By Hayleigh Gowans

Staff Writer

The Islamic Cultural Center of Bosniaks in Syracuse was approved last week to construct a new worship and cultural center in East Syracuse at 720 Hartwell Avenue. The new building, to be 80-by-80 square-feet, will hold a mosque, a full basement, an outdoor fountain and plans for a soccer field, tennis court and basketball court to be open for public use.

The congregation, which currently worships at 6500 Fremont Road in East Syracuse, has more than 150 families and needs more space for worship and events, said project manager Joseph Mastroianni, of Mastroianni Engineering.

The East Syracuse Village Board approved the project on Feb. 6, after holding a public hearing on the site plan.

Mastroianni said the group now can finalize the purchase of the land and he will work to get the final designs of the project complete, and construction should start later this year.