Talk CNY Miniseries: Leadership Lessons - Creating a Vibrant Downtown Syracuse

The Talk CNY Miniseries: Leadership Lessons is a new series where we sit down with business and community leaders to explore the personal and professional experiences that have shaped their journeys.

Kicking off the series is Merike Treier, Executive Director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse. In this role, she leads initiatives focused on development, revitalization, security, and environmental maintenance.

Ever wondered what it takes to create and sustain a thriving downtown? Merike shares with host Brittni Smallwood her perspective on downtown Syracuse’s remarkable transformation and the strategies she’s used to foster lasting growth.

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Transcript

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Welcome to the Talk CNY miniseries Leadership Lessons. This season we are rolling out a new format where we will sit down with community leaders to discuss the personal and professional lessons that have led them to where they are today and serve as a guiding light forward. Our first guest is Merike Treier. She is the Executive Director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse. In that role, Merike oversees all of the downtown committee's programs from development to revitalization to security and environmental measurement management rather. And joining us today is Merike. Merike, Thanks for joining us. Thank you for having me. Oh, we're so excited to have you here today. So you joined the Downtown Committee in 2004 and then right? Go ahead. In 2004. A few years ago. It's gone by very quickly though. I love that. I guess things go quickly when you're having fun. That is very true. Yep. I love that. Well, then you became the executive director in 2011. So as we mentioned, two decades, you have watched a lot transform over these past two decades. So what has it been like for you as you've watched all the transformation, really from a front seat? It's been really exciting. I think anyone who is working here in Syracuse or Central New York, you kind of feel that energy and you recognize that you are surrounded by so many people that want the best for the community. So here in Syracuse, you're able to see tangible impact from the work that you're doing. I think many of us who are in the nonprofit space, that's really important to us is feeling a part of the mission and being able to see the progress coming from that work. But nothing happens in a vacuum. We're really fortunate to have so many partners in this effort. And again, everyone I think pulling together to create that vibrant downtown Syracuse that we all want to be a part of. I love the collaborative efforts that really come together to bring about a vibrant downtown for everyone. So what would you say then is the tipping point, right? Whether it's a moment or a project that really transformed downtown? It's funny because 2004 is when I came here to Syracuse, and I'm from the Rochester area originally. I would come here, my grandparents lived in this area, we'd come here for SU games. Some of my early memories were driving the 690 to 81 interchange. There was this round, it was a Holiday Inn hotel at the time, but white-knuckling it as you raced onto 81. And so now to be in a place where that project's finally moving forward. But I had a lot of memories of Syracuse and being here for 20 years, which again, I said it's gone by so quickly, which is a testament to the fun you have in your job. But Armory Square, when I came here in 2004, was really what people thought of when they thought of downtown Syracuse. It was the center for nightlife. It was the center for entertainment. There were housing units on the upper floors, and that's what people thought of. Hanover Square was still this wonderful square. We used to have our offices over in the State Tower building. It was a fabulous location, but Salina Street really looked a lot different than what you experienced today. And so I think that was one of the major most visible tipping points I would say, in terms of downtown's progress forward because so many people judge the health of downtown Syracuse by what you're experiencing on that street level. And there was development happening on the 200 block of Salina, and development happening on the 400 block. But that 300 block of South Salina Street, right where our offices are located, didn't see that same level of investment. So there was a lot of effort and partnership by the preservation district. And that then allowed for developers to take advantage of historic preservation tax credits, which allowed to help fill that financing gap that was so crucial in making these real estate projects make sense moving forward. So there were the developers that took risks on these projects, and we have a lot of local developers here in the area, and they understand the character that they want to bring back to the community and how that authenticity really resonates with people. So whenever I bring my Rochester counterparts here, they're always really envious of what we have here in downtown Syracuse because we have that historic building stock. We've got so many different retail establishments and restaurant options to choose from and museums and culture. Everything's so walkable. Downtown Rochester does not have that same layout there, that same format. The Salina Street transformation was a huge tipping point, I would say. We've had so many buildings renovated over the past couple of years to bring housing into underutilized upper floors. I remember back in 2006, we had, I think 12 apartments come online one year, which was huge. That was such a big deal. And then think of last year we had over 200 apartments come online. So just thinking of how things scale up and how things change. And we've really seen a lot of our white elephant properties get redeveloped and occupied with housing on the upper floors, really neat workspaces, new restaurants, new shops. So it's just been really fun to be a part of. All of those projects are really monumental and it's them grow. So when you think about the vision that you've had for downtown, how has it been trying to tackle the big projects but also really maintaining the day-to-day responsibilities? And that's a space where our organization as the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, that's really where we play that role in the placemaking realm. So business improvement districts like the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, we are that public-private partnership to convene people around an idea. We are there to play a supportive, collaborative role, other services that we provide to the district. So there's certainly those big redevelopment projects that have happened throughout downtown Syracuse. But our organization, we've got 17 full-time staff members as part of the downtown committee, about two thirds of our team actually work in the outdoor and the public spaces. So it's our security officers that have that proactive presence along with the Syracuse Police Department and others to create a safe, welcoming environment for the downtown community. We have our environmental maintenance team, which takes care of all of those non-glamorous things space, whether it's litter pickup or graffiti removal, or the beautification efforts you see throughout Downtown Syracuse in the summertime. It's people taking care of those public spaces, but also support for all of our business owners, our retailers, our restaurateurs, our cultural institutions, our So one of the most rewarding parts of this job is being able to work with so many different community partners to help Syracuse realize that vision. And it's really beautiful because the people who are on your team and you see them as they're out and they have such a love for the city of Syracuse and downtown. And when you see the beautiful flowers and they water them, and they do really so much. I mean, there's so much downtown, and sometimes I walk around and I'm just amazed at all of the work that they do. And so please let them know we are all grateful.We are all grateful. I will. I'm incredibly thankful for the team. Yes, they really are. So when you think back over your time, what would you say is the most valuable lesson you've learned? It's a great question. Probably the most valuable lesson that I have learned is a realization and a recognition that the community wants to be involved. They want to be supportive, they want to be helpful. There's just so many amazing people in this community, and I'm sure you hear this quite a bit on the podcast, but there's so many people doing amazing work here in this community. And again, everyone wants to be building towards that vibrant Downtown Syracuse and playing whatever role that we can play in terms of making that vision happen. That's one thing I love about this city is that people are so passionate about Central New York, about Syracuse. It is really beautiful to see. And I don't know if I answered your question. The valuable lesson is not only are there amazing people, which is obviously like the recognition, but people want to help. So being able to take advantage of those relationships that have been built and people's energy and asking them to be a part of it and asking them to participate and be involved and be active. Well said both times. Thank you. Just so you know. Well said both times. So when you think about whether it's your professional or even personal, what habits would you say help you really maintain your resilience or your focus as you go throughout work? I think anybody who knows me would know I'm highly detail-oriented. So organization. I think is a huge scale and one that I rely on quite a bit. I pride our organization on being responsive. So being able to follow up with individuals either on information that we can provide, how we can help if we don't have an answer in that moment, what we're going to do to be able to find that answer for an individual. So organization that's time management, follow through, honesty, accountability, integrity. I think those are things that run through all members of our organization. All beautiful, great pillars to have really for even just an individual. So when you think about any position, there are always challenges. So how do you find a way to turn the challenges into opportunities? And we heard you really earlier when you were talking about the 300 block of Salina Street and you found the tax credits. But what are some other ways that you've turned challenges into opportunities? Yeah, I think it's that mindset of seeing those challenges first as opportunities. And so trying to find that nugget of something that you can build on piloting a certain project to see if it gains traction, making adjustments. So it's always looking at downtown or any of the efforts that we're involved with, with an eye towards continuous improvement. Very nice. But I hear what you're also saying, the research and development also part of it, piloting it and then adjusting. Very nice. When you think back over your career, what would you say is one of the biggest accomplishments you are most proud of? Oh gosh. I feel like my answer would vary depending on the day. Okay. I think we get the opportunity to be involved with so many different people within our community. So it could be walking into Darwin's sandwich shop and we worked with them on a grant when they first moved and opened their business in Downtown Syracuse. And so in this work, you get the opportunity to work alongside so many individuals sort of in the trenches of bringing a project to fruition. So it's being able to build those relationships and thriving, and then knowing that you were able leave something better than you found it and be able to help them along their journey. So that's always really rewarding to see some of the real estate projects that have transformed and whether it's information that we have provided to help support the redevelopment project, or if we'd helped to advise the property owner on available incentives or provide market research or make a connection with a potential tenant. So it's nice, again, just to see those tangible results in downtown of what's happening here and knowing that you were able to help support the project to make that move forward. That's beautiful. Merike, you and your team do an outstanding job. Oh my goodness. Teamwork is key. So it is surrounding yourself with that wonderful team that is passionate. And because you spend so much of your time at work, you've got your workplace family, so it's important to enjoy the folks that you work with. But also having that team, because nothing happens in a vacuum, it's, it's all partnerships, it's all collaborations, it's all work with the community. So that teamwork is very important. It is. So then what legacy would you like to leave as a leader? As far as what legacy I would like to leave as a leader, I think people looking at Downtown Syracuse with optimism and excitement. On this podcast, we are going to have some fun. We're going to go through our rapid-fire section. So in this section, what we're going to do is give you a series of questions. There are 10 questions that you currently have in your hand. Yes. And so the goal is just, you'll flip through the cards, you can read the question and then answer. We'll give you 30 seconds and then you can move on to the next one. Okay. Alright. So go for it. Am I getting timed for this? I can if you'd like. Let's see. Who or what was the greatest influence on shaping you into the leader you are today? I would have to say I was probably, mom was a significant influence. She was just a really good role model as far as work ethic and integrity and what she did for her job. So that was always something where you grow up watching your parents and what they do. Beautiful. But also I would say when I had first started out, there were 20 years ago, just a different environment. And so I remember in situations where there would be more seasoned professionals or individuals who would make the space at the table for me or make space for me to be able to share my opinions or thoughts on it. And so those were really important experiences that I remember that I try to carry forward as well. That's beautiful. We always need someone like that. How would you characterize your leadership style overall? I would say trusting in our staff. Pretty level-headed and consistent. Always trying to see the positive in a situation. And again, I mentioned this before, but as you approach any situation to leave someone or something better than you found it. Well said. Thank you. Thank you. How do you manage stress to avoid burnout? We talked a little bit before, so it's funny how you kind of go through different phases of your life. So obviously when I started in this position, I was not married. I did not have children. And so my downtown experience was a very different downtown experience compared to where I am today. Married and with two children, 11 and 13. So I joke that I have now embraced my soccer mom moment of my lifestyle. I love it. I'm there. Love it. So that is my experience right now. But what that's forced me to do is be really present. And so I make sure that when I'm here at work, I'm focused. And then when I'm after work or on the weekends, I try really hard to be present for my family and then get involved in different activities, whether it's soccer, whether it's hiking, whether it's extra activities, that helps me just stay balanced as well as refreshed. Beautiful. Thank you. What moments in your career have brought you the most joy? There's been a lot. And I think just this work in downtown Syracuse because it's again, a small enough community, but still sort of has that big city feel. And so I think, again, being able to always be surrounded by just this exciting, vibrant, work underway people in our community that are undertaking this work and sharing this vision for a downtown Syracuse that's vibrant and welcoming. Accessible. This is a really tough question to answer because it's hard to narrow it down just to one moment. I think that is all of them. Okay. You did a fantastic job. Thank you. Thank you for sharing all of that. So we only have really about one more question for you as we prepare to wrap up. What would you say for people who are aspiring leaders, what is your advice for aspiring leaders? I would say take advantage of the resources around you. Oftentimes people, other professionals are more than willing to share their experiences, share their connections, help tell their stories of what's helped them along their path. So I said, don't be shy. Reach out to those contacts if you're interested in a certain line of work or a certain type of project or industry. I think reaching out to folks just to learn more about what their experiences have been. Wonderful. Merike, thank you so much for joining us today. You did wonderful. Well, if you'd like to hear more in-depth responses from Merike, we'll have additional content across all of CenterState CEOs, social media platforms. CenterState CEO's miniseries podcast Talk CNY Leadership Lessons is available across all major podcast platforms and on centerstateceo.com.