Residential, Medical, Commercial, Retail, and Mixed-Use Uses Proposed for Former Shoppingtown Site
Project Creates New Jobs while Driving Sales Tax Revenue
Syracuse N.Y. – Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon today announced that a formal contract has been executed with OHB Redev which will allow for the redevelopment of the former Shoppingtown Mall site to move forward. The current site has sat largely vacant, dormant and abandoned for nearly a decade.
The contract calls for Onondaga County to be paid $8 million for the site as well as a study and closing period. The study and closing period will ensure that a thoughtful and comprehensive development plan, with full transparency and comment from local residents and local authorities, moves forward through the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (OCIDA), the town of DeWitt and County permits as well as a phased redevelopment of the site. The contract also includes a condition precedent to closing that would secure title to the adjacent former Sears and Macy’s stores.
District East to occupy space formerly known as Shoppingtown
The redeveloped site will be called District East and is designed around the residential and community experience. Integrating into the existing property footprint, District East is expected to include a significant residential component, a modern movie theater, premium grocer, specialty retail, and will include services, like doctors and medical offices. The project will also include new sidewalks, bike paths, walking trails, and large park and green space that will serve as a spearhead to the recently enhanced Empire State Trail.
County Executive McMahon said, “This is an exciting day for our community as we move forward with the redevelopment of the former Shoppingtown Mall site. My administration promised that we would make it a priority to protect the taxpayers of Onondaga County no matter who redevelops this site and the contract negotiated and executed with OHB Redev does just that.” McMahon continued, “Just as important, OHB Redev is a joint-venture firm between three of Central New York’s most prevalent development companies with documented knowledge, experience and expertise in construction and redevelopment as well as an impressive and successful record with local construction and redevelopment right here in Central New York. I thank them for the partnership and look forward to
seeing this long vacant property turned into a productive and vibrant destination for our community and region.”
OHB Redev’s Ryan Benz said, “Throughout the past ten months we have engaged some of the most capable and creative designers and consultants to help us craft the vision for this unique project. Our plans call for the wholesale demolition of the majority of the existing mall, to make way for a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly community. We’re anxious to get to work! It is an exciting time for the Town of Dewitt and for the region.”
Andy Breuer of Hueber-Breuer Construction, a principal of OHB Redev, said, “We are honored that the County has entrusted us with this opportunity. Our local team has watched for decades as Shoppingtown deteriorated. We take very seriously this responsibility to repurpose this site, and to establish District East as the new crossroads between the east side of Syracuse, the future Route 81, and the eastern suburbs.”
During construction, the project will support approximately 950 construction jobs. Once complete, District East is expected to enable nearly 1,500 on-site jobs and will drive approximately $12 million in sales tax revenue for the County and State.
The multi-stage redevelopment will include over 500 new residences including multiple forms of housing such as market rentals, townhomes, condos, and affordable senior housing; in partnership with Housing Visions, a market leader in affordable housing. District East will also include approximately 170,000 square feet of medical and office space, 250,000 square feet of high-quality retail, a national, high-quality grocer as well as multiple acres of parks and green space.
OHB Redev intends to submit for redevelopment benefits as well as the termination of reciprocal easement agreements (REA) to OCIDA with a forthcoming application.
