COMING UP TONIGHT: SOME GOOD NEWS FOR CRAFT BEER LOVERS, MORE HELP DURING TAX SEASON AND A VISIT TO A DOWNTOWN MARKET THAT LEFT US IMPRESSED.

ON THE MONEY BEGINS RIGHT NOW.

♪ ♪ GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ON THE MONEY, WCNY'S NEW FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THINK OF IT AS YOUR LOCAL FINANCIAL NEWS PROGRAM FEATURING SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE, BUSINESSES AND HAPPENINGS FROM EVERY CORNER OF CENTRAL NEW YORK.

I'M DANIEL PLUFF.

DURING OUR SEASON WE'LL SEE WHERE MONEY IS BEING MADE, SPENT AND LOST AND FOCUS ON PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES AFFECTING US LOCALLY.

OUR FIRST REPORT HIGHLIGHTS A BRAND NEW BUSINESS FOR ALL YOU BEER LOVERS OUT THERE - EVER SCROLL ON INSTAGRAM AND COME ACROSS A TASTY BEVERAGE BUT REALIZE IT'S NOT IN YOUR AREA OR IT'S DIFFICULT TO TRACK DOWN WHERE IT'S SOLD?

A NEW BUSINESS CALLED DRINK NY CRAFT HAS A MISSION TO CONNECT THE STATE'S BEER CONSUMERS WITH BEERS FROM NEW YORK'S SMALLER BREWERS.

THIS ONLINE SERVICE COMES AT A TIME WHEN MANY CONSUMERS ARE ORDERING MORE FREQUENTLY ONLINE - IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING PANDEMIC.

SEE HOW CRAFT BEER ENTHUSIAST AND OWNER OF DRINK NY CRAFT, CHAD MEIGS, IS MEETING THE NEEDS FOR MICROBREWERIES AND BEER ENTHUSIASTS ALIKE.

>> DRINK NEW YORK CRAFT IS A CRAFT BEER DISTRIBUTION COMPANY THAT IS SERVICING THE UNDERREPRESENTED BREWERIES IN NEW YORK STATE.

I LIKE TO SAY IT'S THE LONG TAIL OF BREWERIES, A LOT OF THE SMALLER GUYS AND THEY HAVE TROUBLE GETTING THEIR BEERS OUTSIDE OF THE TAP ROOM.

SO WE ARE ENABLING AN OFF PREMISE AVENUE FOR THEM TO GET THEIR BEERS TO NEW YORK CONSUMERS.

I GOT MY ENTRY INTO THE CRAFT BEVERAGE SPACE WITH THE START OF OUR HOT FARM ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.

COVID CHANGED PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.

A LOT OF THE BREWERIES NOW NEEDED TO HAVE AN OFF PREMISE MARKETPLACE.

THEY NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO SELL OUTSIDE OF THEIR TAP ROOMS.

THE REAL ITCH WE ARE SCRATCHING HERE IS ENABLING THE SMALLER BREWERIES, THE LONG TAIL OF BREWERIES, ENABLE THEM TO GET THEIR PRODUCTS OUT TO THE MASSES.

THE MAIN DRIVERS ARE THE CONSUMERS.

WE ARE TARGETING THE CONSUMERS.

IT'S NOT A TRADITIONAL DISTRIBUTION SENSE WHERE WE ARE ACTUALLY BRINGING BEER TO A RETAIL OUTLET.

WE ARE REALLY TARGETING CONSUMERS 100%.

SO A LOT OF OUR REVENUE IS MOSTLY COMING FROM THOSE CONSUMERS THEMSELVES.

SO IT'S AN E-COMMERCE PLATFORM.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO TO THE WEBSITE, CHOOSE THE BEERS THEY WANT TO HAVE IN THEIR CART, CLICK CHECKOUT.

YOU PACKAGE IT UP TO A NICE BOX AND SHIP IT DIRECT TO THEIR DOOR VIA COMMON CARRIER BIKE UPS OR FEDEX.

WHERE WE ARE STANDING NOW IS OUR REGIONAL WAREHOUSE.

THIS IS A GREAT LOCATION.

SYRACUSE IS AN UNDERREPRESENTED CRAFT NARCOTIC.

ON THE WEEKENDS, YOU GET THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COMING THROUGH HERE SO IT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY OUTSIDE OF SHIPPING DIRECTLY TO THE HOMES, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO REACH CUSS CUSTOMERS.

THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TO US SET UP A BOOTH WITHIN THE MARKET AND HAVE PEOPLE COME AND VISIT US AND GET THE WORD OUT THAT WAY.

>> WE ARE ALL ABOUT SOUR BEERS.

WE DO A LOT OF FRUITY STUFF.

WE FOCUS USING ALL NEW YORK STATE INGREDIENTS, TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH A DISTRIBUTORS NEEDS WOULD BE TOUGH AS A REALLY SMALL BREWERY.

I THINK FOR SMALL BREWERIES, JUST HAVING YOUR BEER IN AS MANY PLACES AND GETTING IN FRONT OF AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN, IMPORTANT.

>> A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF BEERS WE ARE TRYING TO GET OUT TO OUR CUSTOMER BASE.

SOMETHING THAT IS SUPER UNIQUE, THAT BEFORE US, YOU REALLY HAD TO GO TO THE TAP ROOM TO BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THESE BEERS.

♪ ♪ LOGISTICALLY IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE TRYING TO GET REPRESENTORS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE DOING.

TRYING TO GET COMPANIES TO UNDERSTAND WAS WE ARE DOING.

I JUST HAD A CONVERSATION WITH 2 A COMMON CARRIER THE OTHER DAY AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT YOU COULD SHIP BEER TO CONSUMERS.

WE ARE SHOOTING FOR A GOAL OF A HALF MILLION IN GROSS SALES OUR FIRST YEARS.

AS IT RAMPS UP, AND GET MORE CUSTOMERS, THE NUMBERS WILL ONLY INCREASE FROM THAT.

WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING TO GROW AND EXPAND.

RIGHT NOW WE ARE A TEAM OF THREE PEOPLE BUT THAT'S GOING TO GROW PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY.

THE MORE BREWERIES WE SIGN ON, THE MORE TRUCKS WE HAVE, THE MORE SALES PEOPLE WE HAVE, THIS THING IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW ONCE IT GAINS MOMENTUM.

FOR GROW ONCE IT GAINS MOMENTUM.

FOR COMMON SENSE TONIGHT, A LOT OF FOLKS ARE WORKING FROM HOME THESE DAYS AND THAT STARTED A FEW YEARS AGO BUT THE PANDEMIC ACCELERATED THE TREND FROM WORKING FROM HOME.

JIM KRAUS SCERT FIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT WITH KRAUS AND BARONE, ONE ISSUE THAT HAS COME UP, AND WELCOME BACK.

THE WHOLE OCEAN OF HOME OFFICE DEDUCTION.

HELP US OUT.

>> WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON IT, DAN.

AFTER COVID STARTED UP, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE ASKED TO WORK FROM HOME AS YOU KNOW AND THEY WENT OUT AND BOUGHT NEW PRINTERS, COMPUTERS, OFFICE FURNITURE AND NOW AT TAX TRIEM, THEY WONDER WHAT DO I DO WITH THE EXPENSES AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS IF YOU ARE EMPLOYED AND YOUR EMPLOYER REQUESTED THAT YOU WORK FROM HOME, THERE NO PLACE TO TAKE THE DEDUCTIONS.

THERE USED TO BE AN EMPLOYEE BUSINESS EXPENSE ON ITEMIZED DEDUCTIONS BUT THAT'S GONE AFTER 2017 WITH THE TAX CHANGES.

SO UNLESS YOU ARE SELF EMPLOYED, SELF EMPLOYED PEOPLE CAN DEDUCT ALL THAT GOOD STUFF BUT NOT THE EMPLOYEES ANYMORE.

>> YOU KNOW,IT IS JUST ONE GOOD THING AFTER INTO THE DURING TAX SEASON, ISN'T IT?

>> WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?

>> APPRECIATE THAT.

JIM KRAUS CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT, AS ALWAYS, I APPRECIATE YOUR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, DAN.

>> THANK YOU, DAN.

>> UP NEXT, OUR SEGMENT WE CALL TECH BYTES WHERE WE FEATURE NEW TECHNOLOGIES BEING DEVELOPED OR USED HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

ACCESS DENTAL LABORATORIES, LOCATED ON SYRACUSE'S SOUTH SIDE, IS NOT JUST THE CITY'S FIRST BLACK-OWNED DENTAL LABORATORY - IT'S THE NATION'S FIRST.

DISCOVER HOW OWNER TODD REID IS NOT ONLY LIVING OUT HIS DREAM TO MAKE DENTAL CARE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE - HE'S ALSO COMMITTED TO BUILDING OUT A LOCAL WORKFORCE.

MY NAME IS TODD REID, PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

OF ACCESS DENTAL LAB TOARGS.

ACCESS DENTAL LABORATORIES IS A FULL SERVICE AFRICAN-AMERICAN-OWNED DENTAL LABORATORY.

WHEN I FIRST MET MY WIFE SHE SAID WHAT DO YOU WANT, WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS FROM NOW?

I SAID WELL, I SEE MYSELF OWNING A DENTAL LABORATORY.

SHE ACTUALLY SAID HOW DOES IT LOOK?

I TOLD HER IT LOOKS LIKE US.

>> ORIGINALLY WHEN WE HAD THE IDEA, WE WANTED TO BE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SYRACUSE.

AND SO MARK HALL OF THE SYRACUSE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER REACHED OUT TO US AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY A GREAT PARTNERSHIP AND WE MOVED FORWARD BEING LOCATED AT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER.

OVER 100,000 CAME FROM ME AND MY HUSBAND, TODD REID.

WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE FUNDING FROM EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT.

AND WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO SECURE FUNDING FROM THE ALLIANCE ON ECONOMIC INCLUSION, WHICH IS THE COUNTY.

AND THROUGH SEDCO, THE CITY ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS OUT START-UPS, TO REALLY MEET OUR NEEDS, PATH FINDER CAME IN AND SAID WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE THESE GRANTS.

WE WILL COVER YOUR ENTIRE PROJECT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN YOU AND WE KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS BET ON YOU.

THE STATE HAS BET ON YOU.

THE COUNTY HAS BET YOU ON YOU AND WE WILL BET ON YOU ALONG WITH THEM.

>> MAINLY WITH THE OPERATION SIDE OF THINGS HERE AT ACCESS DENTAL LABORATORIES, WE PRODUCE, YOU KNOW, CROWNS, PARTIALS, VENEERS, BRIDGES, IMPLANTS.

A BIG PART OF OUR PRODUCTION IS DENTURES.

>> IN COMPARISON TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, WHEREAS YOU MAY HAVE A DENTURE THAT IS 300-400.

WE ARE ABLE TO COME IN WELL UNDER THE 300-DOLLAR MARK.

>> RIGHT NOW WE EMPLOY 12 PEOPLE, WHICH I BELIEVE FIVE OF THOSE 12 ARE ACTUALLY FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF SYRACUSE.

EVENTUALLY I WANT TO EMPLOY AT LEAST 80 HERE IN SYRACUSE.

THERE IS A THING IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT THE DOLLAR ONLY STAYS IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR SIX HOURS.

IT DOESN'T STAY IN THE COMMUNITY.

WHEN WE TRACK THE DOLLARS HERE AT ACCESS DENTAL LABORATORIES, THEY CHANGE HANDS AT LEAST SIX TIMES BEFORE IT LEAVES THE COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS IN DENTISTRY AND I WAS GOING THROUGH LIFE AND DOING STUFF THAT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE I WAS YOUNG, I'VE MADE MISTAKES.

BUT ONCE I GOT IN THAT LABORATORY AND I PUT THAT BRUSH IN MY HAND AND I GOT AROUND THOSE PEOPLE, NO ONE IS GOING TO BEAT ME.

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO OUTWORK ME.

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO OUTFOCUS ME.

THOSE HARD TIMES GOING THROUGH THOSE THINGS IN LIFE WHICH MADE ME A BERT BETTER PERSON.

>> WE ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN THE PEOPLE WALKING DOWN SOUTH SALINA.

HIS STORY, MY STORY.

WE ARE NO DIFFERENT.

IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO IMPACT SOMEONE ELSE'S STORY OR SOMEONE ELSE'S TRAJECTORY, WE KNEW WE HAD TO DO IT.

>> YOU DON'T NEED A DEGREE TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE A MOUTH GUARD.

YOU DON'T NEED A DEGREE TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE A DENTURE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY STEPS.

OR EVEN BE A CERAMIST.

YOU PUT PEOPLE FIRST.

WHEN YOU PUT PEOPLE FIRST AND ADD VALUE TO PEOPLE, ALL THE OTHER STUFF IS JUST A SIDE EFFECT OF WHAT COMES WITH PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST.

♪ ♪ ♪ I'M A CHAMPION... >> LAST WEEK JORCH JOHN BUS WAS HERE TO TALK ABOUT MAXIMIZING YOUR 401(K) PLAN.

VANGUARD PUT A STUDY OUT THAT SHOWS AVERAGE BALANCES SUGGEST WHAT SHOULD BE SAFED FOR RETIREMENT.

THE NUMBERS ARE NOT ALL THAT GOOD.

IF YOU ARE IN THE YOUNGER BRACT BRACKET SAY 25-34, 140 Q BALANCE IS A LITTLE OVER 33,000 BUT VANGUARD SAID IT SHOULD BE 48,000 PLUS.

MOVING DOWN THE LINE, 45-54 YEARS OLD, WE SEE AN AVERAGE OF 161,000 IN 401(K) SAVINGS.

HOWEVER, THAT LOOKS LIKE A SHOMPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING THAT AWJ 50, YOU SHOULD HAVE OVER 364,000 DOLLARS INVESTED IN YOUR RETIREMENT PLAN AND FOR THOSE OF YOU GETTING CLOSER TO RETIREMENT, SAY IN THAT AGE 60 BRACKET, WELL ON AVERAGE ABOUT 232,000 IS IN PLANS.

VANGUARD SAYS THAT AT AGE 60, YOU SHOULD HAVE SAVED EIGHT TIMES YOUR SALARY.

GOOD REFERENCE POINT.

MAYBE GOOD NEWS FOR SOME.

BAD FOR OTHERS BUT THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS TONIGHT WE CLOSE TONIGHT WITH OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES WHERE WE MEET WITH SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER OUR REGION.

DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE APPEARED TO BE DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE APPEARED TO BE ON QUITE A COMEBACK - NEW BUSINESSES WERE OPENING; RESTAURANTS WERE FLOURISHING AND PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY MOVING BACK INTO THE CITY WITH APARTMENTS AND CONDOS IN HIGH DEMAND.

BUT THEN COVID HIT - AND LIKE SO MANY PLACES, DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE WAS ALL BUT SHUT DOWN.

THAT'S CHANGING - WE RECENTLY VISITED THE SALT CITY MARKET ON SOUTH SALINA STREET - A VIBRANT VENUE FULL OF ENERGY, FOOD AND DRINK.

THE MARKET WAS PLACED IN WHAT SOME CALLED AN UNLIKELY LOCATION, BUILT DURING AN UNLIKELY TIME, AND WAS, WELL, UNLIKELY TO SUCCEED.

THE ALLYN FOUNDATION, A LOCAL CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION, SPEARHEADED THE MARKET AND THE FOUNDATION'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MEG O'CONNELL, GAVE US NOT JUST A TOUR, BUT A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.

>> MEG O'COBBLE, APPRECIATE THE TIME.

SO WE ARE SITTING HERE IN THE SOUTH CITY MARKET AND FOR THE UNINITIATED, WHAT IS THIS PLACE, MEG O'CONNELL.

WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?

>> WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?

THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A QUESTION.

PEOPLE WALK IN THIS BUILDING ALL THE TIME AND FROM THEIR FIRST INITIAL EXPERIENCES, THEY SAY OH IT'S A FOOD HALL.

YOU'VE GOT A COFFEE SHOP THAT TURNS INTO A BAR AT NIGHT.

YOU HAVE 10 DIFFERENT VENDOR STALLS THAT HAVE FOOD FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

YOU HAVE A GROCERY STORE CALLED THE CO-OP.

YOU HAVE A LITTLE RETAIL STORE THAT'S RUN BY THE GOOD LIFE FOUNDATION.

YOU KNOW AND THEN HAVE YOU THREE FLOORS ABOVE THIS BUILDING.

>> ANY APARTMENTS, RESIDENTIAL OR IS THAT IN THE PLAN?

>> WE OPEN THE ENTIRE SOUTH CITY MARKET LAST JANUARY AND THEN THE APARTMENTS ALL STARTED TO COME ONLINE SO THAT THEY WERE ALL FULLY OCCUPIED BY JUNE 1.

26 APARTMENTS AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO DO, ESPECIALLY WITH THE APARTMENTS WAS MAKE THEM MIXED INCOME.

SYRACUSE HAS A LOT OF EITHER LOW INCOME HOUSING, TAX CREDIT PROJECTS OR MARKET RENT APARTMENTS AND IT'S REALLY HARD.

>> SO CLEARLY YOU WEREN'T WORRIED-- THERE HAS BEEN TALK ABOUT OVERBUILDING DOWNTOWN WITH THE CONDOS AND APARTMENTS.

THEY ALL SEEM TO BE GOING.

AND IF YOU ARE FULL UPSTAIRS, NO PROBLEM.

>> WE HAVE 3 R50 PEOPLE ON A WAITING LIST TO GET AN APARTMENT, 350 PEOPLE ARE ON THE WAIT IS LIST.

>> SYRACUSE URBAN PARTNERSHIP, AN OFF SHOOT OF THE ALLYN FAMILY FOUNDATION?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> YOU PUT THIS TOGETHER?

>> YEP.

>> 20 PLUS MILLION TO BUILD THE PLACE.

>> ALL IN, 27 MILLION TO BUY THE LOT, TO DESIGN THE BUILDING AND TO CONSTRUCT IT.

>> SO GIVEN THE NAME OF THE SHOW, I'VE GOT TO ASK, A LOT OF MONEY.

WHERE DID THE MONEY COME FROM?

>> SO WE WERE FORTUNATE TO GET SOME MONEY FROM NEW YORK STATE, THE REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL SAW THIS PROJECT.

WE HAVE CREATED OVER 80 FULL TIME JOBS WHICH IS HUGE FOR SYRACUSE AND A LOT OF THOSE ARE INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S ALSO 12 INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES WITHIN THAT.

BUT WHAT WE REALLY WERE PLEASED WITH WAS WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO GET THE MONEY FROM NATIONAL GRID.

THE CITY OF SYRACUSE IS A HUGE PARTNER ON THIS PROJECT.

SO THEY PUT IN SOME MONEY FOR THE APARTMENTS THROUGH THE HUD PROGRAM.

AND THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY CAME THROUGH A REALLY UNIQUE STRUCTURE WHERE THE ALLYN FOUNDATION CREATED THIS ENTITY CALLED THE SYRACUSE OPEN PARTNERSHIP, GAVE THEM THE MONEY TO BORROW AND THEN, THROUGH KIND OF OUR GRANT DISTRIBUTION, SYRACUSE OPEN PARTNERSHIP PAYS BACK TO THE FOUNDATION AND WE WERE PLEASED TO GET 3.5 MILLION TAX CREDIT.

>> WHAT WE USED TO CALL A PILOT PROGRAM, RIGHT?

>> SO THE PILOT IS FOR THE TAXES.

WE DO HAVE A PILOT.

BECAUSE THE CITY OF SYRACUSE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO TAX THIS ENTITY.

IT'S A LITTLE UNIQUE.

>> AND THAT WAS ANOTHER QUESTION.

IT'S NOT A NOT FOR FROST.

THE BUSINESSES-- NOT FOR PROFIT.

THE BUSINESSES ARE LOOKING TO MAKE MONEY.

YOU ARE KIND OF IN BETWEEN.

YOU ARE DOING GOOD BUT IT'S ALSO A PROFIT CENTER HERE.

PEOPLE HAVE BUSINESSES OUT THERE.

>> YES.

THEY ALL PAY SALES TAX, BUSINESS TAXES.

BUT THE WHOLE BUILDING IS TECHNICALLY A NOT-FOR-PROFIT.

THE SYRACUSE URBAN PARTNERSHIP, THINK OF IT AS A COMPLEX SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND THAT'S HOW IT IS STRUCTURED.

>> SO NOT TO BE CRITICAL, BUT LOOKING BACK, YOU OPEN THIS PLACE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY SHE COULD HAVE PICKED A BETTER TIME.

>> THE PROBLEM WITH WE HAD STARTED ON THE PROJECT, RIGHT?

AND WHEN A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION WAS HALTED, THE GOVERNOR WAS ADAMANT THAT BECAUSE WE HAD 26 MIXED INCOME APARTMENTS AND BECAUSE OF THE JOB CREATION OF THIS, THEY WANTED TO CONTINUE THE PROJECT GOING SO CONSTRUCTION CONTINUED.

AND THAT ENABLED PEOPLE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WHICH WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THROUGH THE DARK MONTHS OF COVID.

>> BUT YOU DIDN'T REALLY-- IT'S WILL BEING LIKE YOU DIDN'T SKIP A BEAT.

YOU CAME INTO IT IN A BAD TIME BUT THE PLACE KEPT GROWING, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, FROM COMING-- IT DIDN'T HURT IT THAT MUCH, ALTHOUGH IDEALLY A BETTER TIME I'M SURE COULD HAVE BEEN FOUND.

>> YEAH I THINK A BETTER TIME COULD HAVE BEEN FOUND BUT ALL OF THESE ENTREPRENEURS, THEY HAD ALREADY STARTED TO LEAVE BUSINESSES.

THEY HAD TAKEN OUT LOANS TO START BUSINESSES.

SO THEY WERE-- >> DID THEY REGRET IT?

LOOKING BACK, DID SOME OF THE FOLKS SAY WHAT WERE WE THINKING?

>> NONE OF THEM HAVE REGRETTED IT.

IT'S PHENOMENAL HOW WELL THE COMMUNITY HAS SUPPORTED IT.

AND EVEN WITH DOWNTOWN STILL NOT BEING BACK 100%.

I MEAN PEOPLE ARE LIVING DOWNTOWN, BUT THE BUSINESSES ARE ONLY AT LIKE 40%.

SO WE KNOW THAT THERE IS STILL CONTINUED UPSWING, I THINK, FOR THE ENTIRE MARKET AND PROJECT.

>> I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THAT NEGATIVE ROUTE AGAIN BUT I KNOW THERE WERE SOME RUMBLINGS IN THE BEGINNING BUT FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO THIS, IT BELONGS IN ONE OF THE SUBURBS.

NOT A DOWNTOWN THING AND IF YOU INSIST ON KEEPING IT DOWNTOWN, YOU ARE ON THE WRONG SIDE.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOWN AT ARMORY SQUARE.

>> RIGHT.

>> YOU ARE SMILING.

>> YEAH, WE FELT REALLY STRONGLY THAT IF MARKET FORCES COULD CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ARMORY SQUARE WHICH IT HAS DONE, WHAT WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT IS DEVELOPMENT DOWN THESE NEIGHBORHOOD CORRIDORS, DOWN SOUTH ONONDAGA STREET AND SALINA STREET.

THIS IS A FOUNDATION.

THIS IS UNUSUAL FOR A FOUNDATION TO DO THIS BUT IT WAS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, VERY INTENTIONAL FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO WHAT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT, WE WANTED TO BE ON SALINA STREET BUT WE HAVE GREAT PARKING IN THE BACK.

CLINTON IS SUPPOSED TO GO TWO WAYS NEXT YEAR WHICH WILL MAKE TRAFFIC-- >> THEY HAVE TO PUT A SIGN UP.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, YOU ARE GOING TO GO THE WRONG WAY.

>> THAT WAS IMPORTANT.

WE PUT A PLAYGROUND OUTSIDE AND A FIRE PIT.

WE WANTED A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES FELT THEY COULD COME AND WERE WELCOME AND WE PUT IN THIS TEACHING KITCHEN SO WE DO TEACHING CLASSES.

>> YOU DO?

>> YEAH YOU CAN DO A PARTY LIKE A BACHELORETTE PARTY.

THEY USE THAT IN THE MORNING FOR COOKING BUT IT'S A WHOLE FULL TEACHING KITCHEN AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CHEFS THAT COME IN AND DO TEACHING CLASSES.

SOME OF OUR OWN VENDORS TEACH IN THERE.

>> IN A MORE TRADITIONAL SENSE, WHEN YOU HAVE AN INVESTMENT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN MEASURE YOU ARE UP X PER SCENT X PERCENT OR DOWN X PERCENT.

THEY TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC IMPACT.

HOW DO YOU MEASURE THAT?

HOW DO YOU KNOW IT HAS BEEN A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR THIS SIDE OF TOWN OR FOR THE SKI OF CITY OF SYRACUSE IN TOTAL?

>> THAT'S REALLY HARD, WE HAVE SUCCESS MEASURES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.

THERE IS PART OF THAT THAT ARE PURE NUMBERS.

WE KNOW EACH VENDOR NEEDS TO HAVE 100 TICKET SALES A DAY.

THEY'RE HITTING THAT.

WE FOE THAT THEY'RE ALL HITTING THEIR BENCHMARKS.

THEIR BUSINESS PLANS, THEY HAVE ALL EXCEEDED THEIR BUSINESS PLANS.

WE KNOW FROM THE COOPERATIVE GROCERY STORE THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.

BUT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS SUCCESSFUL.

>> SO I'M GOING TO BREAK IT DOWN TO TWO PARTS THEN IF I'M HEARING THE VENDORS THAT ARE HERE ARE QUOTE UNQUOTE HITTING THEIR NUMBERS.

>> YEP.

>> NOW COMES THE PART WELL WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY?

WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR DOWNTOWN?

>> YES, AND THAT'S THE PART THAT WE ARE STILL TRYING TO MEASURE.

WE CAN TELL JUST THE FOOT TRAFFIC AT THIS END OF DOWNTOWN, WHICH THEREFORE JUST CHANGES PEOPLE'S SENSE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY, IT CHANGES THEIR SENSE OF WHAT AN URBAN SWRIERMT CAN BE.

SO WE KNOW THAT THAT HAS HAD A HUGE IMPACT.

>> HAVE YOU GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM THE LOCAL BUSINESSES?

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ARE COMING DOWN?

>> A LOT OF STUDENTS ARE COMING DOWN.

FROM THE HOTEL SYRACUSE ACROSS THE STREET THAT THIS IS A GREAT PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME OVER, THEY COME OVER AND GET COFFEE SO ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF FACTORS AND I THINK LAST THING IS HOW ARE WE BUILDING COMMUNITY HERE?

HOW ARE WE SAYING THIS IS A COMMUNITY HUB?

WHEN WE DESIGNED THIS BUILDING WE DID A TON OF FOCUS GROUPS AND ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE THING WE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WAS DON'T MAKE THIS ABOUT THE PATH OF SYRACUSE.

DON'T MAKE IT A BRICK BUILDING.

MAKE IT THE FUTURE OF SYRACUSE.

HENCE YOU HAVE THESE 24-FOOT CEILINGS ON THE FIRST FLOOR JUST TO HAVE THAT LIGHT.

AND AT NIGHT, NAT LIGHT THAT LIGHT COMES OUT OF THE BUILDING SO IT IS REALLY ABOUT THIS BEACON OF LIKE WHAT THE FUTURE OF SYRACUSE IS.

>> LOOKING FORWARD, APARTMENTS ARE UPSTAIRS, BUSINESSES UPSTAIRS.

IS THE PLACE COMPLETE.

WILL WE HEAR IN A YEAR OR TWO OF AN EXPANSION OR ANYTHING ELSE HAPPENING?

>> WE ARE ALMOST ONE ALL DOWN.

WE HAVE ONE MORE NOT-FOR-PROFIT THAT IS TAKING THE LAST SUITE OF OFFICE SPACE AND THEN WE ARE COMPLETELY AT CAPACITY.

>> IF YOU LOOK AROUND, AND LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING HERE, AND AS YOU LOOK BEYOND THIS, WHAT NEEDS DO YOU SEE?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GREATER NEEDS-- I HATE TO USE THE WORD PROBLEMS BUT GREATER NEEDS YOU SEE IN THE CENTRAL NEW YORK MARKET?

>> WHAT I SEE IN SYRACUSE IS JUST SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY.

WE HAVE SO MANY WONDERFUL YOUNG PEOPLE THAT GRADUATE, EVEN FROM, YOU KNOW, SUBURBAN SCHOOLS OR THE SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOLS.

>> OPPORTUNITY ASIDE, WE HAVE PROBLEMS.

YOU KNOW WE HAVE PROBLEMS.

>> A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF POVERTY ESPECIALLY AMONG BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES AND WE CARE ABOUT THAT DEEPLY.

POVERTY IS AN ECONOMIC SITUATION AND CONDITION THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW ARE WE CREATING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE FOR A LIVING WAGE THAT CAN SUPPORT THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.

HOW CAN WE-- WE PARTNER A GREAT DEAL WITH THE MAYOR AND THE COUNTY EXEC ON HOME OWNERSHIP.

WE SHOULD BE REALLY-- WE HAVE SO MANY PROPERTIES IN THE CITY OF SYRACUSE THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE IN HOME OWNERSHIP.

>> THE POVERTY-- IF WE CAN JUST TALK FOR BUSINESSES OR ECONOMIC IMPACT, IF YOU WILL, WHAT CAN WE DO TO STIMULATE WHETHER IT'S DOWNTOWN ARE OR SPREADING OUT A BIT.

WHAT DO YOU SEE THERE?

>> DOWNTOWN ESPECIALLY, WHAT WE NEED TO SEE, WE NEED DOWNTOWN TO COME BACK, RIGHT?

>> YOU AGREE WITH ME.

IT'S PRE-PANDEMIC.

IF YOU WORKED PRE-PANDEMIC DOWNTOWN, THINGS WERE HAPPENING DOWN HERE.

THINGS WERE DIFFERENT THAN FIVE OR 10 YEARS AGO.

>> YOU KNOW, WITHOUT A DOUBT, RIGHT?

YOU LOOK AT THE BUILDING ALONE, JUST THAT, THAT DEVELOPMENT HAS CHANGED DOWNTOWN.

YOU HAVE ALMOST 5,000 PEOPLE LIVING DOWNTOWN.

>> IT WAS SO WEIRD FOR YOU TO BE HERE BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH GOING ON, TOWARDS THAT WAY.

IT IS JUST DIFFERENT I THOUGHT.

>> THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THE CENTRAL BUS HAD BEEN DONE.

WE KNEE THE STEAM SCHOOL IS COMING ON BOARD.

WE KNEW THIS AREA OF DOWNTOWN WAS PART OF THE REVITALIZATION AND WE WERE COMMITTED TO TRYING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS THAT THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WHEN YOU RALLY AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU KIND OF SHEPHERD AND GET PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND YOU HAVE A VISION AND YOU GET PEOPLE GOING IN THAT DIRECTION, I WAS AMAZED HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE LIKE YES, I WILL GO WITH YOU AND WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

>> THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT.

COMING UP NEXT WEEK •A FORMER RUNNING BACK TALKS SPORTS APPAREL, ADVICE ON MAXIMIZING YOUR REAL ESTATE VALUE, AND SOME CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY WHICH MIGHT DELIVER YOUR FUTURE AMAZON PACKAGES.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WCNY.ORG/ONTHEMONEY.

YOU CAN CONTACT US BY EMAILING NEWS AT WCNY.ORG -- AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

FROM ALL OF US AT ON THE MONEY, I'M DANIEL PLUFF, THANKS FOR WATCHING.