Syracuse STEAM High School to open in September; city to seek permanent abandonment of portion of South Warren Street

Syracuse City School District officials told the Syracuse City Council that the district plans to open the new STEAM High School in September with an initial cohort of 250 ninth-grade students, after New York State approved the school's career and technical education (CTE) pathways.

The announcement came during the council meeting as district and city staff described student enrollment, staffing, construction progress and a related proposal to permanently abandon a short segment of South Warren Street so the district can use it as a bus drop-off loop.

District officials said the STEAM school received New York State approval for all CTE pathways, allowing students who complete programs to earn credentials comparable to an advanced Regents diploma. Erin Noto, executive director of career and technical education for the Syracuse City School District, said, “all of the CTE pathways are approved by New York State, which is no, easy feat” and noted the approvals allow students to earn industry-related credentials and stackable college credits.

The district reported 400 applicants for the new school and plans to enroll 250 ninth-graders in September; 46 applicants are from outside the district. District staff said 90% of the staff have been hired and the school will offer seven CTE concentrations plus performing and visual arts. Officials said students in every pathway can earn 24 to 30 college credits and that labs were designed with input from industry partners and higher-education collaborators, including CenterState CEO and other local partners.

On construction and occupancy, a district project representative said the district expects the first two floors to be ready and will seek a certificate of occupancy for that portion. The same speaker said some mechanical and power work remains — the power switch is expected after July 15 — and the district is tentatively planning a ribbon-cutting around Sept. 2. District staff cautioned that construction on the third floor will continue after students begin classes and that full project completion, including the third floor, is expected later (projected completion of remaining work was described as mid-fall for some elements and 2025 for full completion).

City staff described a parallel procedural step: the City of Syracuse will request formal abandonment of the portion of South Warren Street shown on the map provided to council so that the district can control and manage the space as its permanent bus drop-off. Jen Tift, director of strategic initiatives for the city, said the abandonment would ‘‘cease being a city public street’’ if approved and leave management of that area to the district. Tift added that the primary adjacent stakeholder is the Salvation Army, whose parking lot accesses that short stretch of street; she said Salvation Army staff have been consulted and are supportive of the project.

Tift outlined the review steps the request must clear: the Onondaga County Planning Board review (because of adjacency to a state highway), then the Syracuse Planning Commission (slated to consider the item on July 7), followed by a city public hearing and a council vote. City staff said they were aiming to bring the abandonment to council for a vote on July 28 but that the vote could move to Aug. 11 to allow for required public-notice timelines and the public hearing. The city will draft an operating agreement that defines how the district will operate and manage the space if abandonment is approved.

Council members asked about traffic and access. City and district staff said the portion of South Warren has been temporarily closed for construction and that, under the proposed arrangement, private vehicles would be routed to South Salina Street and East Adams; buses contracted through the district’s transportation partner (referred to in discussion as Central) would swing through the bus drop-off in front of the building rather than dropping students at the downtown transit hub. City staff said the routing has been working during construction and that the district will use gates or other measures to prevent private vehicles from entering the bus loop.

Security and operations were also discussed. Dr. Floyd (district official) said the school will have multiple school security staff, “a temporary guard station” near Billings Park and a contracted school resource officer from the police department. The district asked the council to extend the temporary closure of Billings Park through the winter to allow construction equipment to remain on site for continued work into the fall and first semester.

Officials emphasized the collaborative development of curricula: staff said the STEAM school began planning in 2016 with about 90 collaborators from higher education and business to design pathways and authentic industry experiences; students will participate in monthly field placements with partner organizations. Officials noted one planned animation project with Studio Central that will credit students in the finished product.

Councilors also discussed transfer eligibility. District staff said entry is easiest at ninth grade: students (including those from charter, private or out-of-state schools) may apply at the eighth-to-ninth grade transition; transfers into higher grades will generally be limited except in specific bridge-program circumstances.

No formal council vote or ordinance was taken at the meeting on the street abandonment. City staff said the abandonment request and related operating agreement will come back to the council after county and planning-commission review and after the required public hearing.

Details to watch: the city’s official abandonment request (to be scheduled for planning review and a council public hearing), the district’s certificate-of-occupancy filing for the first two floors, the tentative ribbon-cutting date and any extension of Billings Park’s temporary closure.