Near Westside Initiative officials are hoping to further revitalize the city of Syracuse by turning a former restaurant in the Westside neighborhood into a creative hub for artists.

“It’s vital that this project is not seen as a separate initiative but instead as a project that will help transform other abandoned properties into space that will benefit not only a few artists but the entire neighborhood,” said Maarten Jacobs, director of the Near Westside Initiative.

The Near Westside Initiative recently received a $400,000 grant from ArtPlace to renovate a former restaurant on Otisco Street into a residence, studio and gallery space for artists. ArtPlace is an organization that promotes the combination of art and culture in local communities.

The grant will be used to transform the restaurant into two apartments, three art studios and a 600-square foot gallery on the ground floor, Jacobs said. The exterior of the building will be fully renovated, a new roof will be built and the interior of the building will be gutted.

Seventy-five thousand dollars from the grant will also be used to support two artists who will share a two-bedroom apartment and studio space free of charge. Each artist will receive a $15,000 stipend, Jacobs said.

Officials from the Near Westside Initiative and a local arts committee will select one local and one national artist to reside in the building, Jacobs said. The two artists will move into the building in May. The building’s remaining apartment will be rented out to other artists, he said.

The artists will spend one year developing their skills professionally and will use those skills to promote creativity and art in Syracuse, he said.

“The energy produced there will be used to positively impact the neighborhood through the power that art and design uniquely has,” Jacobs said.

The building will be renamed SALTQuarters, Jacobs said, a tribute to the city’s history with the salt industry.

He said Near Westside Initiative officials are hopeful SALTQuarters will successfully bring a sense of artistic revitalization to Syracuse because multiple art studios surround the building.

“The cluster of art studios and artists in the area will draw people from all over the Central New York area to experience what our neighborhood has to offer,” Jacobs said. “It will bring to light that the Near Westside of Syracuse is quickly becoming the ideal place for people to live, work and participate in a unique urban setting.”

Tim Halbur, ArtPlace director of communications, said projects such as SALTQuarters are influential in the community because they tend to be a catalyst for others to engage in artistic projects.

Said Halbur: “Projects such as this one attract people and organizations to take a look and join in on the efforts to bring art into their community.”

Published on January 23, 2013 at 2:02 am

Contact Alexandra: adhitzle@syr.edu | @LexieHitzler