An editorial promoting a step back in downtown development. Makes me grit my teeth:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...36/1014/NEWS17 :hell: |
This isn't about development, but the largest minority in the Ithaca area.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...39/1002/NEWS17 |
Being home this week, I have had a chance to see first hand the development of the last several years. My notes.
1) On the new parking garage, What the ##$$%%## were they thinking in placing reflective glass on the retail spaces on the first floor. No wonder why they can't get any business to go in there. 2) I like Seneca Place, except for the fact that it seems to be too much of a fortress. If there had been some ground floor retail, it might be a bit less daunting. 3) It's only a matter of time before a third corner in Collegetown gets apartments, since the convenience store and clothing store at the corner of Dryden rd and College Ave has closed. Sooner or Later the bank will be driven out as well. 4) At least the city was able to hold out with Wal-Mart for an earth-toned store with some landscaping, Still, when you look down the hill from Libe Slope, seeing a giant stripmall doesn't look quite right. 5) As far the last post goes, I'd rather have this happen as the result of Cornell than what has happened in most of Upstate due to the growth of the NY prison system. |
I'm wondering if the reflective glass is a cover until they get a tenent in the retail space. There is suppose to be some retail in Seneca Place (about 8,000 sq ft I think). I agree that prime location in Collegetown is ripe for a new mid-rise, but the parking situation has to be resolved before more apartments go in. The whole big box thing has pluses (new sales tax coming into the city) and minuses (ugly big box stores).
I hope this works, here's a connection to a news report about downtown development(click on video of revitalization story, the first 18 seconds are an ad for the NYS fair) sorry this doesn't work any longer. http://www.news10now.com/content/top...asp?ArlD=47579 And here's an article covering the same thing: http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...508190339/1002 |
I know this thread should have stayed on the second page, but good news for downtown Ithaca. Common council passed another hurdle for the 2nd phase of the big downtown development:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...72/1002/NEWS17 :D |
Some more good news, city council approves the continued movement on the downtown project:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...62/1002/NEWS17 And here's another development in the burbs (I know kind of sprawly, but what the heck). http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...36/1002/NEWS17 |
^
Wow, the houses in that 2nd one look like they'll have a nice view. http://cmsimg.theithacajournal.com/a...=1002&MaxW=290 |
Righto 007. The thing the pic doesn't show is the expanse of Cayuge Lake just over the ridge.
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At last ground is being broken on the Gateway residential project in downtown Ithaca. Here's a short article with a small rendering pic (I'll see if I can find more pics):
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...509300335/1002 :D |
I keep searching for better renderings, but I have to settle for whatever is in the paper. Here's an article about the Cayuga Green project and a small rendering:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...510030313/1002 I hope this thing gets the tax abatements so it can get started. Guess I'm just anxious. |
The money request for work on the Green st garage has passed the common council. This brings the new Cayga Green project one step closer to starting.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...510060352/1002 Here is a quick article about what a succesfull small city downtown is about. The focus is Gary Ferguson (director of the Ithaca Downtown Partnership). http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...id=54687&rfi=6 http://www.theithacajournal.com/news...s/2165357.html |
Pretty good commentary by the director of Ithaca Downtown Partnerships. I wish the citizen's of the "enlightened" city would just catch up to reality sometimes.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...9/1014/OPINION |
An article from the Cornell Daily Sun regarding new construction and renovations on campus:
http://www.cornelldailysun.com/vnews.../4369b63cbd17f And here's a better look at the projects from Cornell Magazine: http://cornell-magazine.cornell.edu/.../Features.html With all this and the building going on in the city, Ithaca's a pretty busy place. |
My grandma used to work in the part of Marttha Van that they are tearing down. Maybe this time they'll build something that integrates into the older section, rather than a modernist piece of crap, but I'm not holding my breath.
It should be interesting to see how far they extend Lynah toward Teagle Hall, though. |
Nice little article about good press for Ithaca.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...511070304/1002 :D good press always good news. |
Articles against and in support of the big new development in downtown. Of course I agree with the second one.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...03/1014/NEWS17 http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...08/1014/NEWS17 |
The theater wars in the Ithaca area are about to happen. Pyramid and Regal finally got permission to build their 14 screen theater in the former Ames/Hills in the mall.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...512020339/1002 If these screens and the 12 proposed for downtown come on line, than it will propbably spell the end of the two theaters locatd in the downtown area (Fall Creek and Cinemopolis, located across the street from the proposed location. In a city of 30,000 in a metro area of 100,000 with a stagnant to slow growing population, spending government monies on movie theaters (an industry that has undergone rapid consolidation and multiple bankrupcies, due to high prices and the shortening of the theater to DVD cycle) that will put out of business locally owned businesses who have succeeded over the last 15 to 20 years makes little sense. Also, by adding 16 screens to the area, both Pyramid and the proposed downtown location will be hurt, and with two locations of this size, only one will survive this. If the cities monies were spent on a 6 screen complex that would combine the Cinemopolis and Fall Creek locations into one location, with a couple of good restaurants and a coffee shop, this could work, but the plan, as presented to the city, makes no sense. |
^ That's a strong possibility. I sincerely hope it doesn't work out that way, but I do want to see Ithaca, and in particular downtown, become more progressive and dynamic. Unfortunately, the shopping choices on the Commons is more quirky than practical if the downtown is going to maintain its viability in the face of growing competition from the malls in Lansing and the new big boxes in the southwest.
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Collegetown
In today's paper there is an article about a plan to revitalize the Collegetown neighborhood adjacent to Cornell
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...512090345/1002 |
I saw that rascal. Collegetown does need more parking (maybe a multi-level garage somewhere). I think it's only a matter of time before there are a couple of new residentials over 10 stories in Collegetown. At least I hope they go higher there. The retail needs to be stronger also.
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