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  #1661  
Old Posted Apr 19, 2014, 3:40 PM
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Here's an article in the Ithaca Times I ran across regarding a new smaller development near Ithaca College. I'm not familiar with this project at all.

Ithaca Town Planning Board Green Lights ‘Heritage Houses’

Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2014 12:00 pm | Updated: 3:40 pm, Thu Apr 17, 2014.
By Michael Nocella reporter@ithacatimes.com

ITHACA – Ithaca College students and professors can expect to have additional housing options alongside campus in the near future. The Town of Ithaca Planning Board approved the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) determination and consideration of preliminary and final approval for Heritage Park Townhouses—a three-lot subdivision at 249 Coddington Road in its Tuesday, April 15 public meeting. The public hearing for the proposal was also held. No one offered comments.
The 24,633 square-foot parcel is located in a high-density residential zone. The proposal, overseen by engineer Larry Fabroni for Heritage Park, entails splitting up the lot into three lots of 10,737 square-feet, 10,871 square-feet and 3,024 square-feet. With the new homes to be be located on the two larger lots.
While one of the “Heritage Houses” is already under construction and expected to be completed by the end of August, final approval from the zoning board is needed to begin construction on the second home. As subdivided the lots do not have the required 75 feet of frontage on Coddington Road and will require a variance before construction goes forward. If Heritage Park receives the variance, then they must apply for building permits.
Heritage Park conveyed the third, smaller lot to Hank Roberts, who lives on an adjacent lot was conveyed a portion of the parcel in question to provide a buffer between his home and the new development. Roberts told the Ithaca Times that given its proximity to Ithaca College’s campus, it is likely students and/or professors would rent out the new properties. Neighboring residents of the property did not voice any concern during the public comment.

Here's the link:

http://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca-to...9bb2963f4.html
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  #1662  
Old Posted Apr 19, 2014, 10:44 PM
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Not the most exciting video, but interesting nonetheless. It looks to me like the sign on the side of the Holiday Inn is being changed to the Hotel Ithaca.

Video Link
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  #1663  
Old Posted Apr 22, 2014, 5:25 PM
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An indication that more folks are considering Ithaca as a retirement location?


From the Ithaca Times:




Kendal of Ithaca Plans $39 Mil Expansion

Posted: Friday, April 18, 2014 8:51 am | Updated: 8:15 am, Tue Apr 22, 2014
By Michael Nocella

Kendal at Ithaca, a senior living community on a 105-acre campus on North Triphammer Road in Cayuga Heights, recently announced plans for a $39 million expansion that will include renovations to its dining experience, wellness and fitness programs, nursing home capacity and residential living. Currently awaiting final approval from the New York State Department of Health and Department of Financial Services, Kendal is hoping to break ground on the project “before the end of good weather” in 2014.
The proposed expansion is a two-story building with 24 apartments off the southeast corner of campus, three one-story nursing wings off the northeast corner of the existing nursing home, and a new, centralized entrance to the facility that will be large enough for TCAT buses to enter—an option the campus’s current entrance does not allow. The new apartments will bring the total number of residences on site for community members “living independently” from 212 to 236.
Residential capacity will not be the only part of the community that will grow. The new skilled nursing homes will increase the number of rooms from 35 to 48 using three separate wings—each with 16 private rooms. Each wing will include a central kitchen, dining and living room, and adjoining outdoor space. The three nursing wings will be begin a game of musical chairs. Once they are completed, the current nursing rooms will become residential health services and current residential health services will become welcome new office space for administration.
“The whole process will be a cascade effect,” said Betsy Schermerhorn, Director of Marketing & Admissions, Kendal at Ithaca.
Expansion at Kendal is something that has always been a possibility. Built in 1995, the campus was initially granted a 250-person maximum capacity for residential living, leaving the current facility with the flexibility to—in theory—add 38 more apartments. After extensive market research in recent years, Schermerhorn said it was apparent the demand for 24 more apartments was there. That part of the expansion is considered the biggest moneymaker, making the rest of the renovations included possible.
“We always felt there was room,” Schermerhorn said. “So why now? I think it’s a combination of things. First, the physical nature of the campus has aged. Secondly, expectations of people moving in have evolved. A demand for Wi-Fi in our fitness center is an example of that.”
Of the expansion’s renovations, a new café and rooms for a new fitness center and aerobics are expected to bring the most energy to Kendal’s campus. The new dining area will have a café feel, which Schermerhorn said grew out of “the idea to get a casual dining experience going on.” She noted that the new main entrance will create an easy point of entry for the new commodities, with an overpass “built purposefully high enough to compensate a TCAT bus,” adding that nothing is “officially set up anything with TCAT yet, but we are very excited to have that element in the design.”
Kendal at Ithaca Executive Director Daniel Governanti said the thoroughness and connectivity of the expansion plan was a collaborative effort that did not happen over night. Perkins Eastman, and Ithaca-based Chiang O’Brien Architects, and Trowbridge Wolf Michaels Landscape Architects have all contributed to the design of the expansion.
“Our project plans evolved over more than two years of studying need and feasibility through discussions with residents, prospective residents and staff, led by the Project Planning Committee of the Board of Trustees,” Governanti said. “We concluded that both expansion and enhancement were needed. Our goal is to ensure Kendal at Ithaca’s viability well into the future by making the community an even better place to live, work and visit.”
Chair of the Planning Committee of the Board of Trustees Martha Armstrong stressed the expansion accomplishes more than getting bigger for the sake of getting bigger.
“We will be energizing the heart of the Kendal community by focusing on the wellness of residents and staff,” she said. “The expansions will provide more options to engage in fitness and social activities, as well as fresh dining opportunities. But this is really about enhancing the Kendal mission, supporting resiliency in older adults so that they can be culturally and socially engaged.”
Already one of Ithaca’s larger employers with nearly 250 employees, an estimated 20 new jobs at Kendal will be created by the expansion. The construction operations will employ more than 250 workers for varying durations during what is expected to be a 24- to 28-month construction period. When the project will start hinges on New York State’s sign-off. The Planning Board of the Village of Cayuga Heights reviewed and approved site plans, and Kendal expects to get the final green light sometime this summer.
“We are hoping for a May or June approval,” Schermerhorn said. “Hopefully we can break ground before the end of good weather. It’s our understanding that the latest construction workers would typically begin a big project like this is no later than October.” •


Here's the link:

http://www.ithaca.com/news/kendal-of...a4bcf887a.html
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  #1664  
Old Posted Apr 22, 2014, 9:48 PM
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Tompkins county has received proposals for the old Library building/site. Looks like some decent options. I hope whatever is chosen has a quicker route to completion than some of the other downtown projects. From the Ithaca Journal:

6 old library construction plans released

2:42 PM, Apr 22, 2014
Written by
Andrew Casler

ITHACA — Tompkins County has released six proposed developments that could replace the old library building, located at 312 N. Cayuga St.

County legislators opened the site to development proposals in late 2013. Developers have submitted plans for the building, which were released today.

The six proposals
• DPI Consultants would develop 84 units of housing in two new five-story buildings with 76 condominiums and 8 apartments.

• Franklin Properties, MCK Building Associates, STREAM Collaborative, Taitem Engineering, and Dr. Marne O'Shae, MD seek to redevelop the old library building as the Cayuga Community Education Center for Lifelong Wellness, a five-story building with 32 housing units and commercial space occupied by Lifelong, a number of medical and wellness practices, and a café.

• Integrated Acquisition and Development would construct Library Square, a four-story building with 90 apartments and other non-residential uses, utilizing both the old library and Lifelong properties.

• Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services is proposing De Witt House, a four-story building with 60 to 70 apartments and first-floor non-residential space.

• Rochester’s Cornerstone Group with Cayuga Housing Development Corporation seeks to develop 70 to 80 apartments in a new four-story building. The proposed units would be one- and two-bedroom senior apartments.

• Travis Hyde Properties and Holt Architects would utilize both the old library site and the adjoining Lifelong property to construct a four-story mixed-use building with 48 apartments and space for Lifelong.

Closing the book on the old library
The county-owned building has sat mostly vacant for 12 years. The library vacated the old building in November 2000 after moving to its current location on Green Street.

Since then, the 33,000-square-foot structure has been used for three purposes: archiving county records, felony drug court and family treatment court programs, and day reporting for people on probation.

County archives have moved to the Seneca Army Depot in Romulus, and the courts have moved to the County Courthouse on North Tioga Street.

In a final push to empty the building, last month lawmakers approved a $1.68 million renovation to the Tompkins County Department of Social Services building, which includes a 5,300-square-foot renovation and reconfiguration of the DSS building to house the day reporting program

The old library property was assessed at $1.5 million in 2013, according to Tompkins County. The property’s market value could vary greatly depending on new uses for the site, County Director of Assessment Jay Franklin told the Ithaca Journal last year.

The building could be totally vacant as soon as April 2015.


Here's the link:

http://www.ithacajournal.com/article...plans-released


I'll post some renderings soon.
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  #1665  
Old Posted Apr 23, 2014, 12:22 AM
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I know this is just outside of the city, but both of these articles are good news on the job front: http://www.cnybj.com/News/Articles/T...x#.U1cGue29Kc0

http://innovationtrail.org/post/corn...n-shot-arm-nsf
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  #1666  
Old Posted Apr 23, 2014, 12:24 AM
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Red face

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ex-Ithacan View Post
An indication that more folks are considering Ithaca as a retirement location?


From the Ithaca Times:




Kendal of Ithaca Plans $39 Mil Expansion

Posted: Friday, April 18, 2014 8:51 am | Updated: 8:15 am, Tue Apr 22, 2014
By Michael Nocella

Kendal at Ithaca, a senior living community on a 105-acre campus on North Triphammer Road in Cayuga Heights, recently announced plans for a $39 million expansion that will include renovations to its dining experience, wellness and fitness programs, nursing home capacity and residential living. Currently awaiting final approval from the New York State Department of Health and Department of Financial Services, Kendal is hoping to break ground on the project “before the end of good weather” in 2014.
The proposed expansion is a two-story building with 24 apartments off the southeast corner of campus, three one-story nursing wings off the northeast corner of the existing nursing home, and a new, centralized entrance to the facility that will be large enough for TCAT buses to enter—an option the campus’s current entrance does not allow. The new apartments will bring the total number of residences on site for community members “living independently” from 212 to 236.
Residential capacity will not be the only part of the community that will grow. The new skilled nursing homes will increase the number of rooms from 35 to 48 using three separate wings—each with 16 private rooms. Each wing will include a central kitchen, dining and living room, and adjoining outdoor space. The three nursing wings will be begin a game of musical chairs. Once they are completed, the current nursing rooms will become residential health services and current residential health services will become welcome new office space for administration.
“The whole process will be a cascade effect,” said Betsy Schermerhorn, Director of Marketing & Admissions, Kendal at Ithaca.
Expansion at Kendal is something that has always been a possibility. Built in 1995, the campus was initially granted a 250-person maximum capacity for residential living, leaving the current facility with the flexibility to—in theory—add 38 more apartments. After extensive market research in recent years, Schermerhorn said it was apparent the demand for 24 more apartments was there. That part of the expansion is considered the biggest moneymaker, making the rest of the renovations included possible.
“We always felt there was room,” Schermerhorn said. “So why now? I think it’s a combination of things. First, the physical nature of the campus has aged. Secondly, expectations of people moving in have evolved. A demand for Wi-Fi in our fitness center is an example of that.”
Of the expansion’s renovations, a new café and rooms for a new fitness center and aerobics are expected to bring the most energy to Kendal’s campus. The new dining area will have a café feel, which Schermerhorn said grew out of “the idea to get a casual dining experience going on.” She noted that the new main entrance will create an easy point of entry for the new commodities, with an overpass “built purposefully high enough to compensate a TCAT bus,” adding that nothing is “officially set up anything with TCAT yet, but we are very excited to have that element in the design.”
Kendal at Ithaca Executive Director Daniel Governanti said the thoroughness and connectivity of the expansion plan was a collaborative effort that did not happen over night. Perkins Eastman, and Ithaca-based Chiang O’Brien Architects, and Trowbridge Wolf Michaels Landscape Architects have all contributed to the design of the expansion.
“Our project plans evolved over more than two years of studying need and feasibility through discussions with residents, prospective residents and staff, led by the Project Planning Committee of the Board of Trustees,” Governanti said. “We concluded that both expansion and enhancement were needed. Our goal is to ensure Kendal at Ithaca’s viability well into the future by making the community an even better place to live, work and visit.”
Chair of the Planning Committee of the Board of Trustees Martha Armstrong stressed the expansion accomplishes more than getting bigger for the sake of getting bigger.
“We will be energizing the heart of the Kendal community by focusing on the wellness of residents and staff,” she said. “The expansions will provide more options to engage in fitness and social activities, as well as fresh dining opportunities. But this is really about enhancing the Kendal mission, supporting resiliency in older adults so that they can be culturally and socially engaged.”
Already one of Ithaca’s larger employers with nearly 250 employees, an estimated 20 new jobs at Kendal will be created by the expansion. The construction operations will employ more than 250 workers for varying durations during what is expected to be a 24- to 28-month construction period. When the project will start hinges on New York State’s sign-off. The Planning Board of the Village of Cayuga Heights reviewed and approved site plans, and Kendal expects to get the final green light sometime this summer.
“We are hoping for a May or June approval,” Schermerhorn said. “Hopefully we can break ground before the end of good weather. It’s our understanding that the latest construction workers would typically begin a big project like this is no later than October.” •


Here's the link:

http://www.ithaca.com/news/kendal-of...a4bcf887a.html

I think that as more people are aware of the things going on in Ithaca and what it has to offer, I'm not surprised if people are open to retiring in the area.
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  #1667  
Old Posted Apr 23, 2014, 1:23 PM
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^ There's also the fact that more folks are getting older and downsizing their living quarters. Some will need additional assistance as they age, and that is something the Kendal type of communities can offer. I do wonder about the winter weather discouraging the aging population (ashamed to add myself to that group).
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  #1668  
Old Posted Apr 23, 2014, 1:24 PM
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Quote:
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I know this is just outside of the city, but both of these articles are good news on the job front: http://www.cnybj.com/News/Articles/T...x#.U1cGue29Kc0

http://innovationtrail.org/post/corn...n-shot-arm-nsf
Thanks for the input chk. This type of "industry" is what the Ithaca area needs.
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  #1669  
Old Posted Apr 23, 2014, 9:58 PM
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Here are some renderings from different groups seeking to develop the old library site (see post #1664 above).

DPI Consultants




Franklin Properties






Integrated Aquisitions & Development




Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services




Rochester Cornerstone Group




Travis Hyde Properties






My vote goes to DPI (#1)
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  #1670  
Old Posted Apr 24, 2014, 3:09 PM
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Speaking of housing, here is a link to an interesting & informative posting by Jason at his Ithaca Builds website:

http://ithacabuilds.com/2014/04/23/a...ing-in-ithaca/

The short term, and possibly longterm, prospects of housing costs/options doesn't sound really hopeful.
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  #1671  
Old Posted Apr 24, 2014, 8:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Ex-Ithacan View Post
Here are some renderings from different groups seeking to develop the old library site (see post #1664 above).

DPI Consultants




Franklin Properties






Integrated Aquisitions & Development




Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services




Rochester Cornerstone Group




Travis Hyde Properties






My vote goes to DPI (#1)
Some very nice options to choose from!
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  #1672  
Old Posted Apr 25, 2014, 11:20 AM
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Some very nice options to choose from!
I'm not a fan of all of them, but whatever is chosen will certainly be a big improvement over the crumbling old library building.
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  #1673  
Old Posted Apr 25, 2014, 12:22 PM
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Here's an article reference a Downtown Ithaca Alliance tour of available housing, and what else is happening for residential downtown. There's a nice photographic tour included. From the Ithaca Journal:

http://www.ithacajournal.com/article...off-apartments
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  #1674  
Old Posted Apr 25, 2014, 9:43 PM
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^ There's also the fact that more folks are getting older and downsizing their living quarters. Some will need additional assistance as they age, and that is something the Kendal type of communities can offer. I do wonder about the winter weather discouraging the aging population (ashamed to add myself to that group).
Very good point about downsizing and what I think may help Ithaca is its walkability and relatively good public transportation.
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  #1675  
Old Posted Apr 27, 2014, 8:24 PM
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Very good point about downsizing and what I think may help Ithaca is its walkability and relatively good public transportation.
TCAT is certainly a plus, but those hills may be discouraging to older folks like myself.
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  #1676  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 11:44 AM
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A video of the new Gates Hall (Bill & Melinda Gates) on the Cornell University campis:

Video Link
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  #1677  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 12:55 PM
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Not sure if this would ever happen, but since fracking is a no-no in the Ithaca area, maybe this would be the answer to an economic boom for the city:

Pot Town - NY

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/articl...88/pot-town-ny


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  #1678  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 8:17 PM
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Ref: the Old Library site (see posts 1664 & 1669), The Journal reports that there's seems to be a favorable response from the public. I hope this helps the Tompkins County legislature
make a pro-development decision about the project. Let's get the ball rolling:

Tompkins residents want condos at old library site

3:23 PM, May 2, 2014
Written by
Andrew Casler

ITHACA — Tompkins County legislators heard from six area residents who said that condominiums should replace the old library building.

Lawmakers opened the old library site to construction proposals in late 2013, and developers submitted six proposals for the site.

The plan by DPI Consultantswould create the Ithaca Condos, two five-story buildings with 76 condominiums and eight apartments. Other plans look to add 48 to 90 apartments on the site, along with a mix of commercial space.

The construction proposals could be changed substantially, according to legislature Chairman Mike Lane, D-Dryden.

Lawmakers heard from Tompkins County residents who support the condominium proposal during a Friday morning meeting. The legislators moved into executive session before discussing the project among themselves.

Joel Savishinsky, of Ithaca, said that Tompkins County lacks appropriate housing for older, middle-class people. He supports the condo plan.

“Few options exist for healthy, active older adults who no longer can, or want, to own a house, but who do want to stay involved in city life,” Savishinsky said.

Beth Prentice, of Ithaca, said she likes the DPI Consultantsdesign.

“I like the notion that it would attract young professionals as well as those of us who wish to age in place,” Prentice said.

Martha Robertson, D-Dryden, announced at the meeting that she will not participate in the county’s decision on developing the old library building.

“I have a irreconcilable conflict, or perception of a conflict, in that more than one of the applicants are donors to my campaign for Congress,” she said. “I’ve had no conversation with any of the developers about the proposals.”

The county-owned building has sat mostly vacant for 13 years. The library vacated the building in November 2000 after moving to its current location on Green Street.



Here's the link:

http://www.ithacajournal.com/article...d-library-site
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  #1679  
Old Posted May 4, 2014, 12:29 AM
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Ithaca Skate Jam 2014 (its third year ) was held a couple of weeks ago. Here's one of many vids on you tube. This year the event was moved from the street where I grew up to GunShop hill (which I use to walk up from High School). Bunch of crazy kids:

Video Link
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  #1680  
Old Posted May 8, 2014, 2:54 PM
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So sad to see this downtown fixture leaving (from the Ithaca Times):


By Bill Chaisson

Mayer's Closing After 117 Years of Business in Ithaca

Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2014 9:00 am | Updated: 10:19 am, Thu May 8, 2014.
By Bill Chaisson

Mayer’s newsstand and smoke shop, which has been a business in Ithaca since 1897, will be closing its doors at 318 E. State St. at the end of June. The newsstand must close because Travis/Hyde Properties, the building’s owner, is putting in an elevator shaft, stairs, and a lobby into the rear of the building to serve its new upstairs tenant, the Downtown Ithaca Incubator. According to Frost Travis, the addition of the second entrance is a mandatory part of the zoning ordinance and the elevator is required by the lease agreement with the upstairs tenant. The lease with Mayer's ends July 11.
Jeff Rubin of Southern Tier News in Elmira Heights has owned Mayer’s since 1978. The business has been at the State Street location since 1963. Travis/Hyde purchased 318 E. State St. five years ago.
“I don’t know for sure,” said Rubin, “but my understanding is that he needs our back room and part of our selling space, and he has to cut through the concrete floor. I didn’t think we could be open for business through all that. It’s not adversarial; it is just the way the lease works.”
Rubin and Travis did discuss the situation, but could not come to terms. “Jeff asked me to send him the notice to vacate,” said Travis, “to stop the back and forth and to give him a date.”
Travis said that he and the Downtown Ithaca Alliance offered to work with Rubin to find a new location downtown. “He said that he couldn’t do a build-out quickly enough to move within 60 days,” said Travis, explaining that a build-out is what a tenant does to modify a new space to fit the needs of his business.
“No matter what happens,” said Rubin, “I’d like to see the institution of Mayer’s continue in whatever shape or fashion, either with everyone who is involved now or with someone different.” Travis said that Rubin had mentioned closing another one of his stores in another city for several months and then reopening it in the same location.
But Rubin has decided to “sell everything to the walls.”
“Certain fixtures are for sale,” said Patty Codner, Mayer’s director of operations since 1994. The magazine racks, she said, are the property of Southern Tier News. They will be emptied and returned to Elmira.
Some stock items are already getting low. They have sold out of some varieties of coffee beans. Mayer’s was well ahead of the gourmet coffee trend; they have been selling beans roasted in St. Louis since the early 1980s. They will now be selling the barrels as well as the beans.
All cigars are selling at 33 percent off and, according to Codner, they selling at good pace. Eventually the chocolate bars will go on sale as well.
Codner has watched the balance of sales at the store change over the years. With the advent of widespread Internet access the sales of newspapers declined, particularly foreign papers for which Mayer’s may once have been the only source. Tobacco is still a draw, said Codner, but sales have declined in response to health concerns and rising taxes.
Southern Tier News had stores in the Arnot Mall, Corning, Elmira, and Ithaca. The Arnot Mall store in Big Flats closed three years ago. The Corning store was open for a few years in the late 1990s. If the Ithaca store does not re-open, then Rubin’s in Elmira will be the last retail outlet.
Mayer’s is presently operating with reduced staff of four and a half employees, all of them working longer hours.
There is a book at the store where customers have been writing down their memories of the store, which Codner has found heartening in light of events. Codner invited everyone to come in add their own thoughts. •



Here's the link:

http://www.ithaca.com/news/mayer-s-c...9bb2963f4.html
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