Dewitt, N.Y. (NCC News) — Onondaga County is making a second push to redevelop the former ShoppingTown Mall site, issuing a new request for proposals aimed at attracting developers to revitalize the long-vacant property.
The request for proposals, issued by the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency, invites qualified investors to submit plans to acquire and redevelop the site, with the goal of reopening it in the coming years.
The move follows years of stalled redevelopment efforts at the property, which has remained vacant since closing in 2020 amid increased online shopping and the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, OGB Redev LLC — a joint venture made up of four Central New York firms, including Redev CNY, Hueber-Breuer Construction, DalPos Architects and Housing Visions — announced plans to invest about $300 million to redevelop the site after purchasing the property from the county for $8 million.
The proposal was part of a broader effort led by County Executive Ryan McMahon and other local officials to address housing demand while repurposing one of Central New York’s most prominent vacant retail spaces.
However, the development group withdrew from the project in October, marking a significant setback in efforts to transform the site.
McMahon said the proposal — which included more than 900 residential units and aimed to turn the former ShoppingTown property into a mixed-use, village-style community alongside the existing mall structure — could not move forward because of ongoing issues involving site control.
Adam Fumarola, a Syracuse University professor of real estate practice and former partner at Hannover Real Estate, said the size of the former ShoppingTown Mall site could present significant challenges for developers.
“The challenge with ShoppingTown is that the asset itself is so large, it takes up a significant amount of real estate,” Fumarola said. “Redeveloping it in a way that benefits both the business corridor and the surrounding community, including nearby residents, is not easy.”
Despite the challenges, Fumarola said he remains optimistic about the project’s future and the potential benefits for the DeWitt area and surrounding communities.
“But I think once those things fall into place, it’s going to be a really positive redevelopment for the immediate and surrounding communities,” Fumarola said.
The Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency set a March 14 deadline for proposal submissions and plans to review proposals shortly afterward.