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Also, I'm against the philosophy of trying to hype the ugly areas as nice places to live or do business.
The Syracuse area needs to use it's assets and attract new development, investment, growth. Syracuse's assets are not brownfields, run-down neighborhoods, old industrial areas. The assets in the Syracuse area include:
Lakefronts
Skaneateles
Cazenovia
Baldwinsville
Clay Industrial Park, which makes a good chip fab site
Downtown Syracuse
The abundant land near I-481 that is good for Office development
Hancock International Airport
The beautiful rolling hills
Unlimited water supply from Lake Ontario
Fayetteville-Manlius top rated school district
etc.
Some people in Syracuse think its the "right thing" to suggest that outsiders move into the City of Syracuse, so it will be revitalized. Nice idea, but that logic is flawed. Most outsiders will find the majority of the City depressing. And if someone does end up moving into the City or a not so nice area, most likely they will desire to leave the Syracuse area in the future. I'd rather attract people to the nice suburban areas and have them be happy so they will stay in the area long-term.
Same can be said of businesses. Attract businesses to beautiful locations and most likely they will stick around longer. Why? The workers will be happier to go to a beautiful place everyday. Moral will be higher. The owner of the business will feel more pride in the business if its located in an aesthetically attractive location rather than in a run-down, ugly neighborhood. Etc.
My point: Until the Syracuse area is booming with development, jobs, population growth........ locating people or businesses in unsightly parts of town is not a good idea. When the Syracuse area has a fast growing economy is when it is a good time to attract new businesses and people to run-down ugly areas. Why? Then the neighborhood will be revitalized fast or all at once. That way, the "pioneers" in that neighborhood won't need to live or do business in a poorly maintained part of town for years and years.
For all the complainers about NY's tax structure. NYC area has VERY high taxes and the economy seems to be humming quite nicely. Upstate needs some creative vision....because blaming NYC and the tax structure in NYS is a poor excuse. Do you really think Syracuse's municipal higher ups are visionaries? Buddy Cianci in Providence has legal issues....but he knew how to revitialize a city. Much of upstates city management wants a good pension and nothing more...
Manfucaturing has been leaving the northeast for 50 years...yet many people were in denial. Kodak was in denial that digital photography would take away their cash cow....now look at them, Rochester is as stagnant as the rest of the cities...contrary to the rose-colored speced Rochesterians.
Buffalo is economically a wreck...but at least they are aggreresively bringing in artists. many from NYC have moved up there. Many cities get their comebacks this way (Portland, Portsmouth, Northampton...).
To bellafinzi....the last thing a depressed city needs is just a bunch of parochial locals. a FRESH outside perspective is the best thing Syracuse can do for itself. We may see the city with much different eyes.
So, Jim, does that mean you're moving here, or are you here already?
I agree that fresh eyes are a good idea, but don't discount those who are here who know what needs to be done too. It's a matter of putting together things yourself, as well as pushing on the right people who will respond. I've done both and find there are the right people in place now amongst the universities and development agencies in Syracuse who at least seem to be making progress. Push, push, push that's my motto. Still there's a long way to go and people who've been elsewhere can actually be more optimistic than long time residents, and often bring great ideas taken from elsewhere.
I think people get so caught up in the everyday that they don't have time for the vision thing. I remember when the waterways were considered only as waste dumps. The fact that water is a precious commodity almost everywhere else in the world didn't ring a bell here because there is so much of it. That attitude has turned around 180 degrees now. There is a lot of beauty and opportunity in the upstate area and an infusion of creative types, of the mover and shaker ilk, would be more than welcome.
Do you really think Syracuse's municipal higher ups are visionaries? Buddy Cianci in Providence has legal issues....but he knew how to revitialize a city. Much of upstates city management wants a good pension and nothing more...
To bellafinzi....the last thing a depressed city needs is just a bunch of parochial locals. a FRESH outside perspective is the best thing Syracuse can do for itself. We may see the city with much different eyes.
Fantastic post Jim! I agree 100%.....
I've said this for years. Syracuse needs an outsider to come in and clean house. Nancy Cantor is doing a great job shaking things up on the SU Hill. Maybe someone can convince her to run for mayor or CE.....
If I had magic powers, I recruit someone from Texas or some other progressive State to be Mayor of Syracuse and County Executive of Onondaga County. The local yokels are pretty clueless.
I DO understand the mentality of the "parochial locals" in Syracuse. I was one of them once. I remember when Carousel Mall opened. I said stupid things like...."this mall is too big" and "I'd rather shop at Penn Can Mall, why did they built this monstrosity".
I also had "issues" with tearing down Macarthur Stadium. I grew up with Macarthur Stadium, thought it was the greatest stadium ever, it had so many memories, etc. But now I see that outsiders, young people, new businesses, and visitors don't care about "your memories". They care about how beautiful, how comfortable, how many amenities and how impressive buildings/cities are now. Too bad that most who live in Syracuse still don't "get it" yet.
Syracuse is a city that has the potential. Believe me...the cities such as Boston and NYC are empyting out a LOT of creative innovative people that are sick of the congested crap and prices that go with living there. Look at Northampton and Vermont and you will see MANY people that left the big city behind for an easier way of life. The upstate cities have the LUXURY of being situated with a lot of beauty nearby (Even Buffalo...wineries and the hills to the south). If I were mayor I would aggresively recruit artists and make the gay-lesbian community welcome. Time and time again...cities that were in the doldroms have re-created themselves by promoting themselves this way. Providence, Portland, Northampton, Burlington, Portsmouth. The money ALWAYS follows the artists.....
I know you dislike Rochester....but saying the hills and wineries are in the Buffalo area, as opposed to where they actually are...in the Rochester/Fingerlakes region....is just stupid.
I know you dislike Rochester....but saying the hills and wineries are in the Buffalo area, as opposed to where they actually are...in the Rochester/Fingerlakes region....is just stupid.
Good point. Side comment: Syracuse is actually closer to most Finger Lakes than Rochester. Still not sure how Rochester claimed the "Finger Lake Region" for itself. Syracuse is known as "Central New York", but Onondaga County has two Finger Lakes located inside its borders. Monroe County doesn't even have one Finger Lake.
My guess is that since Rochester's sprawl is closer to the Finger Lakes, Rochester attracts most of the attention from the Finger Lake communities.
Syracuse is a city that has the potential. Believe me...the cities such as Boston and NYC are empyting out a LOT of creative innovative people that are sick of the congested crap and prices that go with living there. Look at Northampton and Vermont and you will see MANY people that left the big city behind for an easier way of life. The upstate cities have the LUXURY of being situated with a lot of beauty nearby (Even Buffalo...wineries and the hills to the south). If I were mayor I would aggresively recruit artists and make the gay-lesbian community welcome. Time and time again...cities that were in the doldroms have re-created themselves by promoting themselves this way. Providence, Portland, Northampton, Burlington, Portsmouth. The money ALWAYS follows the artists.....
Agreed. The only mayor problem with that idea is this....inner city Syracuse is a depressing environment. I can imagine most artists and gays would feel hopeless in that type built environment.
This is why..... I believe..... Syracuse must focus on how it looks and how it is perceived by outsiders.
A major problem in Syracuse that needs addressing is undesired, uncultivated and unsightly weeds and vegetation.
I’m a firm believer that greenery in cities and suburbs should only consist of mowed grass, trees, maintained landscaping. No weedy vines entangling chain-link fences, no tall grass, no over-grown brush, no un-pruned hedges, no weeds growing in the cracked concrete roads and sidewalks etc.....
Sad but true, the only thing that’s sprouted in Syracuse since the early 90s are weeds growing behind a chain-link fence along North Salina Street.
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I remember when Carousel Mall opened. I said stupid things like...."this mall is too big" and "I'd rather shop at Penn Can Mall, why did they built this monstrosity". 
Syracuse is known as "Central New York", but Onondaga County has two Finger Lakes located inside its borders. Monroe County doesn't even have one Finger Lake.
