A message from Marilyn Higgins

The cacophony of people and practices that comprise the Near Westside Initiative continues to earn
coveted national awards and the admiration of cities and urban revitalization experts from around
the nation. Although Maarten Jacobs and I do our best, it is difficult to explain how this works.
It is hard to describe how a mother, outraged at the presence of used needles on her block, can
easily join forces with a University Professor, a public broadcasting entrepreneur, a housing expert,
a visiting artist, a parish priest , the neighborhood grocery store and a class of journalism students
to make 26 square blocks a better place to live. This is what happens every day in the SALT District.
A Near Westside Board member sent me an article by David Brooks following a neighborhood tour
this summer that described the crooked timber mentality. It was her reflection that THIS is what
we have going for us on the Near Westside.
In the article the author explains that people with crooked timber mentality are anti-perfectionist.
They design structures that have a lot of give for when people screw up. He states that the mature
people one meets often have this crooked timber view, having learned from experience how to make
a friend of every stupid stumble.
I heartily agree. The Near Westside Initiative has stumbled and conquered and now, it is growing up.
Sincerely,

Marilyn Higgins, Syracuse University Vice President, Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development
Member, NWSI Board of Directors

THE NEAR WESTSIDE INITIATIVE

MISSION
& VISION

04

THANK
YOU SU

05

TEAM

08

HISTORY

10

PROJECTS

12

The Syracuse Art, Literacy, Technology (SALT) District

of the Near Westside is directed by the Near Westside
Initiative Inc. (NWSI), a not-for-profit organization.
Syracuse University and The Gifford Foundation jump
started this initiative. SU School of Architectures
UPSTATE, the Syracuse Center of Excellence and Home
HeadQuarters have played pivotal roles in the project.

The NWSI leverages the resources of SU, the state, the

county, the city, private foundations, businesses, notfor-profit corporations, and neighborhood residents to
achieve its goals. A creative community is converging
here to foster economic development, jobs and stability
for the neighborhood, and rich academic experiences
for SU students. Within this neighborhood, the premise
that art and culture can unite to create a revitalized
community is being tested and is proving to be true.

MISSION

Combine the power of art, technology, and innovation with

neighborhood VALUES and CULTURE to revitalize Syracuses
Near Westside.

VISION

Created in 2007 by the Near Westside Initiative Board

Diverse cultures will converge and thrive on the

Near Westside. Residents will help design and
become fully vested in the project.
The revitalization will be fueled by
interdisciplinary scholarship, international
connections, and the seed capital and
commitment of Syracuse University. It will
be sustained by the residents, businesses,
foundations, and the local government of
Syracuse.
A community of artists and innovators will
become property owners within a cluster of

renovated warehouses and new structures

centering in and around West and Wyoming
Streets, creating a link between the Near
Westside and Armory Square.

Many new and/or renovated homes will be

constructed for owner occupancy throughout the
neighborhood. The historic architecture of this,
the oldest neighborhood in Syracuse, will be
preserved whenever possible.
New construction and neighborhood planning
will demonstrate sustainability in urban design
and serve as a test bed for green and clean

technologies emerging from the Syracuse

Center of Excellence in Environmental and
Energy Systems.
The project will create jobs, home ownership
opportunities, and beautiful public spaces for the
people who live in the neighborhood.
A vital neighborhood association will be the
catalyst for creating bridges between new and
current residents, students, and businesses
involved in this effort.

Thank You SU - For Anchoring Our Revival

By Paul Nojaim, Chairman NWSI Inc.
From the corner of creativity that is Marion Wilson and her students at 601 Tully, to the
rain barrels introduced to our back yards by the Syracuse Center of Excellence, the Near
Westside of Syracuse bleeds orange.
Your students with their clipboards, easels and endless surveys are changing the fabric
of life in this neighborhood. Your faculty members are provoking conversations that have
needed to happen for years. Your staff is drawing the attention of national foundations and
organizations to our collective work and shining an international spotlight on what is possible
when an anchor institution steps honestly into partnership with a neighborhood like ours.
The impact of the work by faculty and students will inevitably change the lives of many who live
in the Near Westside community - we also believe it will change the lives of those students
and faculty who have learned from the experience. We are indebted to the Administration
and Board of Trustees for their courage and leadership they have demonstrated by fostering
this unique partnership.

Working for the Near Westside Initiative

over the last year has been a terrific
learning experience. It was a year to test
out many skills invaluable to any working
environment.....However the real value of the
experience was not in the actions but through
the people I engaged with at the university
and in the neighborhood.
Stacey Lindbloom

2013/2014 Syracuse University Engagement Scholar

A NON-TRADITIONAL TEAM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Brian Anderson

Alvenas Bell

Ed Bogucz

Bill Delavan

Peter Dunn

Tanya Eastman

Bea Gonzlez

Sheena Solomon

Marilyn Higgins

Carole Horan

Sharon Conteras

Zeke Leonard

Wilauer Mateo

Kevin McAuliffe

Paul Nojaim

Robert Daino

Kerry Quaglia

Dorene Quinn

Ralph Rimualdo

Isaac Rothwell

Mary Lou Sayles

Ben Sio
Board President
Paul Nojaim
Board Vice-President
Carole Horan
Board Treasurer
Ben Sio
Board Secretary
Bea Gonzlez

Peter Thompson

Pete Thomson

Leah Tucker

Judith Mower

Marion Wilson

Mary Alice Smothers Margaret Martin

Maarten Jacobs, Director

ADDITIONAL LEADERSHIP
Dr. Thomas Dennison +
Rebecca Bostwick from the
Lerner Center for Public
Health Promotion
Crystal Cosentino- Home
HeadQuarters
Juan Cruz - Patch Up Studios
Rick Destito - Gear Factory
Susan Furtney - St. Josephs
Hospital

COMMUNITY PARTNERS
601 Tully
Boys & Girls Club
Byrne Dairy
Cab Fab
CenterState CEO
Cooperative Federal Credit
Union
City of Syracuse
Green & Seifter Attorneys
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity SU & ESF
Hiscock & Barclay, LLP
Hofmann Hotdogs
Home HeadQuarters
Huntington Family Center
King + King Architects
La Casita
National Grid
Nojaim Bros. Supermarket
Northside UP
NWS Business Association
Onondaga County
Onondaga Earth Corps
PEACE Westside Family

Resource Center
ProLiteracy International
Spanish Action League of
Onondaga County
Steri-Pharma
St. Josephs Hospital/Westside
Clinic
St. Lucys Church & Learning
Center
Syracuse Center of Excellence
Syracuse University
Talent Agency
UPSTATE: (School of
Architecture)
WCNY
Westside Arts Council
Westside Family Health Center
Westside Residents Coalition

BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
MEMBERS

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
DEAN PARTNERS

Scott Allyn
Maritza Alvarado
Sean Branagan
Tim Carrol
Dr. Luis Castro
Mike Falcone, Jr.
Regina Gabrielle
Kathy Goldfarb-Findling
Eddie Green
Aaron James
Mike Kelleher
Darlene Kerr
Fr. Jim Mathews
Mike McMahon
Anne Messenger
Taino Palermo
Rita Paniagua
Maria Revelles
Mark Robbins
Gladys Smith

Ann Clarke -College of Visual

Performing Arts
Bea Gonzalez - University College
Elizabeth Liddy - School of
Information Studies
George Langford - College of
Arts and Sciences
Joanna O. Masingila - School of
Education
Diane Lynden Murphy - David
B. Falk College of Sport and
Human Dynamics
James Steinberg - Maxwell
School

831 West Fayette Street, LLC

Alchemical Nursery Project, Inc.
Delavan Center, Inc.
Isaiahs Table
King + King Architects
Onondaga Small Business
Development Center
ProLiteracy
Reed CNY Business Law P.C.
Rescue Mission
Signature Band and Choir Camp
Tickets.com
TripsPlusOne, Inc.
WCNY

PAST BOARD MEMBERS

Dirk Sonneborn
Mark Sweeney
Bill Veit
Ben Walsh
Suzanne Williams

STAFF
NWSI Staff:
Maarten Jacobs - Director
Taino Palermo - Community
Outreach
Ashley Rivera - Community
Outreach
Stacey Lindbloom - 2013
Engagement Fellow
Supported by SU:
Marilyn Higgins - VP of
Community Engagement &
Economic Development
Don Western - Executive
Director
Cynthia Barrie - Senior
Administrator
Kathy Pitt - Administrative
Assistant
Dan Queri - Consultant

Kerry Quaglia
Ralph Rimualdo
Mary Lou Sayles
Pete Thomson
Don Western

NATIONAL FOUNDATION
SUPPORT
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Artplace
Education Foundation of America
Kresge Foundation
Say Yes to Education

LOCAL FOUNDATION
SUPPORT
Central New York Community
Foundation
Rosamond Gifford Foundation
St. Josephs Hospital Foundation
Lerner Center for Health
Promotion

INDIVIDUAL DONORS
Cindy Barrie
Bill Delavan
Tanya Eastman
Bea Gonzalez
Marilyn Higgins
Carole Horan
Zeke Leonard
Margaret Martin
Judith Mower
Paul Nojaim

a brief history of the

NWSI
06

NWSI is formed as a
collaborative effort
among Syracuse University, the Gifford Foundation, the Center of
Excellence (CoE), the
School of Architecture
(SoA) and area residents
and civic leaders
Certificate of Incorporation
filed for West Side
Initiative, Inc.
First NWSI board meeting
held at St. Lucys Rectory adopted bylaws and elected
officers
Board votes to pursue
purchase of Case Supply
Warehouse, Lincoln Supply
as well as the vacant lot at
201 Wyoming Street

07
NWSI Press Conference
at City Lot/Wyoming
Street announcing
WCNYs commitment to
move to the Near
Westside
NWSI & Congressman
James Walsh hold Press
Conference at St. Lucys
announcing $2.2m SNI
funds for NWS
The ESDC approved a
$13.5m debt reinvestment to the NWS
Marilyn Higgins starts new
position at SU as VP of
Community Engagement
& Economic Development
SoA & HHQ announce
partnership to transform
223 Marcellus Street into
a neighborhood revitalization information center

08

09

By May, Home HeadQuarters

had or made plans to buy 64 of
the 217 parcels in the horseshoe around Skiddy Park

The Link House, a modular

home designed by SU
architecture students
delivered and installed at
521 Tully

$2.9m Restore NY funds awarded

for housing and Lincoln Supply
project
HHQ offers Neighborhood
Initiative grants to NWS homeowners to make exterior home
improvements
Rep. James Walsh & Syracuse
Mayor Matt Driscoll announce
$250,000 of $1.2m in federal
funds for NWS neighborhood
improvements
Syracuse CoE & HHQ plan
deconstruction of a NWS house,
including workforce development,
market development, and policy
initiatives

SoAs From the Ground Up

Competition (FTGU) finalists
selected to build three
homes; Livework House, Ted
House, and R-House
First HHQ renovation project
sold on NWS - 422 Marcellus
Street
The Near Westside Arts
Council holds Creative Bike
Showcase
CNY Works & Nojaims
organize Youth Workforce
Development Program Artworks, Greenworks,
Foodworks
Maarten Jacobs starts as
Director of NWSI

10
A Love Letter to
Syracuse public art
project on the NWS train
bridges by Steve Powers
CMD 352 students make
presentations on solutions to
improve NWS to the community, NWSI Board and SU
Board of Trustees
Marion Wilsons class design
plans for 601 Tully Street to
include space for a classroom,
caf, gallery and offices
Development agreement
executed between NWSI and
WCNY for development of the
WCNY broadcast center
Lincoln building, first
warehouse compeleted lit for
grand opening
Rick Destito completes first $1
home

11
First NWS GreenTrain Graduation
LaCasita Dedication Event in Lincoln
Building
Construction begins at the Case Supply
Complex to make way for WCNY and
ProLiteracy
NWS Multicultural Block Party
Courts For Kids Ribbon-Cutting at Skiddy
Park
Grand Opening 601 Tully
Board approves Loan Loss Reserve
Agreement with Syracuse Cooperative
Federal Credit Union to support small
business micro-loans

12
Paul Seymour Playground
Ribbon Cutting in Skiddy Park
WCNY Moves into Case Supply
Building
ProLiteracy Ribbon Cutting
Home HeadQuarters Annual
Block Blitz on Marcellus Street
ArtPlace Grant Announced for
SALT Quarters artist-in-residence
studio on Wyoming Street
Economic Development Council
approves $1million grant for
Nojaims Supermarket expansion

13

14

SALT Quarters opens containing:

2 apartments, 2 artist studios
and a gallery; Artist in residency
program begins

Salt Works, a furniture social

enterprise, is launched

WCNY grand opening

First NWSI employee hired for Say
Yes/NWSI community outreach
program started
Salt Works, a social enterprise
making furniture from reclaimed
lumber, is founded
Neighborhood Navigator opens at
Nojaim Bros. Grocery Store to assist
community residents

Youth Leadership Team created

NWSI organizes first High School
Graduation Party for neighborhood
seniors
St. Josephs new Westside Clinic
opens to the public
Nojaims Grocery Store undergoes
multimillion dollar renovation
West Street sees dramatic change,
becoming bike/pedestrian friendly
NWSI awarded $1 million for
renovation to 3rd floor of CASE
Complex
Peacemaking Initiative coming to the
Near Westside, modeling Native
American dispute settlement process

PROJECT
OVERVIEW

Every year the Near Westside Initiative

works on multiple projects through local
community partnerships. The following are
a selection of this years accomplishments.

14 Youth Summit, Youth Group

15 Movement on Main Demonstration Day
16 Christmas Party + Lights Competition
17 NWSI Board Retreat 2017 Vision
18 St. Josephs Primary Care West Opening
19 Nojaims Remodeling
20 Skiddy Park Field House
21 West St. Changes
22 SALT Works Launch
23 Say Yes Graduation
24 Salt Quarters
26 Say Yes Graduation Party
27 5th Annual Multicultural Block Party

12

community engagement
The most important aspect of neighborhood revitalization is genuine community engagement.
With each project and program, the NWSI works hard to ensure that it is vetted, approved,
and valued by the residents of our community.

property development

Seeing is believing and nothing helps you believe like seeing blighted buildings restored.
Through commercial and residential development, the NWSI and its partners are visually
changing the physical landscape of the community.

creative placemaking

The NWSI is using the power of arts and technology to create a more vibrant, creative, and
safe community. By working with creative individuals, innovative ideas and solutions are being formed to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.

engaged scholarship

Through extensive partnership with the public, private, and non-profit sectors, Syracuse
University is creating meaningful opportunities for students and faculty to learn and discover,
while tackling pressing issues in communities like the Near Westside, that resonate in our
nation and world. Projects connected to Syracuse University students and/or faculty will be
noted with the SU Seal.
13

October 2013

Youth Summit Inspires Neighborhood Teens

NWS teens attend day-long youth summit to get hands-on experience in creative fields,
inspiring them to achieve their long-term educational goals.
The NWSI, in cooperation with the National
Council of La Raza, the largest national Hispanic
civil rights organization in the United States,
presented the #TURNUPCUSETOWN Youth
Summit on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Fowler High
School. Over fifty neighborhood students
participated.
The summit was entirely organized by Say
Yes neighborhood teens under the guidance of
Taino Palermo, NWSIs community organizer.
The workshops were planned with feedback from
nearly 200 students from Blodgett K-8 School
and Fowler High School in the Syracuse City
School District.
The workshops were led by professionals from
the Syracuse area who offered their wisdom,
knowledge, and hefty doses of inspiration. In the
Inner City to Medical School workshop, panelists
talked with students about how they made it from
the inner city to medical school, and persevered.
Other workshops featured careers in music and
video production; the military; the restaurant
business and the artistic world and technology.

14

Students had the opportunity to design a video

game and learn how to design a piece of clothing
or jewelry with the assistance of Syracuse
University Fashion Design students.
The summits keynote address was delivered
by SCSD alumnae Natasha S. Alford, an aspiring
broadcast journalist with a background in
education policy. A 2004 graduate of Nottingham
High School, she graduated from Harvard
University in 2008 and spent two years in the
corporate world before joining Teach for America
in 2010. You have kids that took their Saturday
to be here, to show they want to learn, to achieve
their dreams Alsford said, we have to be there
to support them in that.
For students, the summit was a way to
demystify the process of reaching goals. The
overwhelming response and turnout of students
across the district came from one simple
approach just ask them what they want, give
it to them and they will show up and will take
something back with them. said Palermo.

partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development,

Say Yes to Education, National Council of La Raza, Syracuse City School District,
StudioDog, Talent Agency, SU Fashion Department, and UPSTATE Medical School

November 2013

Bringing Movement to Main On Life: A Demonstration Day

NWSI creates re-life demonstration site of Movement on Main to help residents better
understand and conceptualize the innovative approach to improving community health.
The Near West Side Initiative invited members
of the Near Westside neighborhood to experience
a prototype of the Movement on Main competitionwinning design, Light-Play!, on Wednesday, Nov.
6, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 115 Otisco St.
The project demonstration was created to
show the proposed designs and materials, and to
meet the designers. Throughout the late morning,
over 150 residents, city and county officials, and
Near West Side youth from Westside Academy at
Blodgett School and Fowler High School came to
experiment with the site.
Movement on Main seeks to tie together the
investments being made on Wyoming Street with
opportunities for play. This unique and innovative
street redesign will create a new public gathering
place that encourages the community to engage
in the neighborhoods emergent creative
life through a variety of movement and new

technologies. Light-Play! focuses on shaping

healthy bodies, a healthy street and a healthyand
vibrantcommunity in the Near West Side.
We are thrilled to present a prototype of
Movement on Main to the community, says
Jacobs, director of the NWSI. Knowing how hard
it is to get a real feel for a project like this just
based on a drawing, we felt it was really important
to create a small-scale, interactive installation
that allows people to experience the materials,
the colors and some of the exercise equipment
that has been proposed.
The Movement on Main competition was
enabled by funding from the Educational
Foundation of America and currently the designs
are being finalized and prepared for future
construction and installation.

Partners: Education Foundation of America, SU School of Architecture, UPSTATE Design

Center, STOSS Landscape Architects, Lerner Center for Public Health, SU Maxwell School, and
SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development

December 2013

Christmas Party + Lights Competition

Over 20 families participate in competition bringing light and hope to the neighborhood
during the holiday season.
The 2013 Near Westside Initiative Holiday
Party, hosted by the Near Westside Initiative
and La Casita Cultural Center, was a great
success with over 100 community members
gathering to celebrate the holiday season
and enjoying great music, food, and fun. The
party was a wonderful opportunity to show
appreciation for all who are working to revive
the Near Westside neighborhood. During the
holiday party, Near Westside residents had
an opportunity to vote for the best decorated
home in the neighborhood that participated in
the Lights Up Competition.

house, apartment window, or front door with

holiday-themed decorations. Extra decorations
were also provided for participants to get
them started. Photos were then taken of all
participating homes and fellow residents were
asked to vote for their favorite at the Near
Westside Holiday Party. The 1st place, 2nd
place, and 3rd place winners all went home
with gift cards to help them celebrate their
hard work and great effort. Over 20 families
participated in the competition.

This holiday season, the Near Westside

Initiative introduced the 1st annual Near
Westside Lights Up Competition, in which all
residents of the Near Westside neighborhood
were asked to participate by decorating their

16

partners: La Casita Cultural Center, SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic

Development, SU College of Arts and Sciences, and Near Westside Board of Directors

January 2014

NWSI Retreat: Creating a Vision for 2017

Retreat Focuses and Energizes NWSI Board Members Looking Ahead to 2017

Each year in January, the Near Westside

Initiative Board and community residents
hold a retreat to review the previous years
accomplishments and establish long and short
term priorities. Over 90% of the NWSI Board
participated this year. Through an entire day
of sharing ideas, highlighting past successes,
and brainstorming, the board focused on six key
areas: housing, public safety, public messaging,
business development, youth engagement, and
governance. With these goals in mind, each
board member and neighborhood partner
committed to focusing on one issue for 2014
and doing whatever they could to help push the
issue forward.
In creating a vision for 2017 a variety of goals
were established. If accomplished, they will
continue to radically transform the neighborhood
in a comprehensive and sustainable way.

Some of the key components included:

Renovating the Westside Academy at Blodgett School
Developing the remainder of CASE Complex
Developing intergenerational programs
Increasing literacy and graduation rates by 10%
Creating a system to better track and assess the effects of the NWSI on the neighborhood
Supporting and expanding the entrepreneurial growth along Geddes St., Fayette St., and West St.
Celebrating and creating more opportunities for the focused and determined youth in the neighborhood

partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, NWSI Board of Directors, Organizational Partners, and Community Advocates

17

February 2014

St. Josephs Primary Care West Opens

Clinic brings comprehensive medical services to the neighborhood
For the past decade, St. Josephs Hospital
has operated a clinic in the Near Westside.
Due to their great level of service, and their
commitment to helping the Latino population
in the neighborhood, they have seen more
and more patients, reaching nearly 9,000
patients annually in 2012. With such a
growing number of patients, and their
ongoing dedication to the neighborhood, St.
Josephs Hospital decided to build a new
clinic.
St. Josephs constructed a new $4.85
million health clinic, four times larger than
the health centers previous building at the
rear of Nojaims parking lot near Seymour
Street. The expanded center now has 12
providers, including three family medicine
doctors, an obstetrician, a pediatrician, a
behavioral health counselor and several
physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
Labeled as a primary care center, it places

an emphasis on food and nutrition education

for low-income families and individuals,
which comprised more than 75 percent of
the centers patients in 2012. The whole
system is centered on family care, added
Marylin Galimi, director of engineering and
construction at St. Josephs. Pediatrics,
nutrition, behavioral health and adult services
are all under the same roof to be able to take
care of the whole family.
The opening of the clinic was a monumental
occasion for the neighborhood. Over a
hundred neighborhood residents came out
to celebrate including several dozen children
from the neighboring schools. Following the
ceremony, tours of the new clinic were given
highlighting the comprehensive services
available to its patients.

partners: St. Josephs Hospital, Nojaims Grocery Store, Lerner Center for Health

18

Promotion, SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development,

and SU Maxwell School

March 2014

Nojaims grocery store renovation gets underway

Grocery store and health clinic partner to reward healthy shopping

Nojaims Grocery Store has long been

the hub of activity and information in the
Near Westside. As the last remaining
independently owned grocery store in
the City of Syracuse, the Nojaim family
has tirelessly committed to serving the
neighborhood for over 90 years. To further
that commitment, Nojaims Grocery Store
began a $2.5 million expansion and
renovation of its store thanks to a $1
million NYS grant made possible through
the CNY Regional Economic Development
Council and the support of the Low Income
Investment Fund.
The renovation will bring many needed
improvements and updates to the store,
but will go even further. Recognizing
the increased rates of obesity, diabetes
and other chronic illnesses in the
neighborhood, Nojaims has teamed up
with St. Josephs Hospital, the NWSI, and
the Lerner Center for Health Promotion
at SUs Maxwell School, with funding

from Excellus Blue Cross/Blue Shield, to

teach customers and patients how to eat
healthy and reward them for buying more
nutritious foods.
The Healthy Shopper Reward program
allows customers to accumulate points
based on the items they purchase. Healthy
items like fruits and vegetables are worth
more points than an unhealthy item like
a candy bar. Customers get a plastic
rewards card that will be swiped at the
checkout every time they make a purchase
so the store can keep track of their points.
Customers who collect enough points by
making healthy choices are eligible for a
prize. If the customer agrees, the store
will share the information with the health
center so doctors can see if a patient
with high blood pressure, for example, is
eating potato chips or other salty foods.
Participation by customers and patients
in the health promotion programs will be
strictly voluntary.

partners: St. Josephs Hospital, Nojaims Grocery Store, Lerner

Center for Health Promotion, Falk College, and SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development

April 2014

Skiddy Park Field House Reimagined

SU Students present plans for a community-minded, vibrant field house for Skiddy Park

Throughout the 2014 Spring Semester,

SU architecture and engineering students
worked to re-imagine the underutilized Field
House at Skiddy Park located in the heart
of the neighborhood. The 16-week course
started out with a series of meetings with
community stakeholders, including the
Parks and Recreation department, the
Syracuse Housing Authority, the local K-12
schools and neighborhood residents.
The last community stakeholder meeting
was held on April 24th at La Casita Cultural
Center. All were invited to join in the presentation of the students final design. The
design seeks to respond to the concerns
of community members and the Parks and
Recreation department. Stakeholders were
concerned about security, accessibility,

partners:

20 20

and lighting in the park. They also wanted

the space to be open to community use for
events or summer programming.
With this in mind, the architecture
students design, opens the field house
with two entrances on the east and west
facades. The space is also opened with
the addition of a large skylight acting as a
beacon of light at night for the park . This
will increase visibility and ward off harmful
activities.
With funding in place, final review of the
designs will occur in the Winter of 2015
and construction will begin in the Spring of
2015.

SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, City Parks

Department, SU School of Architecture, UPSTATE Design Center, Syracuse Housing Authority,
Westside Academy at Blodgett School, and the Westside Residents Coalition

April 2014

West Street - Take Two

Community action and city support lead to big changes

After decades eight lanes of fury is becoming pedestrian and bicycle
friendly.
On December 12, 2013, 38 residents of the Near Westside testified
at the NYS Department of Transportation hearing on the future of
Route 81 at Fowler High School. Neighbors beseeched New York State
to repair the damage done to their neighborhood by the construction of
West Street in the 1960s before making any future plans for highways
in the City.
What followed was the formation of an unprecedented partnership
lead by Regional DOT Director Carl Ford and City of Syracuse Public
Works Commissioner Pete OConnor to implement a plan to calm
traffic, improve sidewalks, add parking and bicycle lanes and make it
possible for residents to cross safely from the neighborhood to the
heart of the City.
With Phase One of the project completed, Near Westside residents,
who were thoroughly engaged in the redesign, expressed their
appreciation to the team by awarding them the 2014 Near Westside
Initiative Groundbreaker Award. A mid-block crossing at Otisco
Street will be constructed in the Spring of 2015. Funds for the project
were secured by the City of Syracuse, NYS Senator Dave Valesky and
Assemblyman
Bill Magnarelli.

partners:

SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development,

City Department of Public Works, NY State Department of Transportation,
Senator Valeskys office, and Assemblyman Magnarellis office.

21

May 2014

Salt Works Launches First Line of Furniture

A social enterprise offering artisan furniture crafted from reclaimed materials by local
residents to build a stronger, more sustainable community.
On May 29th, 2014 Salt Works, a social
enterprise offering artisan furniture crafted
from reclaimed timbers, was officially
launched. Salt Works furniture is hand crafted
from lumber salvaged during the renovation of
historic warehouses by the Near Westside
Initiative. The idea for the project came from
Syracuse Center of Excellence director and
NWSI board member, Ed Bogucz. In the
process, several tons of old-growth timber
beams were removed from the structures and
transported just a few blocks away to be denailed, milled and transformed by neighborhood
craftspeople. Salt Works lumber is comprised
of old-growth hemlock, spruce, and yellow pine
with many cuts well over 150 years old.
Salt Works, a social enterprise that solves
problems in society through a triple bottom
line approach to people, planet and profit.

People Salt Works provides living wages,

jobs and training for low-income residents.
Planet Salt Works upcycles reclaimed
materials once slated for landfill.
Profit Salt Works crafts artisan furniture
and the sales fund further training
The result is a striking collection of
sustainable furniture ideally suited for offices
and homes. The refined industrial aesthetic
celebrates the history of the material
without sacrificing comfort or functionality.
Proceeds support workforce programs and
empowering residents to become agents for
sustainable, long-term revitalization within
their communities.

partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development,

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Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts, Northside

Urban Partnership, Centerstate CEO, Syracuse Habitat for Humanity, and the
Kresge Foundation

June 2014

Celebrating Success with NWS Graduation Party

Community comes out to Celebrate Its Graduating Seniors
In early 2013, the NWSI met Tim Noble Jennings-Bey, coordinator of the trauma
response unit in the city of Syracuse, who recognized that negative behavior in the
neighborhood was being celebrated more than positive behavior. He told the NWSI that
too many city children grow up attending emotional vigils for victims of violent crime, or
tearful parties for young men coming or going from prison, reinforcing ultimately selfdestructive behaviors. He suggested that a shift in culture needed to happen; to celebrate
success and positive achievements.
For the Near Westside Initiative leaders, those words inspired the idea of celebrating
all of the neighborhood high school graduates and their families that helped their children
succeed. This is an important part of the Say Yes promise in Syracuse. At the end of
June, the NWSI hosted a graduation party in honor of neighborhood graduates on the
steps of Blodgett School. The students were picked up by a limo, dropped off at the
school, where they spoke about their future goals and plans. They were congratulated
by their friends, family, and the broader Near Westside community; slowly changing the
culture to celebrate the positive decisions of our neighborhood youth.

partners: Say Yes to Education, SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, Syracuse City School District, and the Spanish Action League

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July 2014

SALTQuarters Artist in Residence Program

Hosts 3 Artists in 1 Year, Over 30 Artists Apply to Be First Artists-in-Residence in the Near Westside

partners:
In 2013, the NWSI was funded by ArtPlace,
a national foundation focused on Creative

Placemaking,
to transform a once vacant
restaurant/bar into a hub for artists and
creative individuals. By May of 2013 the
building was transformed into SALTQuarters,
a 4,000 square foot building, with two
apartments, three art studios and a gallery.
The goal of SALTQuarters is to generate a
creative hub for artistic endeavors that engage
with the Near Westside community.
Starting in July of 2013, the SALTQuarters
artist in residence program provided a
yearlong residency to a local artist and two, sixmonth residencies to two national artists from
outside Central New York. The local artist was
John Cardone, a sculptor who had spent the
previous two years working in the neighborhood
at 601 Tully. John created maps of common
pedestrian routes of Near Westside residents,
highlighting their lack of transportation and

their often long and challenging journeys to get to

everyday places.
Peter Edlund, from Brooklyn New York, was
SALTQuarters first national artist.
His work
focused on the Haudenosaunee language and
the original meaning of many of the local street
names. His work was simple stencil graffiti, placed
at intersections throughout the neighborhood to
discover and interact with. Colleen Woolpert was
the second national artist. Woolpert presented a
three-part exhibit titled Persistence of Vision. The
exhibits featured video work and installations as well
as participatory elements focusing on how different
people experience the world based on their vision.
In addition to their work, over a dozen gallery
events were held at SALTQuarters, highlighting upand-coming artists from the region as well as current
Syracuse University student and faculty work.

partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, Syra-

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cuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts, and 601 Tully.

PETER EDLUND

JOHN CARDONE

COLLEEN WOOLPERT
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July 2014

Neighbor Day In The Near Westside

NWSI Staff and Neighborhood Teens Promote Community Interaction
Through Bike Riding, Ice Cream, and Clever Notes
On the afternoon of May 9, 2014, the
NWSI was inspired by the website GOOD,
to celebrate Neighbor Day, a day to really
focus on interacting with our neighbors.
Neighborhood teenagers worked with our
staff and engagement scholar to make
the day a success. Some of the teenagers
worked to create a mobile ice cream sale on
bikes. Ice cream sandwiches and popsicles
were sold for 25 cents but the catch was that
you couldnt just buy one for yourself without
getting one for a neighbor or friend. By the
end of our two hour bike ride, which went
through Gifford, Oswego, Grace, Merriman,
Shonnard, Otisco, and Wyoming Streets, all
120 ice creams were sold and more than
80 community connections were made.

The other half of our group walked around

the neighborhood handing out colorful
notes, and inviting residents to interact with
neighbors. The notes read, This weekend
in the Near Westside we are celebrating
neighbors! So why not, what followed were
hand-written suggestions by our Youth
Leadership Team on how to interact with
ones neighbors, for example: Play Dominoes,
Hug Someone, Invite your neighbors to a
BBQ, Offer to help a neighbor with something.
Both activities were run with the help of
our Youth Leadership Team, a group of high
school teen leaders living and going to school
in the neighborhood and looking to help
revitalize the Near Westside.

partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, Salt Quarters

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Artists in Residence, and the NWSI Youth Leadership Team

August 2014

5th Annual Multicultural Block Party

Over 1500 residents and 30 Organizations Visit Skiddy Park for a Must-See Multicultural
Event
On August 14th, 2014 Skiddy Park was host to the 5th annual Multicultural Block Party.
With great weather, and great partners, everything aligned to create a wonderful event for
the community. Over 1500 people attended the Block Party, along with 35 organizations
and 100 volunteers. Skiddy Park was packed with tents, tables, chairs, and people as the
community all enjoyed an afternoon of fun right in the heart of the neighborhood.
This years Block Party featured several diverse musical acts, dance troupes, face painting,
inflatable, food sponsored by Hofmann Hotdogs, balloon animals, a visit from a miniature
pony, a dunk tank, raffles and giveaways, a variety of games for the kids, and more. As in
years past, everyone danced and laughed the afternoon away in a safe, fun environment that
continues to foster pride for the community each year.
The event concluded with the annual Risk Taker/Dream Maker awards ceremony. The
following awards were given:
- Jesus Gonzalez, Resident Award
- Obdulia Sterling, Resident Award
- Kheyarre Vann, Youth Award
- La Casita Cultural Center, Business Award
- New York State Department of Transportation, Groundbreaker Award
partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, Community on the
Move, La Liga, La Casita, the Westside Residents Coalition, the Onondaga County Literacy Coalition, PEACE Inc., ProLiteracy, WCNY, CNY Latino, Gifford Foundation, CNY Community Foundation,
Nojaims Grocery Store, Hofmann Hotdogs, and Byrne Dairy
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The Warehouse, Suite 405

350 W. Fayette St.
Syracuse NY 13202-1202
315-443-0320
mjacob01@syr.edu
In partnership with Syracuse
University