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Old Posted Apr 29, 2013, 4:49 PM
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An article from the Ithaca Times regarding the future of a proposed Hampton Inn project in downtown Ithaca (see post 1511):

Hampton Inn project still hoping for downtown Ithaca spot
.Posted: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 12:00 am

Hampton Inn project still hoping for downtown Ithaca spot By Dialynn Dwyer reporter@ithacatimes.com Ithaca Times | 0 comments

ITHACA — The Hampton Inn hotel project that was brought forward to the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency in December has gone back to the drawing board.

Originally proposed to be built at the site of the Carey Building on East MLK Jr./State Street — by acquiring IURA-owned, city-owned and private property — the project hit a bump when Frost Travis, whose Travis and Hyde Properties owns the building, made it clear not only was there no plan to sell it, they also did not have the right to do so.

The project, however, was included in a recent promotional video created by the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, “The Future of Downtown,” which features other downtown projects that will be coming down the pipe this year. The video uses the original rendering for the project, with the Carey Building absorbed into the hotel.

Gary Ferguson, executive director of the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, said the project was included in the video because the DIA believes the project will occur, but not in its “current form.”

“It’s there because we still think it’s going to be a project,” he said.

While they are still waiting for the revised version of the project, Ferguson said the DIA heard the project would not include the Carey Building.

Travis confirmed his company still does not have the right to sell the building. City and IURA officials also said they were waiting for a revised project proposal.

“The IURA is waiting for the project sponsor to come back to the IURA with a revised project that retains the Carey Building,” said Nels Bohn, IURA director of community development.

Bohn said the project sponsor indicated to the IURA they were still working out site assembly agreements. The original plans for the project included the proposed acquisition of three parcels for the project site separate of the Carey Building.

Lisa Nicholas, senior planner for the city, also said she was aware the original proposal was no longer on the table, but was unsure of when the developer would approach the city.

“I think that they’re still looking at developing it into a project, there is no project at the moment,” she said. “We do expect to hear something, but we’re just not sure what.”

Ferguson said the reason for including the project in the video along with other projects like the Marriot Hotel and the Seneca Way project is the DIA believes the project “belongs there.” Ferguson said the alliance likes to use the project as an example of a project that “conceptually is really good” but needs to be re-worked to fit the streetscape and the concerns raised.


Here's the link:

http://www.ithaca.com/news/article_6...9bb2963f4.html
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