Grant from Chase Bank helps improve Syracuse businesses

$85,000 towards hands-on training:

(Syracuse) - The South Side Innovation Center (SSIC) is already putting to use an $85,000 grant from J.P. Morgan Chase Bank donated last week. The grant is being used to fund classes, seminars, office space and other opportunities for business owners in the Syracuse area. Chase has provided grant money to the SSIC in the past for similar programs.

"It's a starting point," says Margaret Butler, the operations manager at SSIC. "That's what we are. We're bringing businesses in. We help them to get to that point where they're stable. They can go out into the community, and they can thrive. But even once they leave here, we still keep working with them."

The new grant for SSIC will allow those who have the skills to do a job but don't know the business management aspect to get that training at a sharply reduced cost.

"(They provide) classes, training, people, opportunities," says Shaywan East, president of East Environmental Group which opperates out of SSIC. "I mean they're very big with trying to team you up with partnerships and companies in your industry."

Syracuse's South Side is already seeing improvements thanks to the presense of SSIC. A formerly abandoned building at the corner of South Salina Street and Lafayette Avenue will soon open as an apartment complex and restaurant. It's a part of CPGT Properties, LLC, owned by Steven Abdezese who got his business training from the SSIC.

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