Byline: Maureen Nolan Staff writer
Housing Visions Unlimited wants to build itself some new space in the East Side neighborhood where it has renovated and constructed affordable housing for years.
The nonprofit agency plans to construct a roughly $1 million maintenance garage and offices on East Fayette Street at Pine Street. That's next to the East Side Business Center, owned by a limited liability corporation controlled by Housing Visions. The project needs site plan approval from the city Planning Commission to move forward.
Housing Visions needs the new 8,000-square-foot building because the agency has grown, said Michael LaFlair, development project manager. The building will contain storage, office space and an exercise room for its construction and maintenance staff, he said.
Housing Visions has added some 15 people in the last year and has a staff of about 100, said Rebecca Newman, director of property management.
The agency usually does 25 to 50 units a year, but at the moment has 78 units under construction, LaFlair said. The projects are the Prospect Hill Homes near St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center and Loguen Homes, near the site of the proposed new building.
The new garage will be designed to blend in with the Business Center and its doors will not face a street. The office section will match the design of nearby Loguen Homes, LaFlair said.
The new building will not be exempt from city property taxes, Newman said.
Contact Maureen Nolan at 470-2185 or mnolan@syracuse.com.
