I've decided that if a genie ever granted me a magic power, I would choose time travel. Driving past old homes, I often think: “Who were the original occupants of this house? What was their family like? What did the inside of their home look like back then?”

I had that feeling a couple of years ago when I walked the Downtown Living Tour in Syracuse. It was gratifying to see that tired, once lovely buildings hadn't been torn down, but had instead been remodeled. Venerable department stores and warehouses had been turned into modern condos and office space, while keeping handsome elements of the past: exposed brick, repurposed wood, Depression glass. Now these gems are elegant and eco-friendly—a testament to the future of Syracuse while honoring its past.