Downtown Syracuse Revamp

Syracuse will see federal funds making the downtown ‘Civic Strip’ more comfortable for businesses and pedestrians.

Gov. David Paterson is investing $1.55 million of federal money into the transformation of Syracuse’s downtown ‘Civic Strip’, a busy area for residents and out-of-towners.

The ‘Civic Strip’ is home to theatre houses, traveling performances throughout the year, the War Memorial Arena, and the Onondaga County Convention Center, a place for professional convention gathering.

The many attractions within the ‘Civic Strip’ already invite people on business and sporting events.

But the ‘Civic Strip’ conditions are currently not as friendly as they could be, with confusing sidewalks and dim lighting, making the federal funds investment worthwhile, community engagement representatives said.

Funding will bring about a “better impression for the city…encouraging more interaction,” Eric Persons, a representative for community engagement and economic impact at Syracuse University, said.

The county project will construct better pathways connecting galleries and parks, green space that will promote a sustainable environment, and vibrant lighting for safety, Persons said.

“The project will make the urban environment more user friendly…[a plan to] invest in technology that won’t be outdated in a few months or years,” Persons said.

Published reports indicate a June start-up date for the ‘Civic Strip’ project.