Downtown Syracuse received a face-lift after a new lighting system was turned on to brighten the dimly lit streets of Columbus Circle and prominent buildings.

The total project cost $540,000. But County Executive Joanie Mahoney said she thinks it’s worth every penny.

‘It’s terrific news because we have brought light to a part of downtown that’s very dark,’ Mahoney said. ‘We get almost constant complaints from people about parking and walking in the dark.’

The Downtown Lighting Project was designed to bring some vibrancy to the downtown area and support the arts, more specifically events going on at the Mulroy Civic Center. By creating a brighter atmosphere, Mahoney hoped to make the public feel more secure when in town late in the evening.

‘Over the years, the audience has dropped off for the (Syracuse) symphony, and it’s in no small part because we’re asking people to come in from the suburbs on a dark winter night and park and walk to the Civic Center, which is disconcerting for people,’ she said.

After the lights were turned on Friday evening, Mahoney said local residents responded positively.

Other lit-up buildings include the Onondaga County Courthouse, War Memorial Arena and St. Paul’s Cathedral on Montgomery Street.

World-renowned lighting consultant Howard Brandston, who has worked on projects such as the Statue of Liberty, Central Park and the Petronas Towers, had been commissioned to design the plan long before Mahoney came into office in January 2008. When Mahoney was elected, she decided to bring the proposal to the Onondaga County Legislature, which then approved it 17-2 in April 2008.

The money for the job came from several sources, but the majority was paid for by funds left over from a settlement from a tobacco company with Onondaga County. Another main contributor was the revenue from the room occupancy tax paid by tourists who stay in hotel rooms in the area. Mahoney said none of the expenses came out of taxpayers’ wallets.

Casey Jordan is one of the two legislators who opposed adding the lights because he didn’t feel it was an appropriate use of funds. Jordan said he understood the justification of the supporting legislators, but he thought the money could be better utilized for other projects that would have a greater return on the investment.

‘There’s already lighting, it’s not like we have darkened streets,’ Jordan said. ‘I don’t know that (lights) are necessarily a big factor in whether people go downtown. I just thought it was an awful lot of money.’

Jordan would have rather spent the money on an advertising campaign to promote downtown Syracuse, as well as increase the number of special events the city hosts. Both of which, he said, would promote tourism in the city.

But fellow legislator Kathleen Rapp said the lights are doing exactly that. ‘Before, no one could see our beautiful buildings that are the center of our community,’ she said. ‘Now I think it will be more appealing to tourists and a lot safer.’

Even community members have noticed the difference. Chuck Mason has been working at the Civic Center for more than 30 years and has been living in Syracuse even longer. As the senior event attendant there, Mason noticed how concerned residents were about walking to their cars after a show when it was so dark in the circle.

‘People are noticing (the lights),’ he said. ‘It certainly makes a difference. It’s going to make them, especially the elderly, feel a lot better late at night.’

Though the price of the makeover was more than $500,000, Mahoney said they actually came in under budget. Funding from the room occupancy tax and the tobacco settlement totaled $658,000, so they saved on the installation.

‘By turning on the lights and giving people a sense of security to come downtown, we’re encouraging people to spend an evening here,’ Mahoney said. ‘From a purely investment standpoint, this will repay itself 10 times over. It’s a basic example of good economic development.’

egsawyer@syr.edu

Published on November 17, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Contact Liz: egsawyer@syr.edu | @3sawyer