Owners boast that the Granite Building, on 132 E. Genesee Street in historic Hanover Square, is the oldest building in Syracuse.
The historic building was at risk of being lost as the building sat vacant for years, but a team stepped in just in time, saving the building, history and creating new housing.
What You Need To Know
- The Granite Building was also known as the Koolakian Building for decades
- It was built in 1822 in Hanover Square
- In the 1850s, the Granite Building was home to George Barnard Garrett
“I saw this building was vacant. I was like, ‘wow, I would really love to renovate this building,’” said developer Gavin Maloney.
One of New York’s oldest buildings has a beautiful new life ahead, thanks to the efforts of Maloney and building owner/designer Adrienne Neff.
“It’s part of the history of the city, so it was fantastic to learn more about Syracuse and how it came about,” Neff said, “but we were referred to a lot of photographs of taverns and we looked at a lot of pictures what Syracuse looked like [in the] early 1900s and we wanted to create that feeling again in the building.”
According to the Onondaga Historical Association, the Granite Building got a modest start in 1822 as a salt warehouse in the Salt City. It later became home to some well-known people.
“In the 1850s, it was home to George Barnard Garrett’s type shop … [he] he was, with the exception of Matthew Brady, who hired him during the American Civil War, probably the most significant American photographer of the 19th century. He photographed Sherman’s March to the Sea, and he essentially invented journalism,” said Bob Searing with the historical association.
Later in its 200-year history, it housed the offices of famed architect Archimedes Russell; to hardware stores; and the iconic Koolakian’s menswear shop.
“Mr. Koolakian was a champion of downtown’s resurgence,” Searing said. “One of the founding members of the downtown committee. And he would sit and sort of hold court in this very upscale store in Hanover Square, basically anchoring this community through some very tough times in the ’80s and ’90s, as all of upstate sort of went through.”
“It didn’t come without its challenges, but it’s just so gratifying to see it now being enjoyed and lived in today,” Neff said.
After their renovation, three apartments and one retail space are now available for others to live in and make a new history on the wide planked floors with urban views all around. A political group has rented it as their headquarters.
