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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
A $56 million revitalization project in the community west of Armory Square isn't expected to happen over night. In fact, the endeavor could take upward of five years.
But with a group effort and partnering of community organizations into the Near Westside Initiative, progress is being made every day since it started in September.
The nonprofit group is spearheaded by Syracuse University, which has contributed $13.8 million as part of a debt repayment to the city.
SU is creating a Syracuse Arts, Technology & Design Quarter in the impoverished community.
"This initiative is a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plan," said Marilyn Higgins, vice president for community engagement and economic impact at SU, and head of the nonprofit initiative board. "This area hasn't seen any adjustments made in the last 50 years."
The group is converting a strip of houses into the new center, Higgins said.
"We have also been engaging the residents themselves into rebuilding their own community," she said. "This will be a community of residences and workspaces designed for artists, designers and innovators."
According to a news release from the Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, the goals of the home performance study being conducted are to understand energy use and Indoor Environmental Quality in homes and to identify the need for new technologies that reduce energy use and increase IEQ in the homes in the Near Westside.
Homeowners within the area who have already been approved for energy improvement grants from Home HeadQuarters, Inc. are automatically enrolled in the study, according to the release.
The Syracuse Center of Excellence is "using new technology involved in making green improvements to owner-occupied homes," Higgins said. "So far they have done 17 homes in the area, making them more energy-efficient."
Neighborhood initiative grants of $2,500 are being offered by HHQ to owner-occupants to make energy improvements and $5,000 to Blodgett School neighborhood homeowners to make exterior improvements.
But with a group effort and partnering of community organizations into the Near Westside Initiative, progress is being made every day since it started in September.
The nonprofit group is spearheaded by Syracuse University, which has contributed $13.8 million as part of a debt repayment to the city.
SU is creating a Syracuse Arts, Technology & Design Quarter in the impoverished community.
"This initiative is a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plan," said Marilyn Higgins, vice president for community engagement and economic impact at SU, and head of the nonprofit initiative board. "This area hasn't seen any adjustments made in the last 50 years."
The group is converting a strip of houses into the new center, Higgins said.
"We have also been engaging the residents themselves into rebuilding their own community," she said. "This will be a community of residences and workspaces designed for artists, designers and innovators."
According to a news release from the Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, the goals of the home performance study being conducted are to understand energy use and Indoor Environmental Quality in homes and to identify the need for new technologies that reduce energy use and increase IEQ in the homes in the Near Westside.
Homeowners within the area who have already been approved for energy improvement grants from Home HeadQuarters, Inc. are automatically enrolled in the study, according to the release.
The Syracuse Center of Excellence is "using new technology involved in making green improvements to owner-occupied homes," Higgins said. "So far they have done 17 homes in the area, making them more energy-efficient."
Neighborhood initiative grants of $2,500 are being offered by HHQ to owner-occupants to make energy improvements and $5,000 to Blodgett School neighborhood homeowners to make exterior improvements.
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