The new City Center Building in downtown Syracuse had its official grand opening on Wednesday.
The historic location, originally home to Keith’s Theatre in 1920 followed by Sibley’s Department Store, has now been transformed into a $40 million, mixed-use facility that serves as a focal point for efforts to revitalize the downtown area.
The four-story facility includes 240,000 square-feet of commercial space and an attached 750-car parking garage. Among the companies operational at the new facility are project developer and construction manager The Hayner Hoyt Corporation; all-domain defense and technologies partner Huntington Ingalls Industries; green IT technology company CXtec/TERACAI; and Tompkins Community Bank. The renowned Redhouse Arts Center, a partial building owner, is also located on-site.
“The new City Center Building marks the start of a new, exciting, and prosperous chapter in downtown Syracuse,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “By investing in vibrant community anchors like City Center, welcoming new businesses to the area, and leveraging our local partnerships, my administration is committed to revitalizing community districts in Central New York and all across our state.”
The renovation of the City Center Building follows several major investments to revitalize Syracuse’s central commercial district, building on priorities set by Governor Hochul and the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council. Those efforts include the revitalization of the historic Hotel Syracuse, now known as the Marriott Syracuse Downtown; the expansion of The Tech Garden, which is helping forward-thinking entrepreneurs to grow their ideas; the creation of the Salt City Market; the renovation of the former Excellus building into the Icon Tower multi-use facility; the redevelopment of the former Post-Standard building; and the establishment of JMA Wireless’s global headquarters on Cortland Avenue among other projects.
