By Russ Tarby
Contributing Writer
Le Moyne Manor, the landmark banquet and entertainment facility at 629 Old Liverpool Road, has been bought by Dave Muraco, developer and owner of the Suburban Park apartment complex in Manlius.
Muraco’s recent purchase was confirmed by Joyce Mawhinney MacKnight, senior executive advisor at Pyramid Brokerage Co., representing Cushman & Wakefield, a New York City real-estate firm.
Besides the Manlius apartment complex, Muraco, a native of Utica, also owns shopping centers and other apartments in CNY. I hope to speak to him soon about his plans for Le Moyne Manor and its adjacent motel. The main building’s size is more than 55,000 square feet, and the entire property sits on 3.68 acres in the town of Salina.
Ward Wellington Ward design
The original Le Moyne Manor building was designed by noted Arts and Crafts architect Ward Wellington Ward, who lived there early in the early 20th century. It was extensively renovated over the years under various owners. The spacious Wellington and Le Moyne/Stickley rooms all had Stickley furniture.
In the late 1940s impresario Frank Montanaro established Le Moyne Manor as “The House of Banquets,” one of the area’s most popular venues for formal dinners, proms, wedding receptions and concerts. Its kitchen was built to serve 1,200 guests.
Montanaro triumph and tragedy
In 1992, Montanaro added a modern motel to the property, and in 1972 his son, Anthony, was shot to death while working there as a clerk.
Frank Montanaro sold his business and retired in 1992. He passed away in Syracuse on Dec. 28, 2013, at age 92.
The Rev. Peter Young, a Catholic priest based in Albany, took over the facility in 1998 and operated it as part of Peter Young Housing, Industries & Treatment, an alcohol and substance abuse treatment center which ran vocational programs.
In 2012, Young’s program quit the food and hospitality business entirely, and the restaurant and hotel have remained dark for the past five years.
Now with Dave Muraco managing the property, the venerable Le Moyne Manor might finally enjoy a well-deserved revival.
Corinthian Court
The building with the Corinthian-columned porch at 514 Oswego St., at the corner of Vine Street, has been extensively renovated under the direction of new owner Sohyla Ziaie.
She also owns Kashani Home Décor & Gifts, next door at 512 Oswego St., and last year Ziaie purchased the corner property that previously housed Antelmi-Fusco & Cazzola Insurance which relocated last summer to 8035 Oswego Road (Route 57).
Three new businesses have moved in to the building Ziaie calls Corinthian Court.
On Jan. 26, Infra Rayz, managed by Tammy Speno, opened its doors upstairs at 514 Oswego St., offering organic spray-tanning treatments and infrared sauna sessions; infrarayz.com; 451-1411.
A hair salon called Styling Studio (604-2426) has opened on the first floor during the winter, and now that summer is imminent, JT’s Creamery & Café is serving cool confections from its first-floor window along the Vine Street side of the building.
JT’s Creamery & Café
There’s outdoor seating available at JT’s Creamery, including two decorative benches and a picnic table. Customers can lick cones, spoon up sundaes, swig floats and slurp milkshakes all made with either hard or soft ice cream.
Featured sundaes include “The Villager,” a hot-fudge concoction; “The Parkway,” a strawberry sundae and “The Moose,” your choice of ice cream garnished with three sauces and two candy toppings. Variety is JT’s byword. Besides the usual flavors, its ice cream choices include mango, peach and blueberry. Italian ices, smoothies, juices and iced coffee are also available; 451-1991.
The columnist can be contacted at [email protected].
