We received a call from the County Executives office with a clean-up request for our Hire Ground Crew. The job was to clean up around the campus of the old Shoppingtown Mall.

Things looked pretty dark for Shoppingtown when, after years of stores and shoppers abandoning Central New York’s first shopping mall, it closed its doors in March 2020 and was acquired by Onondaga County.

But its prospects for a new life brightened last summer when a group of four Central New York companies agreed to purchase the vacant property for $8 million and invest at least $300 million in redeveloping it for housing, entertainment, restaurants, and hospitality, retail and office space.

Seven months later, the county still owns the vacant mall. But Ryan Benz, the developer who is leading the redevelopment effort, said the group is still working hard to make it a reality.

The Hire Ground Crew is up for the task and will do what we can to keep the outside grounds looking good for the residents of the area. These opportunities give IMFK moments to show our friends that they are needed and valuable. These jobs give our friends a sense of dignity even though they are still struggling with the chaos going on in their lives. We are believing as our friends beautify the community that their lives will also start to turn around. It’s all about a hand-up, not a handout.

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