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The Syracuse City Common Council unanimously approved new art-driven street designs along the 300 block of East Taylor Street at its Monday meeting. The design initiative, which was granted $100,000, is part of the East Adams neighborhood revitalization plan.

The street designs will be part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative, which create projects that use art to transform main streets, according to its Instagram page. The projects will be added throughout later this year and in 2026.

The designs are part of the city’s larger revitalization effort of the neighborhood, known historically as the 15th Ward. Before the construction of the I-81 Viaduct in the 1960s, the area was home to a prominent Black community that has since faced economic hardship since the highway split it in half.

The council also authorized a city-wide hotel and motel occupancy tax, which will impose a 2% tax on occupied rooms in any hotel within the city of Syracuse. 2nd District Councilor Patrick Hogan abstained from the vote, which passed by 8 to 1.

With Syracuse University students and their families frequenting city hotels and motels, the 2% tax is expected to increase government revenue without imposing a larger tax on independent citizens within the city, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said in a November press release. He also said the tax will benefit the city’s tourism sector and its revenue.

The council delayed voting on a proposal for a new self-storage complex at 639 East Seneca Turnpike. No one spoke in favor, and two people spoke against the proposal. The resolution was ultimately denied, and the council will hold a second committee meeting to discuss the property.

Other business:

• The council again delayed its vote on whether to opt into New York State’s Good Cause Eviction laws. On Dec. 3, the Syracuse Tenants Union held a film screening over its frustration with the delay in adopting the legislation. The vote has been on the council’s agenda since September.
• Councilors approved the 2025/2026 Fire Department Engine Apparatus replacement program to purchase a new fire engine for the Syracuse Fire Department. The truck is expected to cost roughly $3.6 million.

Published on January 21, 2025 at 11:14 pm

Contact Chloe: cfrinka@syr.edu