A message from Marilyn Higgins The cacophony of people and practices that comprise the Near Westside Initiative continues to earn coveted national awards and the admiration of cities and urban revitalization experts from around the nation. Although Maarten Jacobs and I do our best, it is difficult to explain how this works.

It is hard to describe how a mother, outraged at the presence of used needles on her block, can easily join forces with a University Professor, a public broadcasting entrepreneur, a housing expert, a visiting artist, a parish priest , the neighborhood grocery store and a class of journalism students to make 26 square blocks a better place to live. This is what happens every day in the SALT District.

A Near Westside Board member sent me an article by David Brooks following a neighborhood tour this summer that described the “crooked timber mentality”. It was her reflection that THIS is what we have going for us on the Near Westside.

In the article the author explains that people with crooked timber mentality are anti-perfectionist. They design structures that “have a lot of give for when people screw up”. He states that “the mature people one meets often have this crooked timber view, having learned from experience how to make a friend of every stupid stumble”.I heartily agree. The Near Westside Initiative has stumbled and conquered and now, it is growing up.

Sincerely,

Marilyn Higgins, Syracuse University Vice President, Office of Community Engagement and Economic DevelopmentMember, NWSI Board of Directors

THE NEAR WESTSIDE INITIATIVEThe Syracuse Art, Literacy, Technology (SALT) District of the Near Westside is directed by the Near Westside Initiative Inc. (NWSI), a not-for-profit organization. Syracuse University and The Gifford Foundation jump started this initiative. SU School of Architecture’s UPSTATE, the Syracuse Center of Excellence and Home HeadQuarters have played pivotal roles in the project.

The NWSI leverages the resources of SU, the state, the county, the city, private foundations, businesses, not-for-profit corporations, and neighborhood residents to achieve its goals. A creative community is converging here to foster economic development, jobs and stability for the neighborhood, and rich academic experiences for SU students. Within this neighborhood, the premise that art and culture can unite to create a revitalized community is being tested and is proving to be true.

MISSION& VISION 04

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THANKYOU SU

TEAM

HISTORY

PROJECTS

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Created in 2007 by the Near Westside Initiative Board

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MISSION

VISIONDiverse cultures will converge and thrive on the Near Westside. Residents will help design and become fully vested in the project.

The revitalization will be fueled by interdisciplinary scholarship, international connections, and the seed capital and commitment of Syracuse University. It will be sustained by the residents, businesses, foundations, and the local government of Syracuse.

A community of artists and innovators will become property owners within a cluster of

renovated warehouses and new structures centering in and around West and Wyoming Streets, creating a link between the Near Westside and Armory Square.

Many new and/or renovated homes will be constructed for owner occupancy throughout the neighborhood. The historic architecture of this, the oldest neighborhood in Syracuse, will be preserved whenever possible.

New construction and neighborhood planning will demonstrate sustainability in urban design and serve as a test bed for green and clean

technologies emerging from the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems.

The project will create jobs, home ownership opportunities, and beautiful public spaces for the people who live in the neighborhood.

A vital neighborhood association will be the catalyst for creating bridges between new and current residents, students, and businesses involved in this effort.

Combine the power of art, technology, and innovation with neighborhood VALUES and CULTURE to revitalize Syracuse’s Near Westside.

By Paul Nojaim, Chairman NWSI Inc.

From the corner of creativity that is Marion Wilson and her students at 601 Tully, to the rain barrels introduced to our back yards by the Syracuse Center of Excellence, the Near Westside of Syracuse bleeds orange.

Your students with their clipboards, easels and endless surveys are changing the fabric of life in this neighborhood. Your faculty members are provoking conversations that have needed to happen for years. Your staff is drawing the attention of national foundations and organizations to our collective work and shining an international spotlight on what is possible when an anchor institution steps honestly into partnership with a neighborhood like ours.

The impact of the work by faculty and students will inevitably change the lives of many who live in the Near Westside community - we also believe it will change the lives of those students and faculty who have learned from the experience. We are indebted to the Administration and Board of Trustees for their courage and leadership they have demonstrated by fostering this unique partnership.

Thank You SU - For Anchoring Our Revival

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Stacey Lindbloom 2013/2014 Syracuse University Engagement Scholar

“Working for the Near Westside Initiative over the last year has been a terrific

learning experience. It was a year to test out many skills invaluable to any working

environment.....However the real value of the experience was not in the actions but through

the people I engaged with at the university and in the neighborhood”.

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Dr. Thomas Dennison + Rebecca Bostwick from the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion

Crystal Cosentino- Home HeadQuarters

Juan Cruz - Patch Up StudiosRick Destito - Gear FactorySheena Solomon - Rosamond

Gifford Charitable Corporation

Susan Furtney - St. Joseph’s Hospital

601 TullyBoys & Girls ClubByrne DairyCab FabCenterState CEOCooperative Federal Credit

UnionCity of SyracuseGreen & Seifter AttorneysHabitat for HumanityHabitat for Humanity SU & ESF Hiscock & Barclay, LLPHofmann HotdogsHome HeadQuartersHuntington Family CenterKing + King ArchitectsLa CasitaNational GridNojaim Bros. SupermarketNorthside UPNWS Business Association

Onondaga CountyOnondaga Earth CorpsPEACE Westside Family

Resource CenterProLiteracy InternationalSpanish Action League of Onondaga CountySteri-PharmaSt. Joseph’s Hospital/Westside

ClinicSt. Lucy’s Church & Learning

CenterSyracuse Center of ExcellenceSyracuse UniversityTalent AgencyUPSTATE: (School of

Architecture)WCNYWestside Arts CouncilWestside Family Health CenterWestside Residents Coalition

Ann Clarke -College of Visual Performing Arts

Bea Gonzalez - University CollegeElizabeth Liddy - School of

Information StudiesGeorge Langford - College of

Arts and SciencesJoanna O. Masingila - School of

EducationDiane Lynden Murphy - David

B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

James Steinberg - Maxwell School

831 West Fayette Street, LLCAlchemical Nursery Project, Inc.Delavan Center, Inc.Isaiah’s Table King + King ArchitectsOnondaga Small Business

Development CenterProLiteracyReed CNY Business Law P.C.Rescue MissionSignature Band and Choir CampTickets.comTripsPlusOne, Inc.WCNY

Scott AllynMaritza AlvaradoSean BranaganTim CarrolDr. Luis CastroMike Falcone, Jr.Regina GabrielleKathy Goldfarb-FindlingEddie GreenAaron JamesMike KelleherDarlene KerrFr. Jim MathewsMike McMahonAnne MessengerTaino PalermoRita PaniaguaMaria RevellesMark RobbinsGladys Smith

Dirk SonnebornMark SweeneyBill VeitBen WalshSuzanne Williams

NWSI Staff:Maarten Jacobs - DirectorTaino Palermo - Community

OutreachAshley Rivera - Community

OutreachStacey Lindbloom - 2013

Engagement Fellow

Supported by SU:Marilyn Higgins - VP of

Community Engagement & Economic Development

Don Western - Executive Director

Cynthia Barrie - Senior Administrator

Kathy Pitt - Administrative Assistant

Dan Queri - Consultant

Cindy BarrieBill DelavanTanya EastmanBea GonzalezMarilyn HigginsCarole HoranZeke LeonardMargaret MartinJudith MowerPaul Nojaim

BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

STAFF

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY DEAN PARTNERS

ADDITIONAL LEADERSHIP

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

NATIONAL FOUNDATION SUPPORT

LOCAL FOUNDATION SUPPORT

A NON-TRADITIONAL TEAMBOARD OF DIRECTORS

Alvenas BellBrian Anderson Ed Bogucz Peter Dunn Bill Delavan Tanya Eastman Bea González Sheena Solomon

Robert DainoPaul Nojaim

Marion WilsonLeah TuckerPeter Thompson Pete Thomson

Dorene Quinn

Carole Horan Zeke Leonard

Isaac Rothwell

Marilyn Higgins Sharon Conteras Kevin McAuliffe Wilauer Mateo

Kerry Quaglia Mary Alice SmothersBen Sio Mary Lou Sayles Margaret MartinRalph Rimualdo

Judith Mower

Board President Paul NojaimBoard Vice-President Carole HoranBoard Treasurer Ben SioBoard Secretary Bea González

Maarten Jacobs, Director

PAST BOARD MEMBERS

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

Kerry QuagliaRalph RimualdoMary Lou SaylesPete ThomsonDon Western

Annie E. Casey FoundationArtplace Education Foundation of AmericaKresge FoundationSay Yes to Education

Central New York Community Foundation

Rosamond Gifford FoundationSt. Joseph’s Hospital FoundationLerner Center for Health

Promotion

$2.9m Restore NY funds awarded for housing and Lincoln Supply projectHHQ offers Neighborhood Initiative grants to NWS home-owners to make exterior home improvementsRep. James Walsh & Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll announce $250,000 of $1.2m in federal funds for NWS neighborhood improvementsSyracuse CoE & HHQ plan deconstruction of a NWS house, including workforce development, market development, and policy initiatives

NWSI is formed as a collaborative effort among Syracuse Univer-sity, the Gifford Founda-tion, the Center of Excellence (CoE), the School of Architecture (SoA) and area residents and civic leaders

‘06 ‘07

Certificate of Incorporation filed for “West Side Initiative, Inc.”First NWSI board meeting held at St. Lucy’s Rectory - adopted bylaws and elected officersBoard votes to pursue purchase of Case Supply Warehouse, Lincoln Supply as well as the vacant lot at 201 Wyoming Street

NWSI & Congressman James Walsh hold Press Conference at St. Lucy’s announcing $2.2m SNI funds for NWSThe ESDC approved a $13.5m debt reinvest-ment to the NWSMarilyn Higgins starts new position at SU as VP of Community Engagement & Economic DevelopmentSoA & HHQ announce partnership to transform 223 Marcellus Street into a neighborhood revitaliza-tion information center

NWSI Press Conference at City Lot/Wyoming Street announcing WCNY’s commitment to move to the Near Westside

CMD 352 students make presentations on solutions to improve NWS to the commu-nity, NWSI Board and SU Board of Trustees Marion Wilson’s class design plans for 601 Tully Street to include space for a classroom, café, gallery and officesDevelopment agreement executed between NWSI and WCNY for development of the WCNY broadcast center Lincoln building, first warehouse compeleted lit for grand openingRick desitio completes frst $1 home

“A Love Letter to Syracuse” – public art project on the NWS train bridges by Steve Powers

SoA’s From the Ground Up Competition (FTGU) finalists selected to build three homes; Livework House, Ted House, and R-HouseFirst HHQ renovation project sold on NWS - 422 Marcellus StreetThe Near Westside Arts Council holds Creative Bike Showcase CNY Works & Nojaims organize Youth Workforce Development Program - Artworks, Greenworks, FoodworksMaarten Jacobs starts as Director of NWSI

The Link House, a modular home designed by SU architecture students delivered and installed at 521 Tully

LaCasita Dedication Event in Lincoln BuildingConstruction begins at the Case Supply Complex to make way for WCNY and ProLiteracyNWS Multicultural Block PartyCourts For Kids Ribbon-Cutting at Skiddy Park Grand Opening 601 TullyBoard approves Loan Loss Reserve Agreement with Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union to support small business micro-loans

WCNY Moves into Case Supply BuildingProLiteracy Ribbon CuttingHome HeadQuarters Annual Block Blitz on Marcellus StreetArtPlace Grant Announced for SALT Quarters artist-in-residence studio on Wyoming StreetEconomic Development Council approves $1mil grant for Nojaims Supermarket expansion

WCNY grand openingFirst NWSI employee hired for Say Yes/NWSI community outreach program startedSalt Works, a social enterprise making furniture from reclaimed lumber, is foundedNeighborhood Navigator opens at Nojaim Bros. Grocery Store to assist community residents

‘10 ‘11‘09 ‘12 ‘13‘08By May, Home Head Quarters had or made plans to buy 64 of the 217 parcels in the “horse-shoe” around Skiddy Park

First NWS GreenTrain Graduation Paul Seymour Playground Ribbon Cutting in Skiddy Park

SALT Quarters opens containing: 2 apartments, 2 artist studios and a gallery; Artist in residency program begins

‘14Salt Works, a furniture social enterprise, is launched

Youth Leadership Team createdNWSI organizes first High School Graduation Party for neighborhood seniorsSt. Joseph’s new Westside Clinic opens to the publicNojaims Grocery Store undergoes multimillion dollar renovationWest Street sees dramatic change, becoming bike/pedestrian friendlyNWSI awarded $1 million for renovation to 3rd floor of CASE ComplexPeacemaking Initiative coming to the Near Westside, modeling Native American dispute settlement process

NWSIa brief history of the

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The most important aspect of neighborhood revitalization is genuine community engagement. With each project and program, the NWSI works hard to ensure that it is vetted, approved, and valued by the residents of our community.

“Seeing is believing” and nothing helps you believe like seeing blighted building restored. Through commercial and residential development, the NWSI and its partners are visually changing the physical landscape of the community.

The NWSI is using the power of arts and technology to create a more vibrant, creative, and safe community. By working with creative individuals, innovative ideas and solutions are be-ing formed to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.

Through extensive partnership with the public, private, and non-profit sectors, Syracuse University is creating meaningful opportunities for students and faculty to learn and discover, while tackling pressing issues in communities like the Near Westside, that resonate in our nation and world. Projects connected to Syracuse University students and/or faculty will be noted with the SU Seal.

community engagement

creative placemaking

engaged scholarship

property development

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Every year the Near Westside Initiative works on multiple projects through local

community partnerships. The following are a selection of this year’s accomplishments.

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Youth Summit, Youth Group

Movement on Main Demonstration Day

Christmas Party + Lights Competition

NWSI Board Retreat 2017 Vision

St. Jo’s Opening

Nojaims Remoldeing

Skiddy Park Field House

West St. Changes

SALT Works Launch

Say Yes Graduation

Salt Quarters

Say Yes Graduation Party

5th Annual Multicultural Block Party

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NWS teens attend day-long youth summit to get hands-on experience in creative fields, inspiring them to achieve their long-term educational goals.

NWSI creates re-life demonstration site of Movement on Main to help residents better understand and conceptualize the innovative approach to improving community health.

October 2013 November 2013

Youth Summit Inspires Neighborhood Teens Bringing Movement to Main To Life: A Demonstration Day

Partners: Education Foundation of America, SU School of Architecture, UPSTATE Design Center, STOSS Landscape Architects, Lerner Center for Public Health of the SU Maxwell School, and SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development

The NWSI, in cooperation with the National Council of La Raza, the largest national Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States, presented the #TURNUPCUSETOWN Youth Summit on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Fowler High School. Over fifty neighborhood students participated.

The summit was entirely organized by Say Yes neighborhood teens under the guidance of Taino Palermo, NWSI’s community organizer. The workshops were planned with feedback from nearly 200 students from Blodgett K-8 School and Fowler High School in the Syracuse City School District.

The workshops were led by professionals from the Syracuse area who offered their wisdom, knowledge, and hefty doses of inspiration. In the “Inner City to Medical School” workshop, panelists talked with students about how they made it from the inner city to medical school, and persevered. Other workshops featured careers in music and video production; the military; the restaurant business and the artistic world and technology.

Students had the opportunity to design a video game and learn how to design a piece of clothing or jewelry with the assistance of Syracuse University Fashion Design students.

The summit’s keynote address was delivered by SCSD alumnae Natasha S. Alford, an aspiring broadcast journalist with a background in education policy. A 2004 graduate of Nottingham High School, she graduated from Harvard University in 2008 and spent two years in the corporate world before joining Teach for America in 2010. “You have kids that took their Saturday to be here, to show they want to learn, to achieve their dreams “ Alsford said, “we have to be there to support them in that.”

For students, the summit was a way to demystify the process of reaching goals. “The overwhelming response and turnout of students across the district came from one simple approach – just ask them what they want, give it to them and they will show up and will take something back with them.” said Palermo.

The Near West Side Initiative invited members of the Near Westside neighborhood to experience a prototype of the Movement on Main competition-winning design, “Light-Play!,” on Wednesday, Nov. 6, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 115 Otisco St.

The project demonstration was created to show the proposed designs and materials, and to meet the designers. Throughout the late morning, over 150 residents, city and county officials, and Near West Side youth from Westside Academy at Blodgett School and Fowler High School came to experiment with the site.

Movement on Main seeks to tie together the investments being made on Wyoming Street with opportunities for play. This unique and innovative street redesign will create a new public gathering place that encourages the community to engage in the neighborhood’s emergent creative life through a variety of movement and new

technologies. “Light-Play!” focuses on shaping healthy bodies, a healthy street and a healthy—and vibrant—community in the Near West Side.

We are thrilled to present a prototype of Movement on Main to the community,” says Jacobs, director of the NWSI. “Knowing how hard it is to get a real feel for a project like this just based on a drawing, we felt it was really important to create a small-scale, interactive installation that allows people to experience the materials, the colors and some of the exercise equipment that has been proposed.”

The Movement on Main competition was enabled by funding by the Educational Foundation of America and currently the designs are being finalized and prepared for future construction and installation.

partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, Say Yes to Education, National Council of La Raza, Syracuse City School District, StudioDog, Talent Agency, SU Fashion Department, and UPSTATE Medical School 14

Over 20 families participate in competition bringing light and hope to the neighborhood during the holiday season.

Retreat Focuses and Energizes NWSI Board Members Looking Ahead to 2017

December 2013 January 2014

Christmas Party + Lights Competition NWSI Retreat: Creating a Vision for 2017

The 2013 Near Westside Initiative Holiday Party, hosted by the Near Westside Initiative and La Casita Cultural Center, was a great success with over 100 community members gathering to celebrate the holiday season and enjoying great music, food, and fun. The party was a wonderful opportunity to show appreciation for all who are working to revive the Near Westside neighborhood. During the holiday party, Near Westside residents had an opportunity to vote for the best decorated home in the neighborhood that participated in the “Lights Up Competition.”

This holiday season, the Near Westside Initiative introduced the 1st annual Near Westside Lights Up Competition, in which all residents of the Near Westside neighborhood were asked to participate by decorating their

house, apartment window, or front door with holiday-themed decorations. Extra decorations were also provided for participants to get them started. Photos were then taken of all participating homes and fellow residents were asked to vote for their favorite at the Near Westside Holiday Party. The 1st place, 2nd place, and 3rd place winners all went home with gift cards to help them celebrate their hard work and great effort. Over 20 families participated in the competition.

partners: La Casita Cultural Center, SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, SU College of Arts and Sciences, and Near Westside Board of Directors partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, NWSI Board of Directors, Organizational Partners, and Community Advocates

Each year in January, the Near Westside Initiative Board and community residents hold a retreat to review the previous year’s accomplishments and establish long and short term priorities. Through an entire day of sharing ideas, highlighting past successes, and brainstorming, the board focused on six key areas: housing, public safety, public messaging, business development, youth engagement, and governance. With these goals in mind, each board member and neighborhood partner committed to focusing on one issue for 2014 and doing whatever they could to help push the issue forward.

In creating a vision for 2017 a variety of goals were established. If accomplished, they will continue to radically transform the neighborhood in a comprehensive and sustainable way.

Some of the key components included:• Renovating the Westside Academy at Blodgett School • Developing the remainder of CASE Complex• Developing intergenerational programs• Increasing literacy and graduation rates by 10%• Creating a system to better track and assess the effects of the NWSI on the neighborhood• Supporting and expanding the entrepreneurial growth along Geddes St., Fayette St., and West St.• Celebrating and creating more opportunities for the focused and determined youth in the neighborhood

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Clinic brings comprehensive medical services to the neighborhood

February 2014

St. Joseph’s Primary Care West Opens

partners: St. Joseph’s Hospital, Nojaims Grocery Store, Lerner Center for Health Promotion, SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, and SU Maxwell School

partners: St. Joseph’s Hospital, Nojaims Grocery Store, Lerner Center for Health Promotion, Falk College, and SU Office of Com-munity Engagement and Economic Development

For the past decade, St. Joseph’s Hospital has operated a clinic in the Near Westside. Due to their great level of service, and their commitment to helping the Latino population in the neighborhood, they have seen more and more patients, reaching nearly 9,000 patients annually in 2012. With such a growing number of patients, and their ongoing dedication to the neighborhood, St. Joseph’s Hospital decided to build a new clinic. St. Joseph’s constructed a new $4.85 million health clinic, four times larger than the health center’s previous building at the rear of Nojaim’s parking lot near Seymour Street. The expanded center now has 12 providers, including three family medicine doctors, an obstetrician, a pediatrician, a behavioral health counselor and several physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Labeled as a “primary care center,” it places

an emphasis on food and nutrition education for low-income families and individuals, which comprised more than 75 percent of the center’s patients in 2012. “The whole system is centered on family care,” added Marylin Galimi, director of engineering and construction at St. Joseph’s. “Pediatrics, nutrition, behavioral health and adult services all under the same roof to be able to take care of the whole family.” The opening of the clinic was a monumental occasion for the neighborhood. Over a hundred neighborhood residents came out to celebrate including several dozen children from the neighboring schools. Following the ceremony, tours of the new clinic were given highlighting the comprehensive services available to its patients.

Nojaims grocery store renovation gets underwayMarch 2014

Grocery store and health clinic partner to reward healthy shopping

Nojaims Grocery Store has long been the hub of activity and information in the Near Westside. As the last remaining independently owned grocery store in the City of Syracuse, the Nojaim family has tirelessly committed to serving the neighborhood for over 90 years. To further that commitment, Nojaims Grocery Story began a $2.5 million expansion and renovation of its store thanks to a $1 million NYS grant made possible through the CNY Regional Economic Development Council and the support of the Low Income Investment Fund. The renovation will bring many needed improvements and updates to the store, but will go even further. Recognizing the increased rates of obesity, diabetes and other chronic illnesses in the neighborhood, Nojaims has teamed up with St. Joseph’s Hospital, the NWSI, and the Lerner Center for Health Promotion at SU’s Maxwell School, with funding

from Excellus Blue Cross/ Blue Shield, to teach customers and patients how to eat healthy and reward them for buying more nutritious foods. The Healthy Shopper Reward program allows customers to accumulate points based on the items they purchase. Healthy items like fruits and vegetables are worth more points than an unhealthy item like a candy bar. Customers get a plastic rewards card that will be swiped at the checkout every time they make a purchase so the store can keep track of their points. Customers who collect enough points by making healthy choices are eligible for a prize. If the customer agrees, the store will share the information with the health center so doctors can see if a patient with high blood pressure, for example, is eating potato chips or other salty foods. Participation by customers and patients in the health promotion programs will be strictly voluntary.

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SU Students present plans for a community-minded, vibrant field house for Skiddy Park

April 2014

Skiddy Park Field House Reimagined

partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, City Parks Department, SU School of Architecture, UPSTATE Design Center, Syracuse Housing Authority, Westside Academy at Blodgett School, and the Westside Residents Coalition

partners:

Throughout the 2014 Spring Semester, SU architecture and engineering students worked to re-imagine the underutilized Field House at Skiddy Park located in the heart of the neighborhood. The 16-week course started out with a series of meetings with community stakeholders, including the Parks and Recreation department, the Syracuse Housing Authority, the local K-12 schools and neighborhood residents.

The last community stakeholder meeting was held on April 24th at La Casita Cultural Center. All were invited to join in the pre-sentation of the student’s final design. The design seeks to respond to the concerns of community members and the Parks and Recreation department. Stakeholders were concerned about security, accessibility,

and lighting in the park. They also wanted the space to be open to community use for events or summer programming. With this in mind, the architecture students’ design, opens the field house with two entrances on the east and west facades. The space is also opened with the addition of a large skylight acting as a beacon of light at night for the park . This will increase visibility and ward off harmful activities. With funding in place, final review of the designs will occur in the Winter of 2015 and construction will begin in the Spring of 2015.

West Street - Take TwoApril 2014

Community action and city support lead to big changes

After decades “eight lanes of fury” is becoming pedestrian and bicycle friendly.

On December 12, 2013 38 residents of the Near Westside testified at the NYS Department of Transportation hearing on the future of Route 81 at Fowler High School. Neighbors beseeched New York State to repair the damage done to their neighborhood by the construction of West Street in the 1960’s before making any future plans for highways in the City.

What followed was the formation of an unprecedented partnership lead by Regional DOT Director Carl Ford and City of Syracuse Public Works Commissioner Pete O’Connor to implement a plan to calm traffic, improve sidewalks , add parking and bicycle lanes and make it possible for residents to cross safely from the neighborhood to the heart of the City.

With Phase One of the project completed, Near Westside residents, who were thoroughly engaged in the redesign, expressed their appreciation to the team by awarding them the “2014 Near Westside Initiative Groundbreaker Award”. A mid-block crossing at Otisco Street will be constructed in the Spring of 2015. Funds for the project were secured by the City of Syracuse, NYS Senator Dave Valesky and Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli.

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A social enterprise offering artisan furniture crafted from reclaimed materials by local residents to build a stronger, more sustainable community.

May 2014

Salt Works Launches First Line of Furniture

On May 29th, 2014 Salt Works, a social enterprise offering artisan furniture crafted from reclaimed timbers, was officially launched. Salt Works furniture is hand crafted from lumber salvaged during the renovation of historic warehouses by the Near Westside Initiative. The idea for the project came from Syracuse Center of Excellence director and NWSI board member, Ed Bogucz. In the process, several tons of old-growth timber beams were removed from the structures and transported just a few blocks away to be de-nailed, milled and transformed by neighborhood craftspeople. Salt Works lumber is comprised of old-growth hemlock, spruce, and yellow pine – with many cuts well over 150 years old.

Salt Works, a social enterprise that solves problems in society through a triple bottom line approach to people, planet and profit.

People – Salt Works provides living wages jobs and training for low-income residents.

Planet – Salt Works upcycles reclaimed materials once slated for landfill.

Profit – Salt Works crafts artisan furniture and the sales fund further training

The result is a striking collection of sustainable furniture ideally suited for offices and homes. The refined industrial aesthetic celebrates the history of the material without sacrificing comfort or functionality. Proceeds support workforce programs and empowering residents to become agents for sustainable, long-term revitalization within their communities.

June 2014

Celebrating Success with NWS Graduation PartyCommunity comes out to Celebrate It’s Graduating Seniors

partners: Say Yes to Education, SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Develop-ment, Syracuse City School District, and the Spanish Action League

partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts, Northside Urban Partnership, Centerstate CEO, Syracuse Habitat for Humanity, and the Kresge Foundation22 23

In early 2013, the NWSI met Tim “Noble” Jennings-Bey, coordinator of the trauma

response unit in the city of Syracuse, who recognized that negative behavior in the

neighborhood was being celebrated more than positive behavior. He told the NWSI that

too many city children grow up attending emotional vigils for victims of violent crime, or

tearful parties for young men coming or going from prison, reinforcing ultimately self-

destructive behaviors. He suggested that a shift in culture needed to happen; to celebrate

success and positive achievements.

For the Near Westside Initiative leaders, those words inspired the idea of celebrating

all of the neighborhood high school graduates and their families that helped their children

succeed. This is an important part of the “Say Yes” promise in Syracuse. At the end of

June, the NWSI hosted a graduation party in honor of neighborhood graduates on the

steps of Blodgett School. The students were picked up by a limo, dropped off at the

school, where they spoke about their future goals and plans. They were congratulated

by their friends, family, and the broader Near Westside community; slowly changing the

culture to celebrate the positive decisions of our neighborhood youth.

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partners:

Hosts 3 Artists in 1 Year, Over 30 Artists Apply to Be First Artists-in-Residence in the Near Westside

July 2014

SALTQuarters Artist in Residence Program

In 2013, the NWSI was funded by ArtPlace, a national foundation focused on Creative Placemaking, to transform a once vacant restaurant/bar into a hub for artists and creative individuals. By May of 2013 the building was transformed into SALTQuarters, a 4,000 square foot building, with two apartments, three art studios and a gallery. The goal of SALTQuarters is to generate a creative hub for artistic endeavors that engage with the Near Westside community.

Starting in July of 2013, the SALTQuarters artist in residence program provided a yearlong residency to a local artist and two, six-month residencies, to two national artists from outside Central New York. The local artist was John Cardone, a sculptor who had spent the previous two years working in the neighborhood at 601 Tully. John created maps of common pedestrian routes of Near Westside residents, highlighting their lack of transportation and

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their often long and challenging journeys to get to everyday places. Peter Edlund, from Brooklyn New York, was SALTQuarters’ first national artist. His work focused on the Haudenosaunee language and the original meaning of many of the local street names. His work was simple stencil graffiti, placed at intersections throughout the neighborhood to discover and interact with. Colleen Woolpert was the second national artist. Woolpert presented a three-part exhibit titled “Persistence of Vision.” The exhibits featured video work and installations as well as participatory elements focusing on how different people experience the world based on their vision.

In addition to their work, over a dozen gallery events were held at SALTQuarters, highlighting up-and-coming artists from the region as well as current Syracuse University student and faculty work.

partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, Syra-cuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts, and 601 Tully.

PETER EDLUND JOHN CARDONE COLLEEN WOOLPERT

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NWSI Staff and Neighborhood Teens Promote Community Interaction Through Bike Riding, Ice Cream, and Clever Notes

July 2014

Neighbor Day In The Near Westside 5th Annual Multicultural Block Party

partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, Salt Quarters Artists in Residence, and the NWSI Youth Leadership Team

partners: SU Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, Community on the Move, La Liga, La Casita, the Westside Residents Coalition, the Onondaga County Literacy Coali-tion, PEACE Inc., ProLiteracy, WCNY, CNY Latino, Gifford Foundation, CNY Community Foundation, Nojaims Grocery Store, Hoffman’s Hotdogs, and Byrne Dairy

On the afternoon of May 9, 2014, the

NWSI was inspired by the website GOOD.

to celebrate Neighbor Day, a day to really

focus on interacting with our neighbors.

Neighborhood teenagers worked with our

staff and engagement scholar to make

the day a success. Some of the teenagers

worked to create a mobile ice cream sale on

bikes. Ice cream sandwiches and popsicles

were sold for 25 cents but the catch was that

you couldn’t just buy one for yourself without

getting one for a neighbor or friend. By the

end of our two hour bike ride, which went

through Gifford, Oswego, Grace, Merriman,

Shonnard, Otisco, and Wyoming Streets, all

120 ice creams were sold and more than

80 community connections were made.

The other half of our group walked around

the neighborhood handing out colorful

notes, and inviting residents to interact with

neighbors. The notes read, This weekend

in the Near Westside we are celebrating

neighbors! So why not…, what followed were

hand-written suggestions by our Youth

Leadership Team on how to interact with

ones neighbors, for example: Play Dominoes,

Hug Someone, Invite your neighbors to a

BBQ, Offer to help a neighbor with something.

Both activities were run with the help of

our Youth Leadership Team, a group of high

school teen leaders living and going to school

in the neighborhood and looking to help

revitalize the Near Westside.

Over 1500 residents and 30 Organizations Visit Skiddy Park for a Must-See Multicultural Event

August 2014

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On August 14th, 2014 Skiddy Park was host to the 5th annual Multicultural Block Party. With great weather, and great partners, everything aligned to create a wonderful event for the community. Over 1500 people attended the Block Party, along with 35 organizations, and 100 volunteers. Skiddy Park was packed with tents, tables and chairs, and people as the community all enjoyed an afternoon of fun right in the heart of the neighborhood.

This year’s Block Party featured several diverse musical acts, dance troupes, face painting, inflatable, food sponsored by Hoffmans’ Hotdogs, balloon animals, a visit from a miniature pony, a dunk tank, raffles and giveaways, a variety of games for the kids, and more. As in years past, everyone danced and laughed the afternoon away in a safe, fun environment that continues to foster pride for the community each year.

The event concluded with the annual Risk Taker / Dream Maker awards ceremony. The following awards were given:

- Jesus Gonzalez, Resident Award- Obdulia Sterling, Resident Award- Kheyarre Vann, Youth Award- La Casita Cultural Center, Business Award- New York State Department of Transportation, Groundbreaker Award

The Warehouse, Suite 405350 W. Fayette St. Syracuse NY 13202-1202

315-443-0320mjacob01@syr.edu

In partnership with Syracuse University