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Syracuse’s police and fire departments are starting their move this week from the downtown public safety headquarters to a newly renovated building at 1153 West Fayette Street. The relocation marks a major shift after more than sixty years in the South State Street facility, with the new site repurposed from a historic factory built in the 1920s.
According to syracuse.com, about 30 fire department chiefs and support staff will be the first to move, taking up the building’s top floor. The Syracuse Police Department’s 500-person team will relocate in phases, occupying the first five floors, an adjacent barn, and a smaller storage building. Most police operations should be settled by the beginning of April, while public-facing services are expected to transition by early May. Fire Chief Michael Monds said the fire department’s move would finish within days.
The building, now a nationally registered historic site, underwent a $31.5 million renovation led by private developers, with the city set to pay over $50 million in lease payments across nineteen years. The city is also covering around $3.3 million in upfront costs for new equipment and infrastructure, largely funded through bond financing approved by the Common Council. As reported by Fire Apparatus Magazine, the move was chosen over renovating the older, deteriorating downtown headquarters, which officials said would have been much more expensive.
The new West Fayette Street headquarters offers updated amenities, including improved air conditioning and heating, more natural light, and a gym for staff wellness. Outgoing Police Chief Joe Cecile told WSYR-TV that the phased move would keep operations running smoothly, and the new building will bring all police units under one roof for the first time in years. Incoming Chief Mark Rusin is expected to lead the department at the new location.
The old headquarters, jointly owned by the city and Onondaga County, may be sold for redevelopment. A local student housing provider is currently evaluating its possible conversion into apartments.
The city expects the full transition to the new public safety headquarters to be complete by early May, with ongoing work to finalize all operational and public access areas.