School of Architecture and The Pioneer Companies collaborate on downtown project

School of Architecture and The Pioneer Companies collaborate on downtown projectSeptember 06, 2006Mary Kate O’Brienmcobrien@syr.edu

Syracuse University School of Architecture, in partnership with The Pioneer Companies and Michael P. Falcone, is introducing a new design studio this semester that will give architecture students the opportunity to develop designs for an actual building site in downtown Syracuse. Two parcels of land adjacent to The Warehouse in Syracuse’s Armory Square, purchased by Falcone, will be the sites for the studio with the goal of developing mixed-used residential and commercial building plans. Visiting Architect Lindy Roy, founder and principal of ROY Co. located in New York City, will teach the studio in collaboration with Ted Brown, an SU architecture faculty member.

Roy will speak at The Warehouse on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 4:30 p.m. on some of her current projects, including the new Pioneer Studio.

“I’m excited about the prospect of engaging with innovative approaches to housing and look forward to the potential of this studio to create new built work in the city of Syracuse,” says Falcone. Falcone is the CEO of The Pioneer Companies with responsibility for overseeing all development, property management and investment activities for the company.

“This is a unique opportunity for a partnership between those who might not otherwise work together,” says School of Architecture Dean Mark Robbins. “Students have direct access to the most progressive ideas about the intersection of the marketplace and architecture. This program builds on the traditional design strengths of our school and enhances student understanding of what can be accomplished in a development setting.”

Residential mixed-use development is a critical component in the revitalization of American cities. The broader goal of the studio is to produce an approach to building that is suited to the specific economic conditions of Syracuse. Cities like Portland, Baltimore and Columbus have demonstrated the benefits of coupling housing with commercial and cultural projects that anchor the downtown core and spark economic growth. The Upstate region has only recently begun to exploit its stock of historic industrial buildings for conversion, but new residential development has lagged.

For more information, contact Mary Kate O’Brien, communications manager of the School of Architecture, at 443-2388 or mcobrien@syr.edu.