Syracuse University Advances Housing Strategy With Purchase of Hotel Skyler Syracuse
As a follow-up to the release of the University’s inaugural strategic housing plan, which was shared with the campus community last month, Syracuse University today announced the purchase of the Hotel Skyler Syracuse. This acquisition, which recently received approval from the Board of Trustees, follows the University’s announcement that it will convert the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center into student housing beginning in fall 2024.
“The University recognizes the impact the Sheraton transformation has on our campus community, particularly for teams and individuals responsible for booking hotel rooms, planning events and coordinating travel,” says John Papazoglou, senior vice president and chief operations officer. “This acquisition will allow the University to continue providing first-class hotel services to our campus community in a way that aligns with the priorities and goals of our overarching strategic housing plan.”
The three-story, 58-room hotel, which is located just up the street from the Syracuse campus on South Crouse Avenue, began operations in 2011, and became part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection in 2017. The LEED Platinum-certified building contains a bar and lounge, fitness room, market pantry and business center. While the ownership of the hotel will transfer to the University, the hotel will continue to be operated and managed by Woodbine Hospitality, which has several Syracuse-area hotels in its portfolio.
As the University brings the Hotel Skyler into its portfolio, a cross-campus working group, led by Papazoglou and Tracy Barlok, senior vice president and chief advancement officer, has been convened to put processes into place to make reserving rooms at area hotels and scheduling events a more seamless process for faculty and staff. The group will provide more detailed information to the campus community in April.
“The University is evaluating how to best support the various accommodation and event space needs of our academic and administrative partners,” says Papazoglou. “This includes exploring a more streamlined booking process, providing easy access to support resources, such as transportation and catering, and thinking proactively about other scenarios where various units on campus can be helpful.”
The strategic housing plan was developed following the completion of a comprehensive, three-year housing review, which, among other things, found that undergraduate students wanted more options for living in University housing on North Campus that provides seamless access to various campus facilities and amenities. As part of the new strategy, which works in concert with the overarching and recently refreshed Campus Framework, the University will build a new residence hall at 700 Ostrom Ave. and demolish Marion Hall and Kimmel Hall and Dining Center to make way for a modern, new residence hall. The University also purchased 727 South Crouse, the apartment complex formerly known as the Marshall, which will be fully brought into the University’s housing portfolio in fall 2024 and available to sophomores.
