There is big news developing in the western suburbs of Central New York. The Camillus Cutlery Company property located in the Village of Camillus has now changed hands and is about to get a new lease on life!
The long vacant home to what was once the world's most renowned knife manufacturer will now be transformed into a medical wellness center thanks to the efforts of Sweet Spot Development.
Today, the Skaneateles-based realty firm removed the long-existing for sale signs and replaced them with Camillus Mills signs. This mixed use medical-wellness project will transform the Village's largest commercial property into a hub of healthcare activity. The multi-phase project will be the first sizeable medical office project in the western suburbs of Central New York in approximately 15 years.
The initial phase of Camillus Mills involves the rehabilitation of the 45,000 square foot former Camillus Cutlery world headquarters building. The space will be renovated into medical-wellness office space, and upscale second floor apartments on Main Street in the Village. Decades old buildings along Nine Mile Creek will also be demolished as part of efforts to clean the 4.5 acre property and introduce new parking and green space. The vacant former manufacturing site is designated as environmentally challenged and Sweet Spot Development's plan is to remediate the entire property. The firm also plans to construct additional buildings on the site in later phases.
Camillus Mills has agreements with two significant medical participants for the project. Names of the practices are not being made immediately available, but both are well-established multi-office practices. Sweet Spot Companies' operations officer, Roy Brunner, is now on the look-out for additional practices wanting to take advantage of the western suburbs growing patient base.
"We are very pleased with the initial groups which have committed to Camillus Mills, and are turning our attention to securing medical groups to help anchor the site. We are launching full-blown lease efforts within the next week to fill about 30,000 square feet of space remaining in Phase I. We are positioned to provide competitive lease terms, a great location, and possible ownership opportunities to tenants. Our location in the western suburbs is ideal in today's changing medical landscape and our tenants will benefit from being directly on "Main Street" in a Village positioned for resurgence."
The former Camillus Cutlery site has been empty since the company closed its doors in 2007. It is located two-tenths of a mile from I-695 and is about a 15 minute drive from downtown Syracuse to the east, and the City of Auburn to the west.
Sweet Spot Development authored a Restore New York grant application in 2009 which resulted in a $2.5 million dollar award for multiple properties. A portion of these funds have already helped renovate a building now housing the popular Krabby Kirk's saloon and restaurant, across the street from the site of Camillus Mills. The remaining grant monies will be used for demolition and renovation of the former Camillus Cutlery Company property, which has fallen into a state of disrepair. The developer's goal is to begin moving in tenants in the summer or fall of 2013.
It is anticipated that the project, once completed and fully occupied, will result in the location of close to 90 jobs in Camillus. In addition, 50+ temporary construction jobs will need to be filled during the demolition and construction periods.
Project renderings, brochures and site specific materials are available at www.camillusmills.com. Please direct any follow-up questions or media needs to Roy Brunner at 315-657-1123.
