New Jersey developer proposes 286-unit apartment building in Syracuse

A Camden, New Jersey, company is taking a second stab at trying to get the OK to build a 286-unit apartment building in Syracuse.

Northside Genesee Associates is seeking the approval from city officials to build the complex at 1301 East Genesee Street after having a similar proposal rejected by planners in 2019, Syracuse.com reported.

The five story building would have 150 parking spaces and take up most of the block on East Genesee Street between Walnut Avenue and Pine Street, the outlet reported.

To make way for the building, nine smaller structures on the block would have to be demolished.

The second plan is similar to the first, which called for 283 units in a six-story structure. The first plan was knocked back by the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals by a 4-0 vote. The developer needs variances for setbacks, lot coverage and building height, according to the outlet.

A public hearing on the project was held Thursday.

The company said in its application that the proposed building is across the street from a six-story student-housing building across the street at 505 Walnut that opened five years ago. That building was constructed by Michaels Development, which is the parent company of Northside Genesee Associates, Syracuse.com said.

“The variances requested for the proposed setbacks, coverage and height are not substantial since they will maintain consistency with new developments that have occurred with close proximity during the last few years,” the company wrote, according to the outlet.

Proposed rents were not included in the application. 

The proposal comes on the heels of a January report by CNY Fair Housing that noted zoning restrictions in Onondaga County had blocked the development of housing options beyond single-family housing, and reinforced racial segregation. 

Still, for landlords looking outside the box for returns, the market in upstate New York has become an attractive destination. A growing number of real estate firms traditionally focused on the five boroughs and New Jersey’s urban cores have looked to build in places like Syracuse in recent years.

— Ted Glanzer