The Connective Corridor closes out the construction season on a high note as the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County and Syracuse University were recognized this week with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Global Community Leadership Award at its annual Greenbuild Conference which attracts more than 20,000 participants.

The prestigious award recognized the team’s unique partnership and shared vision around sustainability. Chancellor Nancy Cantor, County Executive Joanie Mahoney and Syracuse Mayor Stephanie A. Miner received the award for their collective work on LEED building projects, as well as innovative initiatives such as Save the Rain and the Connective Corridor.

This is truly an honor and sends a strong message that Syracuse is defined by bold vision, collaboration and results.  It’s a great venue to tell our sustainability story:  The Greenbuild International Conference & Expo convenes the industry’s largest global gathering for extensive educational workshops and demonstrations of design innovations.

Kudos to all!

Read the U.S. Green Building Council story here.

Read the Syracuse University news story here.

We are at the finish line …

Phase one wraps up as the green bike lanes are installed Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  It’s very exciting.  There are only a few minor details on the punch list, and University Avenue and East Genesee Street will be substantially complete next week.  You’ll see the last of the pavers, a few more trees, some fine tuning and the installation of the City parking meters.  Then the construction barrels, barriers and cones will be gone, and the new streetscape will be open in time for Thanksgiving.  (Something to be really thankful for!)

Don’t get too comfortable, though, because:

• The advanced design plans for complete streetscape reconstruction for phase two (Forman Avenue to Montgomery Street) and phase three (Montgomery Street to West Street) were completed and submitted this week to the NYS DOT.  You can exhale, because those plans will be going through DOT and FHWA review, and that construction will not likely start before fall 2013, so there will be a breather period as the project is reviewed and approved by regulatory entities, then bid and contracts let.  However, some prep work will begin in spring 2013, so the City and SU will begin an active community outreach and information process starting just after the New Year.
• The Civic Strip portion of the project is also advancing to the next stage, with several key projects planned in 2013 for the convention, cultural, museum and tourism district bounded by Montgomery and State Streets, and the Erie Canal Museum to the north and OnCenter to the south.  Watch for them at the Everson Plaza, OHA, Erie Canal Museum and Civic Center, along with new wayfinding signage through that district.
• We are hopeful to hear about our phase two façade improvement program funding request soon.  Watch for details.
• A major public art solicitation will be released in early 2013.  Watch for those details as well.

SO NOW IT’S TIME TO ACTIVATE THE CORRIDOR.  PHASE ONE INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN PLACE.  BUT IT IS JUST THE STAGE TO CREATE UPON.  WHAT ARE GREAT WAYS TO BRING THE CORRIDOR TO LIFE?  THE CORRIDOR BELONGS TO THE COMMUNITY AND IT IS ONLY AS GOOD AS OUR BEST IDEAS.

We’re working on a historic walking path with our friends at OHA and talented SU industrial design students, and launching a bike share program with area businesses and enterprising ESF students in 2013.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO SEE?  SEND YOUR THOUGHTS!  INSPIRE AND CHALLENGE US.

Want to be part of a work group to help activate the corridor?  Let us know.  The next step is catalyzing a creative brain trust.  We’d love to have you part of it.  (You can never get enough good brains working together!)  Connect with us at: corridor@syr.edu