IDA issues SEQRA negative declaration for Onondaga Hotel project; planning commission review next

The Syracuse Industrial Development Agency on July (date not specified) found no significant environmental impact for a proposed Onondaga Hotel project, a 9-story, approximately 240-room hotel with a 300-plus-car parking garage, meeting spaces and a ballroom, clearing a procedural step for the developer to pursue planning and building permits.

Sue (staff member) described the project as encompassing the Emblem Park parcel and an adjacent garage that the applicant plans to demolish to build the hotel and attached garage. Because of its scale, Sue said the agency treated the proposal as a Type 1 action under SEQRA and the agency previously appointed itself as lead agency for the coordinated review. The applicant submitted a full Environmental Assessment Form that was reviewed with assistance from CNS engineers, and the agency’s packet included Exhibit B listing the factors considered in the review.

Brian Bouchard of CHA, the engineer for the applicant, told the board the SEQRA documentation responded to comments and that he did not believe any outstanding SEQRA questions remained. He said that if approvals progress on schedule, the applicant planned to pursue site plan review with the planning commission in September and to have construction documents ready for building permit review thereafter, with an intention to demolish the existing garage before year-end if permits allow.

Dirk moved adoption of the SEQRA negative declaration; Ricky Brown seconded. The board voted in favor and the motion carried.