Mayor Asks Court Replace Clear Investment Group at Skyline Apartments

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced the City of Syracuse is asking the State Supreme Court to replace the owner of the former Skyline Apartments with a receiver to take over the James Street property. The city petition says despite Clear Investment Group’s promise to redevelop the Skyline, the company has “failed to invest even de minimis capital into the property” instead allowing it “to fall into further disrepair that it has again been declared unfit for human habitation.” 

In addition to seeking a court appointed receiver to take over the management of the vacant 352-unit apartment building, the complaint asks the court to compel correction of all outstanding code violations, impose over $355,000 in fines accrued for outstanding violations and require Clear to deposit $2 million dollars with the receiver to cover necessary repairs and ongoing maintenance. 

According to the complaint, despite its promises, Clear Investment Group has failed to ensure proper fire alarm and suppression systems in the building thereby placing any neighboring residents and city service personnel at risk. In the past twelve months there has been a fire as well as a flood at the property.  The flood, caused by a broken standpipe, went unnoticed by the owner for weeks or months allowing millions of gallons of water to fill the building, resulting in all services being cut to the facility and creating a risk not only to our police and fire personnel, but putting adjoining neighbors at significant risk.  

The 28-page petition reviewed the recent history of the troubled property. “Previously owned by Green National...the Property was home to vicious crime, drug use and deplorable conditions for its tenants which made it unfit for human occupancy. After years of mismanagement, the City brought an action for receivership of Skyline.” 

“During the Receivership Action, Respondent Clear Investment Group...emerged as a prospective buyer with promises and commitments to purchase the Property and restore it as affordable and safe living for its tenants...When it took over management in April, [Clear Investment Group] submitted to the court its plan to invest at least $4.6 million fixing up the Skyline,” the complaint said. 

 

“Clear has failed to deliver on its promise to return this important property to use as workforce housing. Despite consistent prodding from the City, the property is still boarded up with no evidence of interior or exterior progress,” said Mayor Walsh. “As our community faces a severe housing shortage, we will not tolerate Clear’s failure to act and have taken the steps within our authority to stop the further decline of the property.” 

The City action asks the Court to compel the Clear to “make the entire Property a safe structure and habitable for human occupancy (legally ready for both commercial and residential tenant occupancy) within 120 days of the order.”