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Bob Congel, ‘Syracuse’s George Bailey,’ changed city for the better (Commentary) Updated Feb 08, 2021; Facebook Share By Richard Pietrafesa | Special to Syracuse.com Richard Pietrafesa, a lifelong resident of the city of Syracuse, is a former executive of Destiny USA. When people ask me about Bob Congel, I often think of the 1946 movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” In that film, a guardian angel shows the main character George Bailey how significantly he has touched the lives of others, and how different life would be for the community of Bedford Falls if George had not been born. But for George and his deeds, Bedford Falls would have turned into Pottersville, an unsavory town overtaken by crime, decay and poverty. ....
Flashback: Robert Congel announces plans for Oil City mall (vintage photos) Updated Feb 04, 2021; Facebook Share The first seeds to what became the Carousel Center, and later Destiny USA, were planted thirty years ago this week. It began with a dramatic proposal from prominent local developer Robert Congel on July 10, 1987 to transform Syracuse s Oil City, a decaying industrial section, into a retail, residential, recreation, preservation and light-industrial district, stretching from Onondaga Lake to downtown. The centerpiece of his vision was a $100 million, two-to-three story shopping mall, which he said would be the largest regional center in Central New York. He hoped that it would become the catalyst needed to persuade other developers to build houses, apartments, restaurants, marina slips and offices throughout a triangle shaped piece of land bordered by Onondaga Lake and Interstates 81 and 690. ....