The Co-op wants to expand; will it now move to the suburbs?
The Syracuse Real Food Co-op, currently located in this 1,200-square-foot building at 618 Kensington Road, lost its request for a zoning change that would have allowed it to move to a much larger building at 2200 E. Genesee St.The Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals Thursday denied a request by the Syracuse Real Food Co-op for a zoning variance that would have allowed the store to move to 2200 E. Genesee St. by the end of this year.
The co-op, a full-service food store specializing in natural and organic foods, had asked the city to change the zoning for that property from residential to commercial. The BZA denied the request by a 5-to-1 vote.
The request had both supporters and opponents. The opponents’ concerns included their worries of increased traffic, noise and litter.
The co-op currently occupies about 1,200- square feet at 618 Kensington Road. That building, in a residential neighborhood, has been the co-op’s home since 1976.
The co-op had hoped to expand to more than 8,000 square feet, with off-street parking it currently lacks, and grow from 18 employees to about 75 at the East Genesee Street location. That location is partly vacant, and has one tenant, a plastic surgeon whose lease expires in a few years..
The co-op, which is owned by its roughly 2,000 members but is open to the public, is now considering it options, said general manager Travis Hance.
He said the co-op is looking at a few other sites, and hopes to be able remain within a mile or so of the current location. He also said the BZA rejection probably pushes any move back a year, to late 2011 at the earliest.
He said the co-op staff also plans to meet with the mayor's office to discuss the options.
"The mayor has been supportive," Hance said.
The co-op will host a forum on its future at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Westcott Day Habilitation Center, 522 Westcott St..
One opponent of the move said she is pleased by the BZA decision.
“I hope they find something they can be happy with, a better place,” said Nour Essi, who lives across from the proposed site at 2300 E. Genesee St. “We wish them the best.”