MIDLER CROSSING WORK LIKELY TO ADVANCE IN JULY.(Business)(Column)

Byline: BOB NIEDT RETAIL NOTEBOOK

Construction at Midler Crossing, the new retail development in Syracuse, has been on hold for several weeks.

But activity at the $30 million shopping center complex will pick up in July as Pioneer Cos. gets past "expected environmental issues," said Jed Schneider, project manager.

"The project has been in the design stages for some time, and we got through the demolition," said Schneider. "To no one's surprise, some environmental work needed to be done. You should see some activity there next month."

Coming to the center at Midler Road next to Interstate 690 is a 170,000-square-foot Lowe's home improvement superstore. Also in the complex is a State Employees Federal Credit Union building.

No other tenants have been announced, although the develop, which is based in Syracuse, has room for 33,000 square feet of retail space and a sit-down restaurant.

Pioneer is building Midler Center atop an industrial wasteland that has high visibility and high traffic volumes whizzing by, sandwiched between I-690 and Erie Boulevard East.

It will house Onondaga County's third Lowe's store. The first opened in Cicero a year ago. The second opened in Camillus earlier this year.

When announced in November, Pioneer said construction on the project would begin in the spring.

But after demolition of the former Prosperity Co. building - a fire gave the demolition a head start - and some site work, things ground to a halt over the past few weeks.

Going in, Pioneer admitted there would be some challenges. Michael P. Falcone, Pioneer's chief executive officer, said the 28-acre site was "an environmentally challenged industrial eyesore" that would be turned into a "revenue-producing retail complex."

Filling orders

Impulsively heading to Armory Square's The Hot Shoppe at 311 S. Clinton St. one day a couple of weeks ago, I was shut out.

Door: Locked.

Check time: 3ish.

Reaction: Whuh?

Flustered, I did what any ordinary person would do these days: I got on the Internet, to The Hot Shoppe's Web site (www.thehotshop.com ).

Firing off an e-mail that accidentally turned into multiple e-mails (sorry, Hot Shoppe), I heard back from Allen Rossino, who co-owns The Hot Shoppe with his wife, Dale.

Turns out they had to shut the doors early because they were so busy preparing packages.

"The surge in business on the Internet has been overwhelming," said Al. "There have been twice as many orders than we usually get. Lately, it's been hard to honor our commitment to posted store hours because of the Internet business."

Ninety percent of The Hot Shoppe's business is online these days, said Al.

"The rest is whatever walk-in business we see in Armory Square, and that usually comes from 30 miles and beyond," said Al.

The Hot Shoppe, online and bricks-and-mortar, offers thousands of hot sauces, salsas, cooking marinades and sauces, seasonings, condiments, jams snacks and more.

It's been in the biz since 1991, a veteran of Armory Square. Those of us with a taste for things fiery are hoping they'll keep at it.

It's been tough for the store, said Al, with street closures for festivals almost weekly.

"When Clinton Street is closed for any reason, our walk-in business plummets," said Al.

Store Front also runs Sunday and Wednesday in The Post-Standard and the Store Front blog, www.syracuse/business/storefront. is updated frequently. Contact Bob Niedt at bniedt@syracuse.com or 470-2264.