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The Syracuse City Common Council unanimously approved a $10 million grant for the East Adams Neighborhood Transformation Project during its Monday meeting as part of ongoing efforts to revitalize the East Adams neighborhood.

Included in New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2024 fiscal year budget, the grant will support the redevelopment of public housing units in the area, which is the city’s lowest-income zip code. The funding adds to state-wide investments in the community, which has suffered economically since the construction of the I-81 viaduct in the 1950s.

With the additional funds, the council plans to make modifications to McKinney Manor and Pioneer Homes, two major public housing complexes in the city’s historic 15th Ward. Under plans released last summer, 600 aging units will be replaced, with renovations set for 1,400 total units upon completion.

Six and a half million dollars of the grant will fund construction and renovation costs, while $1.5 million will go toward public improvements to the city. The remaining $2 million will cover pre-development work, including an environmental review. The funding was secured in partnership with New York state’s Empire State Development agency.

Architecture firm McCormack Baron Salazar will oversee construction of the housing project, with ESD set to pay it a maximum of $2 million. The city intends to cover the firm’s payment through additional grant funds.

The firm will contract with designers to accelerate the planning process and begin construction soon, as outlined in the agreement. The agreement also allocates funds ensuring necessary engineering services are available to uphold National Environmental Protection Assessment standards.

Construction is expected to begin following the demolition of the I-81 Viaduct in 2026.

Other business:

• In a 5-4 vote following discussion, the council withdrew its motion to vote on Good Cause Eviction laws. If passed, the law would require landlords to provide valid reasoning to tenants for rent increases and evictions. Local housing advocacy groups — including Syracuse Tenants Union, Housing Justice for All and Citizen Action New York — launched a petition this winter to support the adoption of the laws. The vote had been on the council’s agenda since September.
• Councilor Chok Majok said the city’s Public Safety Committee discussed the detention of minors by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a Tuesday meeting. ICE has arrested thousands of migrants since President Donald Trump took office for his second term on Jan. 20.
• The council appointed Mike Kerwin to the city’s Citizen Review Board for a three-year term. He will succeed At-large Councilor JahQuan Bey-Wright.

Published on February 4, 2025 at 1:56 am