Syracuse mayor Ben Walsh and School District Superintendent Jaime Alicea toured the former Central High School Thursday, with renewed hope that the long-vacant building will become a regional STEAM school. Governor Cuomo has committed to the $70+ million project as one of his many priorities, which will also include a worker training center.
As they stood in the 1,800 seat auditorium, Walsh said the “A” in STEAM will complement the district’s already strong career and technical programs.
"It's the arts that in some ways makes it unique. From a school district standpoint, that's where we have a gap to fill as it related to the other big 5 school districts. The performing arts programming is a critical component, and you can't find a better place than this auditorium to put it on full display."
Students could be performing on the same stage as Italian opera star Luciano Pavarotti. He’s said to have preferred Central High’s Lincoln auditorium because of its acoustics when he performed there in the 1960’s.
Mayor Walsh says they still have a lot of work ahead of them as they work with education and business partners to develop a curriculum to prepare the future workforce. He adds that the school is just one piece of the larger Syracuse Surge plan.
"It isn't just about the STEAM school. You have to connect that to the entrepreneurial and business growth that's happening just up the street at the Tech Garden. You have to connect it to SUNY EOC, the Educational Opportunity Center, which is our go-to partner for workforce development and skills gap training, which is just a block in the other direction. All of those coming together with the STEAM school are what contributes to broader surge strategy to make sure we can compete in the new economy."
Then there’s the renovation of the 117-year-old school. It’s in surprisingly good shape considering the building has sat vacant since 1975, years before Superintendent Alicea joined the district in 1983.
"This is the third time since I've been in administration with the district that we've tried to re-open this building. This time, we have the support of the governor of the State of New York, and this is the opportunity we've been waiting for."
Alicea says he was first connected to Central High when he became a principal at Fowler, where most of Central’s staff was transferred. He says he and the mayor have heard from several alumni who are excited that their old school will once again be filled with students.
