New Mosque Planned by Islamic Society of Central New York
When completely built out in all three phases, the mosque-community center would be about 27,000 square feet, according to syracuse.com website.
The proposed Onondaga mosque would serve as an overflow for the Islamic Society's current worship center on 925 Comstock Ave. in Syracuse, said society President Mohamed Khater.
The number of Muslims living in Onondaga County has grown from 3,109 to 6,566 from 2000 to 2010. The Islamic Society has seen a natural growth in the families who attend, as well an as increase in the number of Muslims from other countries who have moved to the area, Khater said.
"Our numbers are growing we need more space," Khater said.
About 400 people regularly attend Friday prayer services, and Khater said potentially up to 200 might attend services at the second location in the town of Onondaga.
The society has told the town that it wants to initially build a 10,340 square foot building that would contain prayer space and bathrooms on 46 acres it bought in 2007 at 5775 E. Seneca Turnpike.
A second expansion would add another 6,500 square feet with a lobby and expansion of the mezzanine. A 9,700 square-foot hall would be built in the third phase.
The Islamic Society is working its way through the town's approval processes and gathering donations and financing for the project, Khater said. It has told the town that construction of the initial building should take about 10 months.
