SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Plans to bring giraffes to Syracuse are still moving forward, but county officials say the project remains in an early stage in 2026, later than what was laid out in earlier planning documents.
In 2024, the giraffe project was included in Onondaga County’s capital improvement plan, which set aside $7.85 million and projected that design work would begin in early 2025, with construction starting later that same year. County officials now say the immediate focus is on securing additional land before the project can advance.
Officials are working with the Syracuse Common Council to approve a transfer of about seven acres from the Syracuse Developmental Center. The land is currently owned by the city and is part of an area expected to see new housing…