Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Historic Mansion Returning to its Former Glory

A vacant, boarded-up mansion that held a gloomy presence over the corner of East Genesee and Westcott streets for years now shines as an example of historic preservation.  The exterior of the former Babcock-Shattuck house is all but finished, and work has shifted inside.  Plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling are mostly installed, and framing is ready for drywall.   The Queen Anne-style house was built in 1895, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.  The building sat empty for more than two decades before The University Neighborhood Preservation Association bought it in 2012.  The non-profit is turning the house into four condos.   
Michel expects the smaller units to go for 150 to 175 thousand dollars, and the larger ones for around 275-thousand.  He says they have to sell the condos at prices to cover the $900,000 cost of the project, minus grants.  In all, the restoration totals about $1.4 million.   Michel hopes the units will be substantially finished on June 8th, when there will be an open house in conjunction with the Westcott Art Trail.   He says the entire project should be done by late July, and the condos could be on the market soon after.  

 

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.