TNT Meeting Discusses New Senior Housing, Plans for Tree Planting

Syracuse Southside Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods Today (TNT) held its monthly meeting the evening of Aug. 6 at the South Side Innovation Center. Community members from the South Side, public officials and organization representatives gathered to give feedback and to ask questions to a number of community issues.

One of the main discussion points regarded the increase in tree growth in the area. Justin Kwiatkowski of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County, alongside three members of the Onondaga Earth Corps, encouraged residents to give feedback on the plan.

“We’re [planning] to be planting 100 trees with 150 volunteers in Upper and Lower Onondaga and Kirk parks, and see the change in the park over time,” Kwiatkowski said. Since two falls ago, the two organizations have kept inventory of the areas in the city that can hold trees. The South Side will be finished with its inventorying stage by the end of this summer.

Members of Onondaga Earth Corps also invited residents to attend a meeting on the Master Plan to be held Sept. 29 at Kirk Park. All residents are welcome to share concerns about trees being planted within their neighborhoods. This program can also be searched on the TNT website as ReLeaf Syracuse.

In addition, Jenifer Higgins of Home Leasing LLC gave a presentation on a plan to purchase St. Anthony’s School and Convent from the city to convert it into housing for senior citizens.

“The convent will have nine units of housing, while the school will have 45,” Higgins shared during the meeting. “The school building will also have a community room, a fitness room and laundry on sight.”

Home Leasing also intends on making the buildings more handicap accessible for future senior citizens by building an elevator. The Rochester-based development firm said they will also restore the sidewalk and add trees to the area near the parking lot.

The next South Side TNT meeting will be held 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10, at the South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St.

— Article by Lianza Reyes, Staff reporter for The Stand