Washington, D.C. — On Friday December 23rd, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand are announcing that several of their priorities for Syracuse, including $2,500,000 in federal funding for security enhancements at Syracuse Hancock International Airport, were successfully passed in the final omnibus funding package for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. Together, the senators secured $10.76 million for projects that will directly impact the Syracuse community. Notably, the senators secured $1.1 million to support suicide prevention efforts and $900K to center research, diagnostic expertise, clinical specialists, and medical education resources for Lyme and tick-borne disease at SUNY Upstate Medical University.
“From increasing public safety to expanding SUNY Upstate’s mental health services to boosting the Food Bank of Central New York, these projects will address some of the most critical infrastructure, public health, and community needs across the greater Syracuse area,” said Senator Schumer. “This funding means good-paying jobs, better healthcare, clean drinking water, revitalizing our neighborhoods, and so much more. I am proud to deliver this major investment of nearly $11 million in Central New York’s future.”
“I’m proud that I was able to secure nearly $11 million in this year’s funding package to invest in the future of Syracuse,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I will remain vigilant in the Senate fighting for the resources that will help make transportation seamless, improve public safety and health, and create new jobs in Central New York. It is more important now than ever that we invest in the infrastructure that Syracuse needs to ensure that the city continues to be a fixture for economic growth in Upstate New York.”
Project |
Award |
| Syracuse Police Cadet Program: The Cadet Program is intended to work with inner city young adults who have recently graduated high school, completed the Junior Cadet Program, and are still not eligible to become Police Officers. The program will offer fitness and academic training to prepare young adults to enter the Police Academy with a high probability for success. | $500,000 |
| City of Syracuse Public Water Intake No. 2 Extension: This project will extend the City of Syracuse #2 public drinking water intake pipe in Skaneateles Lake to deeper water. The investment will help prevent the need to construct water treatment facilities for the City and the villages of Skaneateles, Jordan, and Elbridge at the cost of several hundred million dollars to state and local governments. Without the extension, the water supply is susceptible to intake closures due to turbidity and Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB) events. | $1,500,000 |
| SUNY Upstate Medical Center – Suicide Prevention Center: With $1.1 million in federal support, along with SUNY Upstate Medical Centers own funding commitments and pursuit of state funds, it is anticipated that the Upstate Suicide Prevention Center will be able to serve at least 600 youth and young adults annually over the next five years in outpatient settings and in 50 school districts across Central New York. The funding will help support innovative evidence-based treatments, expanded telehealth counseling, and care collaborations with community agencies, medical providers, and school counseling centers. | $1,100,000 |
| Crouse Health- Emergency Services: Access to Care: This funding will be used to enhance the rapid evaluation unit of Crouse Health’s emergency department, enabling it to reconfigure the current space and build out into an adjacent area. The emergency department benefits the community by serving as a resource for ill and injured patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and expanding the space will help staff continue attending to patients’ urgent medical needs. | $1,010,000 |
| SUNY Upstate Medical Center – Multidisciplinary Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Treatment Center: A growing number or Lyme and other tick-borne diseases are increasingly endemic in the US, particularly in places like Upstate New York, yet many cases go long-undiagnosed and under-treated due to a lack of health care infrastructure specifically devoted to these illnesses. Under one roof, the SUNY Upstate Multidisciplinary Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Treatment Center will combine the research, diagnostic expertise, clinical specialists, and medical education resources that sufferers of these insidious diseases need, when they need it most. | $900,000 |
| City of Syracuse Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative (RNI) Blight Remediation and Emergency Abatement Project: This project will provide funds to address emergency unsafe housing conditions in occupied rental properties. It will also support substantial blight remediation and/or removal of structures in order to make those sites ready for redevelopment to support Mayor Walsh’s Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative. | $1,000,000 |
| Food Bank of Central New York Capacity Expansion Project: This project, which is slated to begin by 2023, will consist of a 32,740 square foot expansion of the organization’s current structure. The expansion will allow for increased storage for nonperishable foods, several staff offices, and a dedicated space for volunteers to sort and pack donated foods for distribution, enhancing the food bank’s ability to meet the needs of families in its service area. Serving approximately 25% of the state, The Food Bank of Central New York’s hunger relief efforts are supported by the many partnerships they have developed since the founding of organization. Through these partnerships, they are working to serve an estimated 200,000 individuals per month through one or more food distribution points within their network. | $2,000,000 |
| Syracuse Airport (SYR) Consolidated Airport Operations Command Center Project: Syracuse Airport will relocate security and communications space into a single, hardened facility. Centralizing the physical location of the communications center will enhance the interaction and coordination between all staff including law enforcement officers, Security, Terminal, Airfield Maintenance and Airfield Operations. Structural improvements with space layout and wiring will provide the foundation for a fully capable Security and Operations facility and provide the ability to communicate effectively in daily operations, the event of a weather advisory, terrorist event, industrial accident, or other crisis. | $2,500,000 |
| InterFaith Works of Central New York – Transition Home for New Americans: The requested funds will be used to renovate a vacant and dilapidated land bank property in Syracuse and convert it into a welcoming home for refugees upon their arrival to the United States through the federal refugee resettlement program. This project will: enhance the quality of resettlement services provided to refugees in Syracuse, ensure that the housing needs of families are met, eliminate hotel expenses often incurred by new arrivals, contribute to the revitalization of Syracuse’s Northside neighborhood and improve operational efficiencies in InterFaith Works’ housing selection and set-up process. | $248,000 |
