SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A new housing development broke ground on Syracuse’s Near Eastside, promising to address the city’s housing crisis while promoting diversity. The project, named Rosie, will add 286 new apartments and 1,000 square feet of retail space along East Genesee Street.
City officials have long awaited this development, which was first envisioned nearly eight years ago. Mayor Ben Walsh attributed the delay to new city zoning codes and challenges in financing and development.
“When all is said and done, there will be 97 studios, 51 one-bedrooms, and 139 two-bedrooms,” said Walsh. The project will include 34 affordable units for those at 80% of the area median income.
Eric Ennis, Executive Director of the Syracuse Industrial Development Agency, emphasized the project’s focus on mixed-income housing. “This is one that’s even more geared towards that mixed income housing approach that the mayor had just talked about. And so this is a project that we really feel strongly moved the needle for the type of mixed income, mixed use development we want to see happening here in Syracuse,” said Ennis.
Mayor Walsh highlighted the project’s unique focus. “This one is different while it is continuing a theme of developing along the East Genesee Street, corridor to the east, this project is different in that it isn’t primarily targeted at student housing. This is really about professional and workforce housing for whether it’s, you know, a young professional, maybe empty nesters or maybe graduate students,” said Walsh.
Officials stressed the project’s inclusivity, with minority and female-owned businesses involved. While the price points of the units have not been released, developers assured they will reflect market rates.