Preserve. Transform.
Revitalize.
Built in 1875, GereBlock stands at the crossroads of Syracuse’s past and future. Once a bustling 36,000 sq ft factory along the historic Erie Canal, it helped fuel the city’s industrial rise. For generations, its brick walls echoed with work, resilience, and community — until time, circumstance, and neglect left it quiet.
Make it
When the world paused in 2020, that silence found new meaning. Adam Anderson and Eve De Rosa, both professors at Cornell and co-owners of Eden, a Syracuse farm-to-table restaurant, faced an unexpected shutdown during the pandemic. Determined not to abandon local farmers or their staff, they created a farm-to-home delivery network — an idea that soon needed a new home of its own.
A chance visit to GereBlock changed everything.
What began as a “whim” quickly became a vision: to transform this relic of industry into a living hub for connection, creativity, and inclusive economic growth.
THE SPARK THAT
GREW
GereBlock’s revival took shape not through corporate funding, but through community trust. Early collaborators — many from historically marginalized groups — came together to rebuild with purpose. Contractors, architects, artists, and neighbors contributed their expertise and labor in lieu of payment, creating an informal co-op model rooted in shared investment and shared hope.
That spirit of collaboration lives on today. GereBlock’s halls now hum with energy from local makers, artists, educators, and small businesses — many led by women, queer entrepreneurs, people of color, and differently abled creators.