Onondaga County Executive expressed optimism and excitement about the county’s future at his state of the county address Thursday night.
“The state of our county is strong, it is resilient, and it is poised for opportunity and growth that we have not seen in generations,” McMahon said.
He told the crowd gathered at East Syracuse-Minoa High School that constituents expressed in November that they want him and his team to execute on the opportunity that lies ahead. Naturally, much of it revolves around Micron’s development, and McMahon says suppliers are taking notice.
“At the invitation of the Taiwanese Ambassador General, I will be leading a delegation to Taiwan to meet with a number of supply chain companies vital to the semiconductor industry," McMahon said. "The story of our community is one I'm proud to share, and these are just a few examples of the efforts being made to ensure that we maximize the opportunity in front of us.”
But McMahon says the county needs to be ready to accommodate that growth through center-driven development. He revealed that developers are ready to pursue that model at the former Great Northern Mall.
“This $1 billion investment will transform the area into a thriving community with a walkable Town Center entertainment district, health and wellness campus and premier residential community," McMahon said. "The mall site will establish a dynamic, engaging environment where people can seamlessly live, work, shop and dine.”
The 180-acre site will include several mixed-use clusters, each containing up to 500 units of new housing. The center will also boast 600,000 square feet of retail, community, grocery, restaurant and retail space, even more medical and office space, plus 750 hotel rooms. McMahon says the former Shoppingtown Mall site will be similar. Perhaps the most surprising announcement Thursday night was about a new future for the failed CNY Film Hub.
“We will be selling the film hub to Saab, one of the world leaders in defense and aerospace manufacturing. This multi-million investment from Saab further solidifies Onondaga County as the leader in high tech manufacturing and Saab expands its footprint here.”
Saab’s primary location is about six miles south of the Film Hub, also near I-481. McMahon also addressed progress on…and new plans for mental health services in schools, a new venture for the health department, and plans for opioid settlement money.
