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4 Historic Apartment Buildings Get New Life Using Multiple Incentives

Chris Bolt/WAER News

Mayor Stephanie Miner and developers cut the ribbon Monday on 4 renovated historic apartment buildings that had been deteriorating.  Two of the buildings make up Kasson Place Apartmentson James Street, taking advantage of a range of state and federal incentives.  Miner had an interest in preserving the structures.

“They have great historical significance.  The one we’re standing in front of actually housed F. Scott Fitzgerald for a number of years.  they are distinctive architecturally and they represent our past as a city, but now because of the hard work of Conifer and our state partners and the city, they also represent the future of Syracuse.” 

Conifer Realtytook advantage of state historic tax credits, federal low income housing tax credits and other incentives to make the project viable. 

Credit Chris Bolt/WAER News
Conifer and the city wanted to preserve historic value of the buildings, now called Kasson Place on James Street.

President Tim Fournier  calls it more than just a renovation.

“Grand historic structures are revitalized and provided a rebirth; crimes are significantly reduced; neighborhoods are reclaimed; 140 tradespeople are working right across the street today.  This is about economic development.  It’s not just housing, these are jobs as well.” 

The Kasson buildings on James Street have a small portion of units set aside for low-income residents.  The Hillsideand West Park Apartmentsare for families earning up to 60-percent of the area median income.  The cost of all the renovations topped 28 (M) million dollars. 

Chris Bolt, Ed.D. has proudly been covering the Central New York community and mentoring students for more than 30 years. His career in public media started as a student volunteer, then as a reporter/producer. He has been the news director for WAER since 1995. Dedicated to keeping local news coverage alive, Chris also has a passion for education, having trained, mentored and provided a platform for growth to more than a thousand students. Career highlights include having work appear on NPR, CBS, ABC and other news networks, winning numerous local and state journalism awards.