A brief article about the changes occurring in downtown Ithaca. I believe the secondary point (after informational stuff) is to make sure folks are aware downtown is still open for business during the construction. Hopes are in the future downtown Ithaca will be an exciting destination and place to live. From Ithaca.com:
Building Downtown: The Evolution of Downtown Ithaca
Posted: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 12:00 am | Updated: 12:03 pm, Wed Jul 24, 2013.
By Gary Ferguson, executive director of the Downtown Ithaca Alliance
Downtown Ithaca is re-inventing itself right before our eyes and I invite you to view it firsthand. With $140 million in private development scheduled, underway, or planned, plus the re-building of the Ithaca Commons, we are witnessing the emergence of a new downtown.
Perhaps you have seen the Commons construction. We have reached the end of phase one, which removed and cleared the old three block pedestrian mall. In an effort to make the construction work visible to passersby and to provide us with a giant easel for beautification, the project used approximately 300 4 by 8 foot plywood boards for construction fencing. These allow you to see into the construction zone, watch the activity, and see all the historic buildings and renovated facades. You can also tour what is arguably one of the country’s largest collections of outdoor murals. Created by businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools and clubs, and many individual artists of all ages and abilities, this mural exhibit is itself a reason to come and visit downtown. Take a strolling tour of the mural…. Give yourself about an hour and come prepared to be amazed by the talent and creativity of our community.
Phase two will be the utility phase of the Commons project, where we will be installing all of the below ground infrastructure- gas, water, sewer, and telecommunications. As always, the Commons sidewalks will be open for your strolling and shopping pleasure. Our long standing Commons merchants and our newest downtown businesses (Bloom, Sarah’s Patisserie, Life’s So Sweet, F. Olivers, Jenn and Andy’s, the Art and Found, SHAJ, Mystic Water Kava Bar, and Cellar D’Or) all want you to stop in and check out their offerings. Remember, downtown Ithaca has one of the region’s biggest and best collections of diverse and eclectic independent retailers. It’s a great place to explore and engage in what I call experiential shopping.
Re-inventing Downtown, however, is not just about the Commons. There are major private sector projects underway or about to begin. The Downtown 2020 Strategic Plan calls for the urban core, downtown, the West End/Waterfront, and Emerson, to add up to 1,500 new housing units in the next decade. Downtown projects underway will contribute about 200 housing units toward this goal. Five projects… Breckenridge Place, Seneca Way, Lofts at Six Mile Creek, the Shalimar Building, and Harold Square, will provide an assortment of residences for a public that is keenly interested in living downtown.
Downtown is about to grow its standing and stature as one of the State’s premier hospitality destinations. The Holiday Inn will be re-inventing itself, creating about 190 completely new rooms in two towers and building a long awaited downtown conference and meeting center. Urgo Development is about to break ground on a new 159 room full service Marriot Hotel, to be located on the eastern end of the Commons pedestrian mall. The historic Argos Inn, located on East State Street, next to Seneca Way, is about to open and will feature 13 new rooms.
Commercial and retail space will be added by the new Harold’s Square project and the rehabilitation of the Ithaca Journal building into a mixed use office, entertainment, and retail project. Harold’s Square will provide badly needed office and retail space right in the heart of the Commons.
Downtown districts continually change over the years, reflecting ever evolving marketplaces, national trends, and regional and local competition. Our downtown has changed numerous times since its inception in the early 1800’s. As we look to evolve downtown today in the 21th century, we are driven by one key theme.... we want to increase the density of downtown while preserving and enhancing its street character and walkability. What this means is we welcome larger projects and are fine with taller buildings. But, we want to be sure at the street level we maintain and even improve aesthetic appeal and pedestrian flavor and scale. We have renovated about 30 of our historic downtown buildings—we want to showcase these. We want new buildings to fit well with our older buildings. We are a small district—nearly all of our downtown commercial district fits into a two block radius around the Commons. This makes downtown easily walkable… and that is a trait we want to maintain and enhance as we grow.
Many communities are scratching their heads trying to figure how to jump start their neglected downtowns. Here in Ithaca we are building on a firm base, creating a new and exciting downtown for the future. We invite you to come downtown this summer, take a stroll, acquaint yourself with our many shops and eateries, and learn about the exciting evolution that is occurring. Our construction tag line says it well--- Downtown Ithaca: Building It, Growing It, Loving It.