The new Ronald McDonald house located on East Genessee Street is supposed to be a four story home that will accomodate about 30 families whose children are getting medical care in Syracuse. It would replace a 150 year old house, which preservationists fought to keep, but they lost. Still, they turned out in force at Syracuse City Hall, to say the new design doesn't cut it. Donald Radke, Chairman of the City Preservation Board, says, "It's a big building, it looks bigger than it has to be. The proposed design has gables that make it look 10 feet taller than it has to." The people who run the Ronald McDonald house say they outgrew the old building and there are good reasons why the new one is so much bigger, and looks so different.

Tired of the back and forth, the City Planning Commission ordered both sides to discuss their issues in private. The Ronald McDonald house has convinced most members of the planning commission that the new design is the way to go, and the charity wants to be clear; although it is willing to talk about the new plans, there will be no discussion of keeping the old building.