Redevelopment and Lofts in Downtown Syracuse? (Binghamton, Elmira: cul-de-sac, middle-class, apartments)

[teebopop]

I've seen pictures of the new lofts in downtown Syracuse, but what I don't hear about is the crime, shopping accessibility, etc.

What is downtown Syracuse really like to be in as a resident?

The lofts are affordable, for the most part. And I'm considering them.

Is the redevelopment a flash in the pan that is going nowhere? Or will these turn into upscale homeless shelters?

[Sgoldie]

The downtown lofts are a great idea. There are some beautiful buildings in Syracuse's core. The size of the central city makes living there manageably walkable to all cultural and entertainment destinations as well as being easily accessible to SU and the research hospitals.

I believe these will be the wave of the future for those who don't want to maintain a home and want to be centrally located. There is a small upscale deli/grocery in the Ames building that Scott Congel renovated near the Federal Bldg. I thought condo prices were a tad high, but then again they have done a beautiful job will modernization and amenities. Carousel Mall is virtually next door for major shopping.

[teebopop]

I will look up the lofts you mentioned in your post. I've only seen articles about them but no pics as yet.

I have seen extensive pics of the Lofts at Franklin Square. They are beautiful and the grounds outside are beautiful, but on Google Earth I can't quite tell if the area around the building is nice ... and safe.

I'm a country girl. My husband is orig. from Brooklyn. It will be a BIG adjustment for me, but I know that I will love the openness of the loft itself and the accessibility.

It's an option. I guess I will try to find more pics of the downtown area and of the other lofts (once I find out which ones they are). I would even consider purchasing a loft if I could be convinced that this is a good area and that others who buy are living there and not renting them out to folks who may have a questionable (and even criminal) background.

I love diversity, as long as crime is not an element.

Thanks for replying and for the info.

[Sgoldie]

I know the Ames Bldg that Scott renovated is filled with attorneys who work downtown.

[bellafinzi]

A few years ago... when I first started searching the internet, I kept running into lots of good information about Syracuse..the city...from someone that went by the name of "New Kai Brinker". I've been hoping someday he would find this forum and post about Syracuse. He had a great outside perspective! Anyway, I bet he would know more about downtown.....

Here's a website about downtown living:

Syracuse Downtown Living Tour 2007 (broken link)

Video about downtown....


YouTube - Downtown Syracuse NY Living Tour

[SteelCityRising]

I hope Greater Syracuse truly does embrace the notion of downtown living as being a viable way to restore your city's overall liveability. My specialty is accounting, not urban planning, so you can take my advice with a grain of salt if you so choose, but here are some of my opinions.

I firmly believe that if you increase your downtown's population, you'll also improve the bottom lines of existing downtown businesses and make it more feasible for new entrepreneurs to open up shops and restaurants to latch onto this new consumer market. In general most downtowns that are undergoing residential renaissances are targeting the upper-middle-class exclusively, but I'm hopeful that Syracuse will take a different path for its downtown---even offering rent-subsidized apartments to permit lower-income families to enjoy the convenience of living downtown if possible. I can speak from experience that Center City Philadelphia is one of the most vibrant residential downtowns in the nation, with an estimated 100,000 people living in its central business district, but with average smaller-sized condo prices rivaling the prices of most typical suburban Syracuse single-family detached dwellings on large lots, that has become an option reserved exclusively for generally more affluent people to partake in.

As the downtown booms with hundreds of new residents from all walks of life, you'll see Syracuse transformed from its current 9-5 doldrums to a 24/7 cosmopolitan city. Crime downtown will largely dissipate, as the increased foot traffic spawned by all of the new residents makes it more unattractive for would-be thieves to strike. Soon the image of Downtown Syracuse will change for the better, and it will become noted as an "up-and-coming" place to live. At this point you'll also see some younger families wanting in on the action but also wanting a yard. This will herald the start of gentrification and rebirth in neighborhoods adjacent to downtown. Homes will be rehabilitated, neighborhood watches and associations will be reignited, and entire long-neglected parts of the city near to downtown will become habitable again, driving the criminal elements further out from the city's core.

By and large anyone who doesn't think the notion of supporting downtown housing is a sound one truly isn't thinking with a lucid mind. In the short-run folks might think "Bah. Who'd want to live in Downtown Syracuse?" In the long-run (10+ years) this "seed" planted now will reap a tremendously rewarding harvest later. I'm likewise excited about the downtown living options coming to both Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, and I hope other cities like Binghamton and Elmira latch onto this trend as well. With fuel prices hovering around $3.25/gallon and only expected to continue to spike, the "American Dream" will transition away from a large SUV and a far-flung cul-de-sac to a fuel-efficient family sedan (Camry hybrids perhaps) and neighborhoods closer to urbanized areas.

Best of luck, Syracuse!