The Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center is part of a master plan for downtown Syracuse which includes the Civic Center theaters, War Memorial and arena, new and existing hotels, and parking. The master plan develops a precinct for public events in the center of Syracuse.
The pedestrian scale of downtown is reinforced by bridges and underground connections between the Convention Center, War Memorial, existing garages, a new parking garage, and a hotel. To address this pedestrian emphasis, the ballroom and meeting rooms of the Convention Center are below grade and the exhibition halls are recessed from public lobbies to minimize overall building bulk.
The structural system consists of steel composite beams and moment frames with long span trusses and plate girders to achieve the clear spans required for the ballroom and exhibition halls.
