Envisioning Abandoned Spaces
Loiza, Puerto Rico  

Last year the Greater Syracuse Land Bank and six community leaders from Syracuse were selected to join Center for Community Progress’s 2022-23 Community Revitalization Fellowship program, a nationwide training program that aims to grow grassroots-driven efforts to combat vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties through Creative Placemaking. In July, the Syracuse cohort hosted the two other grant recipients from Loiza, Puerto Rico, and Braddock/East Pittsburgh/North Braddock (BEN), Pennsylvania, displaying our efforts to transform underutilized vacant space.  The tour included: Sankofa Park (adjacent to Beauchamp Library), the Salt City Market, and the Westside Gateway including “A Love Letter to Syracuse” bridge murals and Lipe Art Park. 

Recently the Syracuse fellows traveled to Loiza, Puerto Rico to see how the resident leaders there have “rescued” abandoned spaces and given them a new purpose. Located east of San Juan, Loiza is in a flood zone and bordered by the Rio Grande – “Great River” with only one bridge connecting it to the prominent tourist community.  It's an area with Puerto Ricans of African descent rich in art, culture, and dance.  The tour featured COPI-Corporation Pinones se Integra, Escuela Goyin Lanzo-Centro Comunitario Parcelas Suarez Loiza, El Ancon, and Centro Comunitario Emiliano Figueroa Torres.  Two of the spaces were former schools closed after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. The community spaces displayed art murals from local Loiza artists highlighting the cultural Bomba dance along with the Puerto Rican Flag.  

These learning exchanges will show our Syracuse fellows see how other communities have used creative placemaking as a strategy for community revitalization.  In May, the last learning exchange will conclude in an area east of Pittsburgh known as BEN (Braddock, East Pittsburgh, North Braddock). Upon completion of the three learning exchanges, each community will receive a $10,000 grant to implement a new creative placemaking project. This grant is made possible by the support of the Oak Foundation. 

Currently, there are over 900 properties in the land bank inventory with the majority being vacant lots.  Vacant lots have been traditionally used as ”green spaces” for community gardens and as side lots to increase yard space for homeowners. As an institutional partner, the Land Bank is working with resident leaders who are already doing the work in our marginalized neighborhoods to address community and economic development challenges. The Syracuse Fellows will be seeking community input on how these vacant spaces can be re-envisioned using creative placemaking. Click here to see some examples of placemaking ideas featured by the Center for Community Progress from across the county.  

Our Syracuse Fellows:
Patrona Jones‐Rowser Community leader who helped repurpose Sankofa Park into Urban Marketplace for local entrepreneurs.   Facilitator for Southside Tomorrow Neighborhood Today (TNT) overseeing the Beautification taskforce.
Oceanna Fair Community activist who is passionate about lead poisoning and is currently the Southside Leader for Families for Lead Freedom Now.
David Haas A social media influencer who highlights vacant properties in Syracuse sharing the history of the previous owners and finding the beauty in the original character of these distressed homes. Also an Eastwood TNT facilitator and neighborhood advocate.
Rasheada Caldwell Works with community youth looking to find opportunities to help them be successful in life.  She also spearheads “Let Me Be Great #44” in honor of her son Rasheed Baker who was murdered in June 2017. She is a Syracuse Common Councilor, and works for the Allyn Family Foundation.
Syeisha Byrd Served on the board for Syracuse Urban Partnership and assisted in getting community input on transforming a vacant lot into what we now know as the Salt City Market.  Facilitator for Tomorrow Neighborhood Today (TNT) Northside sector.
Ed Griffin‐Nolan Revitalized an abandoned building on the Near Westside which has become a healing art, health, and fitness program center.    

Electronics Recycling Event
Saturday, April 22


 
Sunnking will hold a drive thru recycling event for electronic devices. Stay in your vehicle and the Sunnking Team members will unload the items. Advanced registration is required and will close the day before the event or when all time slots are fully booked.  See a list of acceptable materials.  

Paper Shredding Event 
Saturday, May 6th
9:00 am-Noon
Pink Parking Lot of Destiny USA
(off of Solar Street)

Protect your identity and safely get rid of confidential documents for FREE.  There is a five-box maximum and boxes should measure no more than 10" x 12" x 15".   For more information and to register click here. 

Renovation Spotlight
    128 Wadsworth St.
 

                        Before                                                  After Renovation     
  

For some homebuyers, buying a Land Bank property and managing a substantial renovation project can be challenging.  It requires time, energy, and professional skills to make sure work is done correctly and to code and to hire and manage contractors. So we do allow flippers to purchase homes in our Home Ownership Choice program so that they can be renovated and sold move-in-ready to owner-occupant buyers who don't want to take on such a daunting project. That's what happened with 128 Wadsworth Street.  The house was purchased by the Umoja Real Estate Group, LLC in our Home Ownership Choice Program with plans to renovate and resell to an owner-occupant.  It's fully remodeled with an updated bathroom and kitchen, a new hot water tank and furnace, refinished hardwood floors, and new interior and exterior paint throughout. The home is already under contract with an owner-occupant buyer. 

                         Before                                                  After Renovation
 
 
 
 
 

Tenant to Home-Owner Program.  Some properties are occupied at the time the Land Bank acquires them. Under our Tenant to Homeowner Program, they have the first opportunity to purchase and can do so noncompetitively. (Note: The Land Bank’s disposition policy prohibits the sale of properties back to the owner who was foreclosed upon for tax-delinquency or the immediate family member of the prior owner.) The Land Bank requires all first time homebuyers to take a HUD-approved homebuyer education course.

SOLD!
 

Purchase offers on the following properties were accepted at the March Board of Directors meeting: All Land Bank buyer information is also listed on our website under the "Public Reporting" section. 

507 Hamilton St.
104 Pond St.
102 Rosewood St.
413 Massena St.
110 Glahn Ave.
109 Stevens Pl. 
207 Pond St.
211 Pond St.
624-26 Richmond Ave.
620 Richmond Ave.
137 Eureka St.
101 Wood Ave.

244 Hier Ave 
Syracuse, NY 13203
Asking Price: $18,000.00
Renovation Estimate: $71.877.00
Home Ownership Choice (HOC): Yes

Northside three bedroom, one bathroom, a living room, a formal dining room home with major water damage. This home must be sold to an owner-occupant or renovated and resold to an owner-occupant. 

Download renovation specs here: https://bit.ly/244HierAve
The buyer will need to show proof of funds in the amount of $90,000.

918 Lafayette Ave W 

Syracuse, NY 13207
Asking Price: $12,000.00
Renovation Estimate: $62,363.00
Home Ownership Choice (HOC): Yes

 Elmwood fixer-upper with two bedrooms, one full and one-half bathroom, and some fire damage.  This home must be sold to an owner-occupant or renovated and resold to an owner-occupant.

Download renovation specs here: https://bit.ly/918LafayetteW
The buyer will need to show proof of funds in the amount of $74,000.00