Demolition marks ‘major milestone’ in Syracuse Housing Authority’s East Adams project
The Syracuse Housing Authority and firm McCormack Baron Salazar have begun demolishing McKinney Manor, a 75-unit housing complex in the East Adams neighborhood. The site will make room for future housing projects such as East Adams Phase 1. Lars Jendruschewitz | senior Staff Photographer
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The Syracuse Housing Authority and property management development firm McCormack Baron Salazar began demolishing McKinney Manor, a 75-unit public housing complex, taking a major step Tuesday in the $1 billion redevelopment plan for the East Adams neighborhood.
Part of the East Adams Transformation Plan, the cleared site will make room for future housing projects, including the East Adams project’s first phase — a 132-unit mixed-income development — and the third phase — a 146-unit mixed-income development, according to a Tuesday release.
The project also advances city control of the Latimer Terrace property, creating room for community investments like the Children Rising Center – bringing early learning services and a YMCA to the neighborhood – according to the release.
“McKinney Manor has been home to generations of families and holds a meaningful place in our
community’s story,” SHA Executive Director William J. Simmons said in the release. “As we move forward, we honor that legacy and the lives that were built here.”
The Syracuse Common Council approved a $10 million grant for the plan in February. The grant was created to support the redevelopment of public housing units in the East Adams neighborhood, the city’s lowest-income zip code.
SHA led a relocation process for all former McKinney Manor residents earlier this year, with most households moving to other apartments in SHA’s portfolio or housing in the “broader community,” the release states. Residents will have the “right to return” once new housing is completed in 2027.
SHA’s website also lists resources for relocated residents, including an FAQ page, a resident information notice and meeting information.
The demolition is funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development through its Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant, awarded to the city in 2024.
Mayor Ben Walsh called the demolition “an important step in the East Adams Neighborhood Transformation,” emphasizing the city’s commitment to a connected, inclusive community while also honoring the historical significance of the 15th Ward, according to the release.
Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens, also the Democratic candidate for mayor, acknowledged the demolition as a step closer to planned neighborhood investments in the release. Owens said she views this as a “key milestone reached in support of children and families living in East Adams.” Owens serves as the board chair of Blueprint 15, a non-profit focused on the revitalization of the 15th Ward.
“After years of planning, this demolition marks the first visible step in a much larger
transformation underway in East Adams,” McCormack Baron Salazar Vice President Allyson Carpenter said in the release. “We’re proud to help lead the development of a thriving, mixed-income neighborhood rooted in opportunity, equity, and long-term stability.”
A community celebration for the first phase of the project is planned for December, the release states, with more details to be announced in the coming weeks.
