Project spurs entrepreneur's memories, investment

CNY Business Journal (1996+), Jul 26, 2002 by Fitting, Beth

SYRACUSE - Robert Molta was educated as a biologist and now is general manager of Applied Technical Services in Syracuse. But his passion is buying and restoring old buildings in the city, especially on the North Side. Molta grew up in Lyncourt, on the outer fringes of the North Side, and still lives there with his wife and two children. He says he remembers when he was a child, his father would take him down to a wonderful toy store on North Salina Street.

Now the City of Syracuse is restoring several blocks of North Salina to its old glory - as a street of small shops and loft residences - and that fits right in with Molta's plans.

Molta owns 16 properties in the city, mostly on the North Side. He says he buys "the worst building on a nice street." His last two purchases, though, were "about as bad as I want to buy." He has been working on these two buildings, at 611 and 617 North Salina St., for the past two years, converting them into storefronts on the first floor, with second- and thirdfloor "highend" loft apartments. Molta says he is planning to market them to young professionals, and they will rent for $950 a month including heat and hot water. The apartments at 617 will be ready for occupappy Aug. 15; those at 611, the building next door, Molta expects to be ready Oct. 1.

Downstairs at 617, MG Architects is moving in. Michael Garrity, the owner of the architectural firm, is also the designer of the renovations to Molta's apartments. Molta acts as his own general contractor, as he wants to stay close to each project. "I build stuff with the idea that my kids might own it someday."

At 611-617 North Salina St., the original brick walls are exposed, door and window moldings are either from the building itself or salvaged to represent the original moldings, and the old stair railings were restored. Molta says there were "layers of paint" on the railings, which he removed, and then he stained the original wood. Floors are cherry planks.

Each building has its unique character. At one, the look is traditional, harking back to the period when the building was erected. At the other, Molta calls the apartments' design "contemporary," although original materials are used throughout. In those apartments, Molta is having his fiberoptic "star" ceilings installed, in the shape of constellations.

Fran DeStefano, business-development specialist at the city's Community Development office, who has been involved with Little Italy for some time, says she hopes Molta's efforts will "spur additional interest in the project."