"The twelve-story, 1924 Hotel Syracuse closed in 2004, and fell into a vortex of disrepair, tax arrears, liens and foreclosure,” said Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League. “Several developers tried to launch a restoration, but all efforts were doomed. In 2014, Ed Riley assembled a team of financial and professional partners, and the transformation began. From a forty-foot, c. 1948 mural in the lobby to cast stone elements at the roofline – even the hotel’s renowned “coffin doors” – architectural and decorative elements were restored to meet National Park Service and State Historic Preservation Office criteria. The project has qualified for State and Federal rehabilitation tax credit programs and is contributing to the revitalization of downtown Syracuse.”
The Hotel Syracuse was the region’s premier hotel for many decades, and was the signature venue for celebrations and social events. Its closure was a setback to the revitalization of downtown. The restoration included all historic spaces on the ground floor, lobby, mezzanine, hotel floors and tenth floor ballroom. On the ground level, new restaurants, a coffee shop and a barbershop have reactivated the storefronts, and the new restaurants will feature outside dining, enlivening the sidewalks. The Marriott Syracuse Downtown will serve as the host for the 2017 World Canal Conference, a five-day world-class conference marking the bicentennial of the Erie Canal, and has resumed its role as a destination for Central New York.
Preservation League of NYS: Excellence in Preservation Award Winners Announced, Albany, NY – 5/4/17 The League’s statewide awards program honors notable achievements in retaining, promoting and reusing New York State’s irreplaceable architectural heritage.
