Green Neighborhood

THE SALT DISTRICT & THE NEAR WESTSIDE—A GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD The SALT District and Near Westside are being revitalized by weaving together creativity and sustainable urban development. Art and green and clean technology are transforming this historic Syracuse downtown community into a model for future urban living. What are the benefits of living in a sustainable urban community?
  • Better health by living in LEED homes designed with indoor environmental quality in mind.
  • Long-term savings by living in LEED homes with state-of-the-art energy and environmental systems (heaters, a/c, lighting, etc.)
  • A deeper, richer connection between you and your neighborhood.
Why is The SALT District/Near Westside a “Green Neighborhood?”
  • The Near Westside Initiative is a US Green Building Council LEED-Neighborhood Development Pilot Project, which means the neighborhood and its re-development feature:
    • Walkable streets, compact development, mixed-use buildings.
    • A centralized school (Blodgett Elementary), a centralized park (Skiddy Park), public art, and neighborhood shops and businesses.
    • Green buildings and brownfield redevelopment.
    • Public transportation, smart location, and community policing.
  • Thanks to a collaboration with Syracuse Center of Excellence, building renovations and new construction incorporate sustainable energy and environmental systems, including:
    • Demonstrations of residential combined heat and power technology.
    • Demonstrations of advanced air conditioning/air purification systems.
    • Use of advanced green building techniques, such as structural insulated panels and passive house systems.
  • Thanks to collaborations with Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Environmental Finance Center at Syracuse University, green infrastructure projects are being undertaken:
    • Stormwater Management systems: rain gardens, rainwater capture, bioswales, and porous pavement.
    • Green roofs, green façades, and urban farming.
  • Building projects are made to USGBC LEED standards and/or with the four pillars of sustainability in mind:
    • Residential: three new houses being built in the Near Westside are demonstrations of how to build affordable green homes in an historic neighborhood
    • Renovations: Existing post-industrial properties—such as Case Supply and Lincoln Supply—are being renovated to LEED standards as live/work spaces for a mixed-use neighborhood.
    • Deconstruction: Near Westside houses that must be torn down are deconstructed, which means sending as little waste to the landfill as possible, and re-using materials in new buildings or as new construction products.