The Syracuse Common Council voted 8-1 on Monday afternoon to grant Syracuse University a zone change, enabling the athletic department to continue with their plans to upgrade Hookway Field for athletic use.

‘Right now, the fields at Hookway are not level, they’re not irrigated and they’re not lit,’ said Janet Kittell, associate director of athletics. ‘We need more fields to give our athletes an equal opportunity to have a good, solid and safe practice.’

Hookway Field, located next to Manley Fieldhouse, was previously zoned as Residential A-1. The proposed upgrades called for a zone classification of Planned Institutional District, allowing it to be formally used for athletic and recreational use.

‘With academics coming first, it’s hard to get the kids together all at one time without sharing a field,’ Kittell said. ‘And when you’re trying to compete at the highest level, you need the best facilities to accommodate you.’

The zone change passed despite heavy opposition from community organizations like the Alliance for the Preservation of Neighborhoods.

“It’s a disappointing loss,” said Eunice Atwell, a member of the alliance and 30-year resident of Westmoreland Avenue. “Instead of a woody area, there’s going to be a spectacle of profound ugliness. I can’t think of anything less I’d like to see there.”

The group’s history includes combatting previous plans that the university has had for Hookway Field. Throughout the early 1980s, the alliance protested three different university proposals that involved developing Hookway Field. Plans for university housing for married students, a Wegmans, and a Wegmans Superstore were all cut because of neighbors; concerns about the neighborhood. Monday’s decision breaks the group’s perfect record.

Common Councilor Bill Simmons of the fifth district was the only member of the council to oppose the zone change.

“The neighborhood didn’t feel that the PID protected them enough from future projects,” he said.

Other reasons for neighborhood opposition to the development involve noise pollution, a decrease in property value and potential drainage problems.

“The university worked hard to try to meet the neighborhood’s concerns,” said Bea Gonzalez, president of the Common Council. “Ultimately, the university was trying to improve its property. The reality is that they were asking for something that was within the law, well-researched and as respectful to the neighborhood without scrapping the entire project.”

Both Syracuse University and community members held meetings about the proposal since its introduction in September. Upon hearing community members’ concerns, the university changed its initial plans.

‘Originally, we hoped to put more fields there and irrigate and light them all,’ Kittell said. ‘But out of concern for the neighborhood, the general layout of the land, the vegetation and for financial reasons, we cut way back on our plans.’

The initial plans from September included irrigated and lit fields on 10 fields as opposed to the current proposal for seven fields, only two of which are irrigated and lit.

While Atwell acknowledges the university’s concessions, she maintains that the right changes were not made.

“This was tough because many arguments couldn’t legally come into play,” said Marty Masterpole, councilor of the second district. “ A lot of people called complaining that they wouldn’t be able to walk their dogs or hit golf balls in their neighborhood anymore. Those aren’t valid arguments; it’s not their property.”

Upper Hookway Field will contain five regulation-sized fields surrounded by a six-foot-high green chainlink fence. Lower Hookway Field will contain two low-maintenance fields for intramural and club use.

The new fields at Upper Hookway will accommodate five field teams. SU athletics added women’s soccer, men’s and women’s lacrosse and women’s field hockey.

With the passing of the zone change, Kittel said athletes have much to look forward to.

‘I think this has been a long time coming,” he added. “And I’m glad the Common Council saw the wisdom in giving our kids the chance to have the best.’

Published on April 22, 2003 at 12:00 pm