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The Daily OrangeNew plans to revitalize Syracuse's Westside
By Ronna Weyland
Posted: 3/6/08, 12:50 AM EST Section: News
"This Near Westside Initiative is about rebuilding and is programmatic in organizing the residents of the neighborhood to get involved as well," Higgins said.
HHQ has purchased 16 houses in the Blodgett School neighborhood and has plans to purchase more than 40, said Karen Schroeder, the marketing and resource development manager for HHQ and Syracuse Neighborhood Initiative.
"Home HeadQuarters is also making exterior improvements to houses in the neighborhood, and they plan to build new houses adjacent to the two warehouses," Higgins said. "There are also plans to move WCNY to a newly constructed broadcast and education center built on a vacant lot in the neighborhood."
And SU is developing the initiative into its class structure as well.
"They (students) are learning the history of the Near Westside and learning design concepts to employ in the neighborhood there," Higgins said. "We also have an additional three classes taught in the School of Architecture. One deals with redesigning residential homes, one class is working on the neighborhood planning process and the other class is working on the warehouse redesign."
Higgins said the university is pleased with the steps it's taking in restoring the campus' surrounding neighborhoods.
"I think the chancellor's efforts in this regard will put SU on the map," Higgins said. "There are a lot of other cities in the country looking at us and watching what we are doing. We are having to create a new economy structure here in Syracuse. If we do this right, other industrial commerce cities will use us as a model toward moving into a new form of growth."
Rebuilding the outlying communities around SU's campus could also have a positive effect on students.
"Sometimes when I go to Armory Square with my friends, when we come back we have to go through these areas, and it's not a representation at all of a campus life that I'm used to," said Karah Preiss, a freshman broadcast journalism major.
Preiss said the university's role in economic development is important.
George Lambert, a custodian for SU North Zone for one year, said what the university does in the community is important.
"Using the community nearby for an art district is a smart idea," Lambert said. "It helps rebuild the neighborhood and also brings business into the area where it is poor."
rmweylan@syr.edu
HHQ has purchased 16 houses in the Blodgett School neighborhood and has plans to purchase more than 40, said Karen Schroeder, the marketing and resource development manager for HHQ and Syracuse Neighborhood Initiative.
"Home HeadQuarters is also making exterior improvements to houses in the neighborhood, and they plan to build new houses adjacent to the two warehouses," Higgins said. "There are also plans to move WCNY to a newly constructed broadcast and education center built on a vacant lot in the neighborhood."
And SU is developing the initiative into its class structure as well.
"They (students) are learning the history of the Near Westside and learning design concepts to employ in the neighborhood there," Higgins said. "We also have an additional three classes taught in the School of Architecture. One deals with redesigning residential homes, one class is working on the neighborhood planning process and the other class is working on the warehouse redesign."
Higgins said the university is pleased with the steps it's taking in restoring the campus' surrounding neighborhoods.
"I think the chancellor's efforts in this regard will put SU on the map," Higgins said. "There are a lot of other cities in the country looking at us and watching what we are doing. We are having to create a new economy structure here in Syracuse. If we do this right, other industrial commerce cities will use us as a model toward moving into a new form of growth."
Rebuilding the outlying communities around SU's campus could also have a positive effect on students.
"Sometimes when I go to Armory Square with my friends, when we come back we have to go through these areas, and it's not a representation at all of a campus life that I'm used to," said Karah Preiss, a freshman broadcast journalism major.
Preiss said the university's role in economic development is important.
George Lambert, a custodian for SU North Zone for one year, said what the university does in the community is important.
"Using the community nearby for an art district is a smart idea," Lambert said. "It helps rebuild the neighborhood and also brings business into the area where it is poor."
rmweylan@syr.edu
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