Common Council votes to acquire property for Children’s Rising Center
The Syracuse City Common Council voted to acquire Latimer Terrace for the Children’s Rising Center and leased Eastwood Heights for neighborhood revitalization. The council also approved lead remediation for affected homes. Philip Bryant | Daily Orange File Photo
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The Syracuse City Common Council voted unanimously to acquire Latimer Terrace for the construction of the city’s Children’s Rising Center during its Monday meeting. The Syracuse Housing Authority previously owned the property.
The council also approved an agreement for SHA to gain ownership of the Eastwood Heights housing complex.
The property acquisition comes after Blueprint 15, a Syracuse-based nonprofit working to revitalize the East Adams neighborhood, suspended its development of the center on Feb. 3 after failing to meet several funding deadlines. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh previously expressed concern over the project’s shortcomings and said he would work with the council to advance the property’s land transfer from SHA, CNYCentral reported on Feb. 10.
Once construction at the property, 927 South State Street, begins, city officials will work with the council to reauthorize a lease agreement with Blueprint 15, according to Monday’s meeting agenda. Patrick Hogan, councilor for the city’s 2nd district, said he believes the project will receive the necessary funding to start development soon.
“This is difficult, but hopefully the Children’s Rising Center will rise again, and they’ll be able to get those $7 million,” Hogan said.
Along with the acquisition, the council also agreed to a lease between the city and SHA for Eastwood Heights, a former senior housing facility. The property, which will also be used for the East Adams project, is a three-story apartment building with 49 housing units.
SHA plans to renovate the entire area with a private-sector development partner and add four new residential units to the property.
The council also reached an agreement with Home HeadQuarters, Inc., to complete four full lead remediation repairs as part of a larger effort to combat the city’s widespread lead water crisis. Under the contract, the organization will complete full lead remediation repairs for four apartment units on Lincoln Street. It will work with the County’s Department of Health and Department of Community Development.
Once the repairs are completed, the Syracuse Model Neighborhood Corporation, an affiliate of Home HeadQuarters, will use the properties as interim rental units for families who are temporarily displaced from their homes and have children with elevated blood lead levels due to lead paint hazards.
During a special meeting on Feb. 18, Robert Brandt, the city’s commissioner of water, encouraged the council to expedite the city-wide lead pipe replacement process as advocates accused city and county officials of not prioritizing the crisis.
Syracuse Water Department tests in 2023 found 26.8 lead parts per billion in the city’s drinking water, almost double the level requiring government action of 15. In 2024, two different testing periods reported decreases, but were still above the federal threshold, at 15.8 ppb and 17.8 ppb.
Under the United States Environmental Protection Agency guidelines, all lead pipes must be replaced by 2034. City officials have previously said Syracuse’s replacement efforts are ahead of schedule.
Other business:
- The council authorized a Memorandum of Understanding between the Syracuse Police Department and LeMoyne College on behalf of the police department. The department will provide LeMoyne with a crime analyst and anti-violence coordinator, funded by the Gun Involved Violence Elimination grant.
- The council plans to apply for a community development block grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It will hold a public hearing about the application on March 31.
- Councilors also authorized the Southwest Community Center Capital Improvements Project for facade and gymnasium improvements at 401–445 South Avenue and Clover Street.
