Westcott Community

The Westcott Neighborhood of Syracuse, NY

A vibrant eastside neighborhood rich in history, culture, food and entertainment

Walking Tours

Stately Streets

Stop #02

501 Westcott St

  • Built: 1920s
  • Architect: Unknown
Map This Location

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This 1920s corner commercial building has long been a place for local gathering and dining in the neighborhood. The names of the establishments have changed, but the popularity of breakfast or lunch with neighbors has not. In the 1930s and 40s this was Whittig’s Ice Cream Store, that then became the Westcott Bakery & Ice Cream Store. In the 1990s it was the Chatterbox Cafe, and later the Common Grounds. In recent years Mom’s Diner has served up popular diner food, and the Diner is a popular morning meeting place for Westcott regulars young and old.

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Architecturally, the simple box-like building is a well preserved example of what might be called “budget deco;” a simple and inexpensive aesthetic of flat walls enlivened with geometric patters in brick popular on commercial strips in the 1920s.