Westcott, Syracuse

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Westcott Street during the annual Westcott Street Cultural Fair in September 2004

Westcott is a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York near Syracuse University. The neighborhood is seen as the cultural neighborhood of Syracuse, with several boutiques selling hip clothing and accessories. It is also a very diverse community, with many of its residents being Syracuse University students, many international, and others being more lower-income permanent residents. Westcott Street is the main retail street of the neighborhood, and it features many international restaurants and cultural stores. There is also Westcott Cinema, which often plays non-mainstream, independent films. Once a year the neighborhood is also home to the Westcott Street Cultural Fair.

Westcott is also home to Thornden Park, one of the largest parks in Syracuse.

[edit] History

Westcott was founded in the late nineteenth century as a result of the growth of Syracuse University, which was founded in 1870. In 1893 the neighborhood began being served by electric streetcars, which ran along Westcott Street and Euclid Avenue. Residents of Westcott are known for their activism, and are called members of "Westcott Nation."

Map of Westcott

[edit] Revival

Starting in 1989, businessman Sabastino Marcoccia began buying up property on Westcott Street and seeing to it that its sidewalks and facades were repaired. He now owns most of the property in the Westcott Street business district, including his own business, Sabastino's Pizza and Grocery. This supplemented several business openings in the area that were made by Munjed Essi, who has lived nearly his whole life within blocks of the Westcott business district.

Some of the other businesses located in the Westcott area (also known as the Westcott Nation) include a Mexican restaurant Alto Cinco, a Spanish restaurant Las Delicias, an independent bookstore Second Story Books, a bar Taps, the Westcott Cinema,El Sol Auto & home upholstery, new age bookstore Seven Rays and a skateboard and coffee shop Recess. The Syracuse Real Food Cooperative is also located just off of Westcott Street.

Westcott Street is now the only business district in Syracuse that has complete occupancy.

The Westcott Community Center was home to Syracuse Community Radio, which operates radio station WXXE. The station's webcast was shut down in early 2007, although a group will be maintaining a webcast under another name in the studio on the second floor of the community center. Ironically, due to crowded conditions on the FM radio band in the Syracuse area, the station broadcasts from a transmitter in the town of Fenner, about 20 miles to the east of Syracuse, and can not usually be picked up in the Westcott area. However, Syracuse Community Radio has been working toward having broadcast translaters granted by the FCC and the signal from Fenner redirected over Syracuse. The fate of Syracuse Community Radio is currently questionable.