Updated 07/29/2009 06:05 AM
SIDA extends Destiny deadline
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- From the start, the majority leader of the Syracuse Common Council has questioned the Destiny project, leading a group of city lawmakers who fought tooth and nail to block any special tax deal. And William Ryan thinks an extension is a bad idea.
“Why don't we let this project go where it needs to go? And, again, I go back to Mr. Congel. Put his own money into it. Finish it. Show me your tenants. And then we can move on. And say there's not going to be a Phase Two. Because I don't believe there's going to be,” said Ryan.
It's not unexpected for past critics of Destiny USA to renew their criticism of the project. But what has been interesting, in recent days, is that some past supporters of the project are beginning to raise their own doubts.
“I'm not as optimistic as I was, but I'm still a supporter of the project,” said Syracuse Common Councilor Patrick Hogan.
During the city's Destiny battle in 2005 and 2006, councilors like Hogan and Van Robinson bucked the majority and urged approval of the deal. Now, even they have questions about the final outcome for Destiny.
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“Having been around for a lot of years like I have, when it gets in the court system, there's no way of predicting,” Hogan said.
“I can imagine that this project will take another decade before it gets completed. And if it's not completed by the Pyramid Corporation, it may be completed by someone else,” Robinson said.
Critic Ryan doesn't agree. He says what we see is what we get.
“Best case scenario is we get a few tenants into that building, or, ultimately, Pyramid Corporation sells that to a willing buyer and then I don't know what will happen. This idea of Phase Two, Phase Three. I didn't believe it then. I certainly don't believe it now,” said Ryan.
It should be noted that, for now, a deal remains in place and common councilors have no power to make changes.
A state appellate court is due to hear an appeal by Citigroup over an order by a state Supreme Court judge that it resumes construction funding to Destiny. Once that court battle is over, the developers have 87 days to finish the phase one project.