Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- Syracuse Common Council agreed Monday to sell the Mitzpah Tower in Columbus Circle to local lawyer Thomas Cerio.
Cerio hopes to develop the former First Baptist Church complex into apartments, businesses and banquet space. The complex may need millions of dollars in repairs and there is more than $115,000 worth of back taxes on the property.
Cerio introduced his idea of how to fix up the space to the Syracuse Common Council last week.
“The development that's going on downtown right now is great. We're seeing a lot of apartments that are coming in and I think there's a need for, not a higher end, but larger type apartments for more family type living that can occur downtown,” Cerio said.
Developers have been interested in this space before, but have always backed out after assessing the work that needs to be done to the property.
