On January 21, 2010 the Metropolitan Development Association (MDA), the City of Syracuse, Adapt CNY, and VIP Development Associates announced the historic
redevelopment of the corner of South Salina Street and West Fayette Street, anchored by the historic Witherill Building.
The proposed project comprises
four adjacent downtown Syracuse buildings; the Chamberlin Building, Witherill Building, Wilson Building and Bond Building. Located at perhaps the most
important intersection in downtown Syracuse, the Pike Block project sits in what is called the "Heart of Downtown." The project entails the purchase
of the four properties, selective demolition, their renovation and integration followed by the leasing of 78 one, two and three bedroom apartments and retail space.
Located at 115 West Fayette St., the Chamberlin Building anchors one end of the project. To the east of the Chamberlin Building located at 300 So.
Salina St. is the Witherill Building. To the south of Witherill on Salina Street are the next two buildings in the project, the Wilson and Bond buildings.
SYRACUSE, NY (wrvo) - Local community action group, Adapt CNY is working on fixing up
old buildings in downtown Syracuse for use as new loft apartments. They hope the new living space will improve downtown. Volunteers
have been working for weeks, trying to empty out years worth of trash. Looking for a reason why people would donate their time to such
an unpleasant task, WRVO's Justin Laird found himself in an abandoned night club at 9am on a Saturday with a group of volunteers.
WCNY TV FM Central Issues
With George Kilpartick
Recorded February 09, 2010
Inside look at downtown Syracuse redevelopment
Four historic buildings being renovated
By Laura Hand, CNYcentral.com February 02, 2010 7:01 pm
SYRACUSE -- The busy South Salina Street- Fayette Street intersection
in downtown Syracuse will have a whole new look by the end of next year. As the Centro Bus Center moves out of its downtown
Common Center, the four historic buildings in the 300 block that wrap around to West Fayette will be converted to apartments
and retail space.
"This will be the largest apartment complex in downtown Syracuse," says Charlie Wallace, the
president of VIP Development. 87 apartments are planned in the upper floors, with retail on the Salina and Fayette Street sides. In
addition, an urban courtyard will go between the buildings, and alleyways linking to Clinton Street will become covered walkways,
which Wallace says will link Armory Square to the 'front' of the project on South Salina Street, and downtown proper.
Before
the late 2011 completion, there's lot's of work. Right now, the deconstruction of the buildings is going on. So far, construction
site superintendent Jeff Shank says they've taken out 16 dumpster loads of trash, including beer cans and kegs (there were two bars
in the 'old' building'), dozens of fluorescent lights, fixtures and ballast, old paint cans and just junk that had piled up over the
years.
When the false ceiling in the old Witherill's Department Store started to collapse, they pulled that down, revealing
the original tin. The historic ceiling, along with the many original window frames, will be preserved. We don't know about a wall
that has 'Corset Shop' painted on it. Workers will have to remove layers of peeling paint from columns and walls, and old asbestos
tile before renovations can start in earnest, but there are already efforts at attracting retail, planned for the ground floors, and
apartment rentals are expected to start soon.
Volunteers prepare for construction project
WSYR-TV
January 23, 2010 7:14 pm
(WSYR-TV) - Volunteers donned hard hats, put on gloves and went
to work cleaning up two historic buildings in downtown Syracuse Saturday morning.
Adapt CNY recruited the workers to clean out the Witherill and Chamberlin buildings on South Salina and West Fayette
Streets. They are going to be part of a large reconstruction project designed to include retail, residential and office space.
"Everyone is doing that they can to help, moving trash on the second floor and basement, getting it ready to be
developed," said Lisa Romeo with the Downtown Committee.
Construction on the downtown redevelopment project is set to
begin in the spring.
$25 million for project
News 10 Now
January 22, 2010 12:55 PM
Local development leaders in Syracuse have unveiled the details of a
$25 million project that will change the look of the 300 block of South Salina Street.
The plan calls for the revitalization of the Wilson Bond and Witherill Buildings on Salina and the Chamberlin Building on East
Fayette. Eventually, the work will produce 87 apartments and 25,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space. The project, called
Pike Block, connects Salina with Armory Square.
"By linking these two districts, the energy and growth that has come to pass in the last 20 years in Armory Square can serve as
a catalyst for future development," said David Nutting with VIP Structures.
"You've seen a gradual deterioration of our main
street, Salina Street, and I think that this corner is a key to rebuilding downtown Syracuse," said Assemblyman William Magnarelli.
Work on the project will begin this spring and should be completed in the fall of 2011.
VIP Development Associates, Inc., One Webster's Landing, Syracuse, NY 13202 Ph. 315.423.0185. Fx. 315.471.5330
