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Planners and residents work together to envision community after I-81 viaduct comes down

Attendees write ideas on sticky notes and post to maps of the I-81 viaduct project plans at the last community grid neighborhood design studio session.
Katie Zilcosky
/
WAER News
Attendees write ideas on sticky notes and post to maps of the I-81 viaduct project plans at the last community grid neighborhood design studio session.

Robin Crowder greets people as they walk into the design studio at the Dr. King School, offering a nametag, pens, paper and other supplies to those who walk in.

She’s a town planner with Dover, Kohl, and Partners. That’s the urban design firm hired by the city to create a master plan for the neighborhoods adjacent to the I-81 project.

The firm’s other planners are sitting with people at tables, looking over maps and sharing ideas. The groups at the tables are talking about different ideas, adding posted notes to maps, and drawing out designs.

Dover, Kohl, and Partners partnered with the City of Syracuse to hold community design studios this week. It was an opportunity for community residents to engage with the planners and tell them what they want to see in their neighborhood once the I-81 viaduct comes down.

Crowder said a number of concerns have come up.

“We don’t want the reoccurring trauma where people are displaced, gentrification. That’s been one of the many concerns that have come in this week. Another thing, safety has been a big concern that we’ve been taking into consideration, especially near the school,” Crowder said.

As far as what they’d like to see, long-time Syracuse resident and advocate Charlie Pierce-El said they want affordable housing and business opportunities for the families who lost property or business as a result of the original build.

He said there are still issues with the grid design, namelythe location of the roundaboutat Renwick and Van Buren.

However, he said it’s a good thing they’re taking resident input.

"Well I’m still hopeful because if they react the way the people want, we’re going to be protesting…I don’t want to wait until we protest until they get it up and then they got to come and tear it down when you could be looking at this prior to that and prevent that,” Pierce-El said.

The studio sessions culminate Saturday with an open house event, where planers will showcase the ideas and designs that came from the community collaboration. The open house runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m at the Dr. King School.

Katie Zilcosky is WAER’s All Things Considered host and features reporter. She also co-hosts WAER’s public affairs show Syracuse Speaks. As a reporter, she focuses on technology, economy, and identity.