After five years of design, numerous community input meetings, and several trips before Syracuse City Common Council, Syracuse University and the City of Syracuse have begun construction on the Connective Corridor! On Monday, June 13, we broke ground on University Avenue, the first of five sites that are planned to be under construction this season. Soon to follow will be Forman Park, Syracuse Stage plaza, the Warehouse Hub, and E. Genesee Street, all of which will carry the unique aspects that will mark the Connective Corridor. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the highlights you’ll see at each of the project areas.

University Avenue

 

• After first being constructed as a two-way street, and then changed to a one-way street several years ago, University Avenue is being converted back to a two-way street.
• Thanks to a partnership with Onondaga County, the street will boast some nifty green infrastructure, including the first porous pavement treatments in the right-of-way in Syracuse and Silva Cell, a new technology which helps tree roots to grow beneath the pavement.
• Beginning at University and Waverly, bicycle enthusiasts will find an in-road bike path in the spring of 2012. This will be constructed of Methacrylate, a plastic paint that will be in the Connective Corridor’s primary red color.
• Construction has begun and will continue throughout the season; certain elements will be completed in the spring of 2012. Note: Hard hats and safety vests are de rigueur if you’re in the construction zone.

Forman Park

• The previous fountain will soon be replaced by a magnificent centerpiece, complete with recessed lighting in specially-designed coping.
• OLIN, one of the design team members under our prime Barton & Loguidice, has led the landscaping efforts and has designed a multi-function park that includes meditative walking paths.
• Red cast benches and bistro tables and chairs will dot the park, inviting folks to sit and soak up the sun.
• Construction will begin in mid-July and should be finished by year’s end.

Syracuse Stage Plaza

 

• UPSTATE:, under Syracuse University’s School of Architecture, is leading the design of the plaza. With groundbreaking technologies from SenSyr, a small company that includes a Syracuse University physics faculty member, visitors can look forward to interactive walls and pavers.
• Outdoor seating is also part of the design, which will lend itself to theater under the stars or a cozy place to sit with friends.
• The plaza is expected to go under construction beginning in August and should be completed in November.

The Warehouse Hub

• The green space that is across the street from the Warehouse and bounded by W. Fayette, Walton and West Streets is going to receive a major facelift. With in-ground, red solar pavers selected by design team member Tillett Lighting Design, red benches and beautiful landscaping, this will soon become a true gateway entrance to Armory Square.
• Eric Mower and Associates have donated time to create an energetic sign welcoming visitors to Armory Square. (You’ll have to wait to see it, though!)
• Across the street at the Warehouse, SU will finish its café and landscaping, providing everyone in the community with a relaxing space to enjoy lunch outdoors. (Did you know that there are lots of tasty options in the Warehouse café to sample during the school year? Anyone can dine here, and credit cards are accepted!)
• Construction should begin in late August and wrap up by year’s end.

E. Genesee Street

 

• Four raised medians are planned for the street, at the intersections of University, S. Crouse (east and west sides) and Irving Avenues. These will act as traffic-calming measures and give travelers the opportunity to see the great variety of independent businesses in the community.
• To ensure a seamless look to the Connective Corridor, E. Genesee will carry the same design elements that will have begun on University Avenue, including porous pavers, the in-road bike path, and selected street furniture.
• 33” and 42” light bollards, which will have been installed on University Avenue to mark the bike path, will continue to be clustered along E. Genesee in the Corridor’s primary red color. These will eventually be placed along the entire route of the bike path, to end at the Warehouse.
• Construction will likely get underway in September at the intersection of University Avenue and E. Genesee Street. It’s expected to conclude in the summer of 2012 at Forman Avenue.

And…

 

• The Connective Corridor is rolling out its new brand! Design team member Pentagram packaged the “USE” identity (found through the last three letters in “SyracUSE”), two colors of red and the Ohm font, to establish a distinct personality for the Connective Corridor. Together, these three components will provide visual support for the route, signaling to folks that something special is going on and compelling them to experience it!

• This brand was translated into a vibrant logo and a series of billboards by newly-graduated students from the Visual and Performing Arts Industrial and Interaction Design Program. You can check out a new billboard each month by the Warehouse in the parking lot off of West Street.