<p>The Syracuse metropolitan area is actually somewhat larger than that of Madison, WI – 650,000 vs. 550-600,000. Unlike the Madison area, the population in the Syracuse MSA has been declining. There are some positive developments taking place in Syracuse, notably the Armory Square area. Recently announced projects include new corporate office for the engineering firm O’Brien and Gere and a Marriott hotel. As momkaes noted, the Carousel Center Mall is located a couple miles north of the SU campus. It will be one of the largest malls in the United States when an expansion currently under construction opens next spring. The mall magnate has even more grandiose plans to turn the Carousel Mall into something called “Destiny USA” – a hybrid mall/theme park/lifestyle center. Don’t go to SU thinking you’ll see this thing materialize while you are there however.</p>