Butternut Circle is not only the central focus of this business district but also a sort of dividing line. To the north is a fairly stable middle class neighborhood, to the south is one of the poorer areas in Syracuse. Both converge at this point, making it vitally important to the well being of the neighborhood as a whole.
The circle is surrounded by mainstay businesses; Peppino's Pizza, Liehs and Steigerwald, a flower shop, dry cleaner, Rite Aid, Blueberry Market (a convenience store that replaced Byrne Dairy), a dentist office, and a barber shop. Amongst these businesses lingers a large vacant building that once housed an arcade and other small businesses. It is one of the most visible buildings on the circle, hanging a dark cloud over what many would consider a successful business district.
In order for the neighborhood to grow and move into the future, I believe its important to make sure this circle is filled with life.
This building presents a lot of opportunities with its central location, but something that has been missing from this neighborhood as long as I have lived here is a gym and wellness center. This may seem like an odd fit for a working class neighborhood, but in reality it can fit if done in the right way.
This would not be a high end gym with every amenity you can think of. Instead it would be more in line with another local gym, Flex House of Fitness in Eastwood. A neighborhood gym where you come to know everyone there, where you walk to it from your home down the street. It becomes a community within itself. We can find ways to get donated or lightly used equipment. It might not be brand new but who really needs brand new weights? They're just going to get banged up anyways.
With finding reduced price equipment we can keep prices affordable for the community, and avoid requiring the long term commitment policies of chain gyms. Pay by the day or pay by the month, no need to commit to a year with a "maintenance fee."
In addition to the gym I believe there should be a wellness center that sells fresh foods and provides weekly classes on cooking healthy meals. Although there are convenience stores and delis around the circle, there is not a place to get fresh produce. You can walk further and get to a Tops grocery store, but for many older folks and people with disabilities it is difficult to get around on the hills. This convenient location would also encourage those using the gym to grab fresh food on their way home.
Providing cooking classes weekly would also provide opportunities in the community that are not readily available. Many people overlook the health differences between those in higher and lower income brackets, so this center would help level that playing field and give those in the neighborhood a new skill set.
Although the main focus here is this structure, we must also work to reconnect this circle for pedestrians. A few years ago the city took down the traffic lights and replaced them with stop signs and a new traffic flow. This was a huge first step in making this circle more navigable for pedestrians, but there is still room for improvement. The next step must include raised pedestrian islands where paint currently sits. This would help slow down drivers through the circle and provide a safer spot for pedestrians to linger as they wait for traffic to halt or clear.
The sidewalks in the area must also be expanded, or in some places added. In front of Blueberry Market there is no separation between pedestrians and vehicles, especially as some cars try to cut the corner coming from the west down Grant Blvd. Curbs must be replaced and crosswalks need more defined entrances. All of this would also help create a more welcoming feel in the central green area of the circle. As the green space sits right now there is little appeal to pedestrians to linger amongst the trees and flowers. With traffic slowed and walking made easier, it may become a more peaceful place to spend a little time. I would remove the current standard parks sign and replace it with a more welcoming piece that focuses on its place at the center of the Northside.