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A judge has ruled that Onondaga County can move forward with plans to redevelop the vacant ShoppingTown Mall site in DeWitt. On Monday, State Supreme Court Judge Joseph Lamendola approved the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency’s request to take ownership of the last part of the mall it did not own—the former Macy’s department store—under New York’s Eminent Domain Procedure Law. This decision allows the county to fully control the 65-acre property, which has been closed since 2020 after years of high vacancy rates and competition from newer shopping centers and online retailers, as reported by syracuse.com.
The county development agency offered $2.5 million for the Macy’s property, which was owned by Benderson Development. Under eminent domain law, Benderson can contest the amount in court. With this ruling, Onondaga County can now accept redevelopment proposals for the entire mall site. The county previously purchased most of the property for $3.5 million in 2020, later acquiring the former Sears store for $4.5 million, according to Spectrum News.
The request for redevelopment proposals, issued March 10, asks for experienced developers who have the finances to transform the property into a mixed-use community. Plans must include housing, retail, office space, and also allow for warehousing and manufacturing, reflecting the area’s growing tech and semiconductor industries. The county is asking for $25 million for the property but says it may accept a lower offer if a proposal offers strong community value. Proposals are due by May 14, as detailed in the request for proposals.
This is the second time the county has sought a developer for the mall. A previous deal with a local group to build a mixed-use development called District East fell through after the group was unable to secure the independently owned Sears and Macy’s properties. Now, with full ownership, County Executive Ryan McMahon has said he wants redevelopment plans to support new industries, especially those related to the area’s booming semiconductor sector, led by Micron Technology’s nearby expansion.
Moving forward, the county will review proposals and select a developer to lead the transformation of the long-vacant shopping center into a thriving community hub.