for those using those spaces would help to create a community that invests within itself as well as attracts outside investment.

Another step would be helping a local brewery move to the area to make use of the spaces, which would be a key anchor to the neighborhood. Look to the new Labatt Brew House/ Draft Room in Buffalo for inspiration, or even the more local Middle Ages Brewery off Park Ave. These breweries embraced old warehouses and manufacturing sites, repurposing them into thriving social scenes. With the ever expanding craft brewery market throughout the country, and especially in Syracuse, this could become an epicenter for creativity and innovation in brewing.

One of the downfalls of Franklin Square is the lack of street facing businesses. As you walk around the neighborhood there is little street life as a result. Washington Square, on the other hand, already has walkability built in. Empty storefronts line the streets, ripe for investment. This should be embraced and expanded. Extending sidewalks around Park St. and Wolf St. would allow for outdoor seating in nicer weather. Adding street trees, bike racks and bike lanes will help make this neighborhood more attractive to young families and other young professionals the city is continually looking to attract.

Being one block away from Washington Square Park and within walking distance of so many amenities, this can easily become an attractive neighborhood for young families looking for a more urban experience but still away from downtown. These mini neighborhood centers should become the focus of development within Syracuse moving forward.

While downtown continues to grow, others will be looking for neighborhoods with their own character that still offers that urban environment. As a city that grew up around the streetcar, Syracuse is filled with business and industrial areas that were once the hearts of their neighborhoods. The Northside has many of these former districts, with Washington Square being the most centrally located. If the county continues to prevent development around NBT Bank Stadium, this neighborhood can help connect the stadium to the rest of the city, providing gathering points for before and after games just a short walk away, as well as the freedom to walk to the Regional Market for groceries and entertainment at the mall.

It’s time to reinvest.

Grant Boulevard and the Heart of the Northside: Part Three - The Baseball Stadium

September 14, 2018

So far in this series I have focused on a very small section of Grant Blvd., from Darlington to Butternut. This has always been the core of my neighborhood, where everything happened on a day-to-day basis. But that is not the only part of Grant, and in reality its most important resident resides at the very end of the street: the baseball stadium.

Growing up on the Northside I was lucky to be so close to the stadium, and in recent years I’ve loved taking advantage of living so close to where I could stop by a game whenever I wanted. You start to see the same faces in the stands and make a connection to the team, to the point where you’re one of the few people to have a favourite Syracuse Chief (Irving Falu over the past few seasons). This stadium and this team create a community within the city. Sadly its physical placement has never allowed for that community to expand outside the gates.

The stadium is surrounded by its own massive parking lot, a refrigerated warehouse and its parking lot, and industrial wasteland. There are no sidewalks leading to the stadium, and even if there were you’d have to walk gingerly through a busy parking lot before getting to the actual stadium. Many people will see that parking lot as an asset, along with its close proximity to I-81 for quick entrances and exits, but both of these factors work together in isolating the stadium from its Northside community, where the team has played for over 80 years.

I include this as part of my Grant Blvd. series because Grant should act as the main entrance to the stadium area. Its the path I’ve always taken in and out and provides the greatest opportunity in reshaping this community. The corners of Grant and Hiawatha and Grant and Wolf provide a business corridor that should be expanded with mix-use facilities that grow towards the stadium.

With the Mets coming to town next season and a major stadium renovation being discussed, I think its important to look beyond just the stadium and see the potential that is there.

When I think of the truly great baseball stadiums I have been to, its hardly ever just about the stadium. The neighborhoods around these stadiums are filled with bars, restaurants, shops, and apartments. The neighborhood takes on a full on pride for the team, every bar broadcasting every game, becoming the home for fans even when the team is out of town. And this isn’t just true of stadiums in downtown areas, the Red Sox and Cubs are both in neighborhoods outside of their downtown areas, but the areas grew up around the stadiums. Or for a minor league comparison you can look to Rochester where their stadium is in the High Falls neighborhood outside of downtown, but in an area with a lot going on.

Our stadium will never be downtown. Let’s move past the arguments of the 1990s and focus on what is possible where the stadium sits and will continue to sit.

The first major change is the one most people will object to; we need to remove the massive parking lot in front of the stadium. This is crucial for the rest of my proposal. I do believe we need parking, but I think its worth investing in building two parking garages, one out behind right field where there is currently industrial wasteland, and the other across the street in the large parking lot in front of the refrigerated warehouse. These would not be massive, but they’d be assisted by newly created street parking.

NBT Bank Stadium today

Proposed street grid with zoning ideas

Where that parking lot stands would be converted into a street grid, extending Grant Blvd. right to the baseball stadium and opening up this land for development. Under the proposed Rezone Syracuse effort this area still remains zoned as industrial, which is a grave mistake. They should look to repurpose this land as mix-use development. There has already been a successful repurpose of an old warehouse just beyond the parking lot, proving that there is desire for modern apartments in the area. We should look to include some of that historic architecture into the other buildings in this newly formed grid. Take cues from the stadium and the neighborhood to make a cohesive environment, much like those that have been built up around Wrigley Field and Fenway.

This new development would become an anchor for the entire Northside, as not only Grant Blvd. but also North Salina St. lead to it, both streets being central business corridors for the neighborhood. This would bring the stadium into the neighborhood, becoming a focal point and gathering space. With additional park area within this new development there becomes opportunities to do pre-game festivals during the summer and keep people involved with the team during the winter. The annual Hot Stove dinner can be moved to a restaurant or bar right next door, ideally a bar that becomes to central hub for all things Syracuse sports; a bar that has every Chiefs and Crunch game playing on TV, as well as all of the SU sporting events.

The baseball stadium has been separated from its home neighborhood for too long, and its time that the Northside reclaims this land. With all of the assets this neighborhood has, it has sadly done a terrible job of connecting the people to them. With this grid, not only does the baseball stadium become more accessible, so does the Regional Market, our transportation hub, Destiny USA, and the new development around the Inner Harbor. We need to stop thinking of things in a vacuum, but instead envision how they all should connect to build upon each other.

The last bit of all of this is something I’ve talked about many times; revive and improve OnTrack. I’ve discussed this project idea before (I-81) so I won’t get into the nitty gritty of it, but its important to bring up. The idea of this rezoning and redevelopment would be to create a new central hub within the city, which would help create an increased demand for public transit. Allowing the public to have options to get around the city without a car is paramount to developing a city for the future. There is a want for walkable neighborhoods and freedom from car ownership, but the majority of our city has been gutted of these types of neighborhoods. This could be one of the catalysts to relaunch OnTrack and change how we interact with the city as a whole.

The vast empty land by the stadium.

What an urban neighborhood could begin to look like.