SYRACUSE (AP) -- The roof on Syracuse's downtown arena has gone green in a big way.
Crews have completed installing a field of flowering plants that covers more than an acre atop the Oncenter's Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center. The "green" roof is designed to prevent excess rainwater from flooding Syracuse's sewer system.
The Post-Standard of Syracuse reports that the six-week project involved ripping off a layer of the old roof and hauling up 670 tons of soil along with 12 tons of sedum, a flowering plant found in the mountainous regions of Europe. The plant absorbs water but can also withstand long periods of dry conditions and needs little to no maintenance.
The arena is the third building owned by Onondaga County to get a green roof. More than 130 have been installed across the state.
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