I know we are all are eagerly looking forward to the redevelopment of the former Shoppingtown Mall site. Indeed, the Town continues to work with the developers on the overall project – ensuring the proper zoning is in order and the plans incorporate the character, concerns, aspirations, and priorities of our community – while Onondaga County and the developers continue to negotiate the sale of two parcels on the site, the former Macys and Sears buildings.

You may be interested to know, the Macys and Sears parcels are owned by two different entities, neither of which are connected to the former owners of the Shoppingtown Mall. As such, the sale of those properties needs to be negotiated separately. When we hear from Onondaga County and/or the developers with an update on this aspect of the project, we will let you know via the town website and local media outlets.

Rest assured, we want this highly visible and valuable central DeWitt commercial property – like all of the commercial properties in our town – redeveloped into a vibrant, profitable commercial center that will strongly support our tax base, our residents, and support us to continue to “build community” and financial stability for many years to come.

several years now, the Town has envisioned a mixed-use project for the Shoppingtown site, a plan that would provide seniors and other residents the unique opportunity to live, worship, work, eat, shop, and recreate “right at home;” a mixed-use plan would allow residents to not only take advantage of professional services and shopping right on the property: retail, restaurants, recreation, and entertainment: retail shops, movie theaters, comedy club, hair salons and spas, barbers, health & fitness amenities, etc. The site would also house professional services: doctors, dentists, attorneys, consultants, financial advisors, tax consultants, etc…all in one walkable, convenient “neighborhood.”

Residents would also enjoy the advantage of living within easy walking distance of Marshalls Plaza and Erie Blvd., as well as Ryder, Cedar Bay, and Butternut Creek Parks, the Erie Canalway Trail, and also the shops and businesses at the convergence of East Genesee Street and Jamesville Road.

In order to facilitate such a plan, late last year the Town passed a modification to our 2019 mixed-use overlay zoning legislation; as such, now all properties over 25 acres in the Town of DeWitt, including the former Shoppingtown site, are able to accommodate mixed-use projects.

As you may know, the development of the Shoppingtown property is also directly linked to “building community” via the continued development of the Elevating Erie Project:

• When development for the former mall property is well underway, we are looking to partner again with NYS to extend the Elevating Erie walkway and greenspace within the median of Erie Boulevard, which now stops at Bridge Street – as well as extending sidewalks on both sides of the boulevard – all the way down to East Genesee Street.
• This will strongly support our goal of a safe and “connected” commercial district. It will also support the surrounding residential neighborhoods.
• The extension of Elevating Erie to East Genesee Street will provide walkers, runners, and cyclists easy access to the stores, shops, and restaurants at the junction of Jamesville Road and East Genesee Street, as well as to the new mixed-use development project on the former Shoppingtown site.

In terms of both economic well-being and quality of life, Mom & Pop and boutique brick & mortar businesses – like those at the crossroads of Erie Boulevard, East Genesee Street, and Jamesville Road – are as integral to “building community,” economic stability, and quality of life in DeWitt as the major retailers, companies, and corporations who also make their “home” here in the Town of DeWitt.

Again, we will update you as soon as we receive new information from Onondaga County or the project developers. Rest assured, redevelopment of the Shoppingtown property is a priority.

The Town of DeWitt…we’re building community.