The Syracuse Zoning Board of Appeals held a public hearing on July 16, 2026, to consider two variance applications: a use variance for a property at 1115 East Calvin Street and an area variance for a deck at 303 Buckingham Avenue. The board also elected a vice chair. Both applications were approved with conditions.
First Application (1115 East Calvin Street):
Second Application (303 Buckingham Avenue):
First Application (V2026-13 – Use Variance for 1115 East Calvin Street):
Second Application (V2026-14 – Area Variance for Deck at 303 Buckingham Avenue):
Thank you. Any oppositions? Minutes are adopted. The board will now conduct the public hearings on today's agenda. First, the applicant or the applicant's representative will state the reasons for the requested variance and present any material or documentation which is to be considered regarding the proposal. Next, persons wishing to speak in favor of the proposal will be given the opportunity to address the board. Then persons who wish to speak in opposition will be allowed to address the board. Finally, the applicant or a representative will be given the option to make any closing arguments or comments to the board. Following the public hearings this afternoon, the board may make a decision on each application heard. The board may also decide to hold its decision until the next public hearing. If the hearing is closed, no additional information will be allowed into the record except for information the board may request. That information will be available for public viewing at the zoning office in one park place, 300 South State Street. Staff will now introduce the first application. All right. I'm from the Greater Syracuse Property Development Corporation, also known as the Greater Syracuse Land Bank. The land bank uh listed this property for sale and attempted to find a buyer uh who could convert the existing building into a use allowed in an R2 zoning district. We've been unable to find any buyer, uh willing to convert the 912 square foot building into a residence. If we were to demolish it, you could probably squeeze a small, like 1200 square foot uh two-story house, but it would cost about 450,000 to build. And the post-construction value would estimate, we estimate would be approximately 200,000. Um to demolish it and sell the lot as a side lot to the neighbor would also result in a negative ROI. It would cost approximately 25,000 to demolish the property, and the assessed land value is just about 10,000. Umable to find any alternatives, we all entertained an offer from a buyer who wishes to use the building as a residential leasing office. Uh the property is unique in that the existing building was designed to function as a florist and not for any other use allowed by right in the zoning district. The building is only 912 square feet. The parcel is also unique in that it is small and unusually shaped. While it is technically buildable without having to apply for an area variant since it's pre since it is pre-existing, the lot doesn't conform to the zoning ordinance requirements for 4,000 square feet of area for a single family house. It's also less than desirable for a new residence given that Calvin Street is a very heavily trafficked uh area and the property is located adjacent to a cemetery. Uh our buyer plans to demolish the greenhouse attached to the southeast uh facade of the building, but otherwise will not make significant changes uh to the exterior of the building. Uh we don't anticipate any significant visual changes uh from the existing conditions, uh other than repaving and restriping the parking lot and adding landscaping, which would actually improve the curb appeal of the property. Uh this use will not generate significant traffic. It will be open to the public by appointment only, and rental agents mostly meet uh potential tenants at the available units. One full-time and one part-time employee were work out of this location. Uh we believe this is not a self-imposed hardship because the land bank receives all the city's foreclosed properties, whether they're legal nonconformities or nothing else you wish to add? That's all. Any questions from the board for the applicant I'm just looking at the letter that you received in mentions the buyer living pretty far away. Do you guys still have the policy that if it's uh out of town purchaser that there has to be a property manager within like a certain radius? Yes. Um and they they do have that. Yeah, I just wanted to make a positive uh positive comment that um the propo the owner, proposed owner um is maintaining the building. Because it does, even though it's not um on the city's historic properties list, it does have an interesting history. I think it's the last it's associated with the dual greenhouses where the apartments are in the back. That's the whole reason you know that flower shop was put there. Um and it is somewhat of a neighborhood landmark um including the greenhouse on the side, which the person who wrote in um was just stressed about you know hearing that it would be torn down. So I was wondering if there is a way to encourage the owner to keep that. I realize it's sort of beyond the scope of our zoning, but we have uh would you like to speak to that? Yep, you might don't mind uh stepping up, and everybody if you choose to speak, uh stepping up to the mic stating your name and your address for the record. Thank you. My name is Vaughn Lang, uh 6838 East Genesee Street, Fayetteville, New York. I'm an attorney representing the prospective purchaser. Um the idea about taking down that area that you just referred to uh was it's not uh it'll create a parking space, it'll create the handicapped access, which does not presently exist.