Photo Credit: Joshua Wilcox
The Syracuse Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) aims to transform Syracuse's Southwest Gateway District into a growing and more connected downtown community. The area is an urban, walkable part of the city with a diverse community. It contains under-invested residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors centered around historic former mansions.
Syracuse's revitalization focuses on:
With recent and current investments in and just outside of the district, the Southwest Gateway is poised for new growth and inclusive economic development.
Syracuse DRI is funded in part by the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative, a cornerstone of the State's economic development program.
In 2016, New York State Department of State launched the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) to accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns in all ten regions of the State. In 2021, the City of Syracuse received $10 million in funding as one of the Central New York region winners of Round Five of DRI to spur investment in the City’s Southwest Gateway area. In 2022, the City of Syracuse Local Planning Committee released an open call to community members for proposals to be considered for DRI funding. After an extensive community planning process, the City of Syracuse submitted its Strategic Investment Plan to the State in July 2022. Later that year, the State announced 12 transformational projects to receive funding as part of Syracuse’s $10 million DRI award.
The Southwest Gateway area includes the southern portion of Downtown Syracuse. The area extends south along South Clinton Street and Cortland Ave. The easternmost boundary is the intersection of West Onondaga Street and Tallman Street, with the district extending from Tallman along South Avenue to West Martin Luther King Blvd.
Selected Projects
Beautifying the South Avenue Streetscape - DRI Award: $1,378,000 Create a more dynamic and functional streetscape on South Avenue by repairing damaged sidewalk panels, adding street furniture and ornamental lighting and creating bike lanes.
Redesigning and reconstructing the Salina & Onondaga Intersection - DRI Award: $1,001,000 Improve two intersections on West Onondaga Street, incorporating safer crossings for pedestrians, bicycle lanes and curb bump-outs.
Activating West Onondaga Street's Railroad Bridge - DRI Award: $599,000 Create a new public gathering space under an active railroad bridge. The space will include lighting, seating, plantings and murals.
Revitalizing & Repurposing Three Historic Abandoned Buildings - DRI Award: $1,217,000 Restore three vacant historic buildings at the corner of West Onondaga Street and South Avenue, the two anchor avenues of the Southwest Gateway. Trinity Church, Gillette House and the Parish House will be rehabilitated and converted for use as a brewery, office space and housing.
Constructing the Trinity South Avenue Mixed Use Development - DRI Award: $1,000,000 Construct a mixed-income residential project containing approximately 62 rental housing units and retail or community facility space.
Creating a Façade Improvement Fund - DRI Award: $600,000 Create a grant fund for local business owners to restore their building façades, beautify ground-level interior commercial spaces, and retrofit building entrances.
Restoring Whedon House - DRI Award: $530,000 Renovate a vacant historic mansion. The final restoration will include residential apartments, commercial space, and public space.
Constructing the Jubilee Workforce Center - DRI Award: $500,000 Create a mixed-use building that will include a workforce training center on the first floor and workforce apartments on the second and third floors.
Installing Business Corridor Broadband - DRI Award: $460,000 Install fiber backhaul infrastructure and wireless equipment to enhance internet connectivity along the West Onondaga Street and South Avenue business corridors.
Redeveloping the Former B&B Lounge - DRI Award: $300,000 Restore a former bar and restaurant into a lounge space for a restaurant with housing units above the restaurant.
Redesigning the Southwest Community Center - DRI Award: $1,115,000 Provide interior and exterior enhancements to the Southwest Community Center, including a new façade, public restroom upgrades and gym improvements.
Constructing the Rescue Mission's Campus - DRI Award: $1,000,000 Construct a new facility for the Rescue Mission on a vacant parcel on West Onondaga Street. The new building will include a warehouse on the first floor with commercial/retail space and office space on the second floor.