An attorney with the New York Civil Liberties Union in Syracuse says Van Robinson was the driving force behind helping her understand the damage caused by the I-81 viaduct. He died over the weekend at age 87. Robinson’s insight ultimately shaped her career advocating for affected residents as plans evolved to remove the structure.
Lanessa Owens-Chaplin said she was a young, budding attorney returning to her native Syracuse when she first met then-common council president Van Robinson.
“He was very welcoming,” Owens-Chaplin said. “He had a lot of good advice to give me about how to navigate the Syracuse political landscape.”…