You Are Here : Home / Syracuse Landmark Preservation Board/Nominate a Property for Local Designation

Nominate a Property for Local Designation

Anyone may nominate a property for designation as a Protected Site. Protected Site status protects the historic character or significance of a property.

Protected Sites include buildings, structures, sites, landscapes or objects that are linked to people or events of significance to the city. They may also be unique examples of an architectural style or be the work a master designer. The designation can apply to the exterior or interior of a structure. Examples of Protected Sites include City Hall, the Landmark Theatre, Oakwood Cemetery, and the Stickley House.

Preservation Districts are collections of sites, buildings, structures, or objects that are united by past events or by plan or development. Examples of Preservation Districts include Hanover Square, Sedgwick-Highland-James Preservation District, and Berkeley Park.

The Syracuse Landmark Preservation Board forwards all nominations that meet the selection criteria to the Planning Commission for its consideration. The Common Council approves or disapproves the designation after Planning Commission review.

Nominate a property for Protected Site status

Step 1.Contact preservation staff to discuss your proposed nomination

We encourage you to contact the city preservation staff to discuss your proposed nomination and the nomination process. Preservation staff is available for assistance throughout the research and writing phases of your nomination. Contact preservation staff at SLPB@syr.gov or 315-448-8108.

Step 2.Review the Criteria for Designation

To be eligible for local designation as a Protected Site, a property must meet at least one of the five Criteria for Designation. The criteria are found under Helpful Resources below. These criteria will help guide your research and the documentation of the property.

Step 3.Conduct research on the property

A protected site nomination requires an in-depth description of the history of the property. Historic images, newspaper clippings, and other documentation help to illustrate changes to the property over time. Local archives and research centers can provide important information and documents on your property. Research tools are listed below under Helpful Resources.

Step 4.Download the Protected Site Nomination application

Protected Site Nomination Application(PDF, 336KB)

Step 5.Complete the nomination application

The nomination requires location and ownership information, a map and current description of the property, a detailed historic context statement and a reference list. You will be asked to determine if the nomination applies to only the exterior of the property, the interior of the property, or both (as applicable). Preservation staff can assist you in drafting your nomination by reviewing drafts and making recommendations, as needed.

Step 6.Submit your nomination

You may submit your nomination materials by hand or regular mail to:

Preservation Office
City Hall Commons, Room 512
201 E. Washington Street
Syracuse, NY 13202

Preservation staff will review your application for completeness. Once complete, the application will be included in the next available Landmark Preservation Board agenda for review and consideration. If the board determines that it has sufficient information, it will authorize a public hearing regarding the nomination.

Helpful Resources

Criteria for Designation

The Landmark Preservation Board may recommend designation if a property, structure, object, landscape, site, or district is found to possess one or more of the following characteristics:

Association with persons or events of historic significance to the city, region, state or nation;
Illustrative of historic growth and development of the city, region, state, or nation
In the case of structures or sites, embodying distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction, or representing the work of a master, or possessing unique architectural and artistic qualities, or representing a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction;
In the case of districts, possessing a unique overall quality of architectural scale, texture, form and visual homogeneity even though certain structures within the district may lack individual distinction; and
In the case of interiors, possessing one or more of the characteristics enumerated in paragraphs 1, 2, or 3 above; and, in addition, embodying distinctive characteristics of architectural scale, form, and visual homogeneity, which are an integral part of the character of the structure in which the space is contained.

In addition to possession of one or more of the characteristics noted above, the property must retain historic integrity, or the ability to convey its significance through its location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and/or association.