What's missing from Downtown Syracuse? (New York, Freeport: 2009, home, neighborhood)

[ckhthankgod]

It would be nice if Downtown had a Grocery store, a couple of department stores, a bookstore and if they decide to do it, a stadium to get a soccer team back and for HS sporting events. What do you think?

Here's an article on the subject: What's missing from downtown Syracuse? - Today - syracuse.com

[bellafinzi]

ckhthankgod, a grocery store seems like the #1 thing missing in downtown. And I agree about the soccer stadium....

Comments I liked:

Oliv06's

I think they need to redo or do a makeover of the city. I am actually an outstater who went to college here and decided to stay in the syracuse area. It reminded me a little bit about my home state and what the biggest in my state has done.

I do believe if the city truly cares about how people look at it, then it will start making some changes to it. I remember when Portland, ME had some areas you don't want to go to or parts of the downtown that weren't so pretty. In years I grew up there, until I went to college out state, I have noticed that they have tried to change the appearance of the city. It was actually on the Food Network Channel on tv show "$40 Day" hosted by Rachal Ray. She went around Portland area (Freeport, Yarmouth, Falmouth) showing off great places to eat for under $40 a day. Wouldn't that be nice if Syracuse could get a tv show like that to come here? However, what is there really nice to look at in the city besides run looking buildings.

I believe the city has a lot to offer only if the people running it started getting their acts together.


radiohead45's

Like was mentioned before...People. Streetlife. Positive streetlife. I second the statement about critical mass.

Also simple fixed light rail lines. Could eliminate need for so much surface parking downtown. That emptiness spells disinvestment. Less need for car storage could spell strategic redevelopment on a number of those lots.

Light rail combined with eliminating the absurd minimum parking requirements in this city. We need strategic density with good design in Syracuse!

When people see other people on the street, it becomes a more desirable place. Hey, folks go to Europe to find themselves people watching in many cities there!

[Jeromeville]

Downtown Syracuse needs a movie theater that shows CURRENT movies. The Landmark is beautiful, and the Palace is nice, but there isn't any excitement associated with hit movies that people are tramping out to the malls for.

[beckyhuggs]

You need to not only have things that will attract people who live in the city but also attract wealthier suburbanites. It needs to be something unique to the city and you can't find just anywhere in ones neighborhood. I agree that the city needs a grocery store but rather than just get another Wegmans (which would not attract the suburbanites because they have their own) they should get something like Whole Foods.

Whole Foods is a organic grocery store Whole Foods Market: Natural and Organic Grocery Whole Foods can usually be found in more trendy urban settings rather than suburban areas so they would be ideal for the city.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by beckyhuggs

You need to not only have things that will attract people who live in the city but also attract wealthier suburbanites. It needs to be something unique to the city and you can't find just anywhere in ones neighborhood. I agree that the city needs a grocery store but rather than just get another Wegmans (which would not attract the suburbanites because they have their own) they should get something like Whole Foods.

Whole Foods is a organic grocery store Whole Foods Market: Natural and Organic Grocery Whole Foods can usually be found in more trendy urban settings rather than suburban areas so they would be ideal for the city.

Good point. Getting something that no other part of the area has would bring people to Downtown. Whole Foods or something similar would be a great idea.

[boomvang]

We have reached out to Trader Joes to establish a branch in Syracuse, downtown would be perfect. Unfortunately, they have no plans to come to central New York, perhaps a concerted e-mail campaign would do some good.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by boomvang

We have reached out to Trader Joes to establish a branch in Syracuse, downtown would be perfect. Unfortunately, they have no plans to come to central New York, perhaps a concerted e-mail campaign would do some good.

Something, anything different would be nice for Downtown. Heck, what about Piggly Wiggly, Kroger, Hannaford, Safeway or Publix?

[dangrous dan]

to bad syr. decided to raise the parking rates.just another kiss of death to down town. I grew up in syr.,went down town all the time. now I avoid it like the plauge.

[beckyhuggs]

It seems to me that everyone in downtown expects downtown to arrange parking. However, when I was living in Houston if a new group or company came in then they arranged parking.

Other people mentioned putting a cinema in downtown. One of the Houston cinemas that I used to go to had 3 floors and built their own attached garage (free parking). If companys do move into downtown then its pivatol that they take the initative to establish parking to go with their store/company/entertainment. As far as the smaller Armory Square places go, street parking is an ongoing issue in every city and so is the cost, its not a special issue that Syracuse alone deals with.

[proulxfamily]

I've never experienced a parking problem anywhere in Syracuse, with the exception of trying to find a spot for SU basketball games up on the hill... and really, there's parking, just not as close as I'd like or in my favorite spots. lol

I'm not sure where those complaining are from but I don't think walking 3-5 blocks is unreasonable. We're talking about *downtown* Syracuse, not its suburbs. If you want to go to the MoST, it's likely you won't be able to just drive up and park. Again, going to downtown events and shops isn't the same as dropping into a suburban strip mall and the parking that goes with it. No city offers that... unless it's a dead city with nothing going on. LOTS of parking then... I'll take the occasional need to park blocks away as a sign of success!