HomeDiagramsDatabaseMapsForum About
     

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > United States > Northeast


Reply

 
Thread Tools Display Modes
     
     
  #1441  
Old Posted Apr 18, 2012, 9:58 PM
Ex-Ithacan's Avatar
Ex-Ithacan Ex-Ithacan is offline
Old Fart Forumer
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Live in DC suburbs-Maryland
Posts: 22,154
Ithaca Town is in an approval mood lately, OK by me. From the Ithaca Journal:



Town approves Holochuck Homes plan

8:56 PM, Apr. 17, 2012

Written by
Rachel Stern



The 106-unit West Hill town home project was given final subdivision approval by the Town of Ithaca Planning B\board Tuesday night. The project calls for 106 town homes in a development with two entrances from Route 96.

The site is behind the Museum of the Earth between Route 96 and Route 89. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation proposed acquiring most of the eastern portion of the property to go along with the development of the future Black Diamond Trail.
The vote for final subdivision approval comes about one year after the Planning Board met six times in as many weeks before granting the project preliminary subdivision approval. During those meetings, the board had project applicant Holochuck Homes LLC add affordable housing units and methods to reduce the traffic that could be generated.
The board put in place traffic mitigations, such as a requirement that homeowners pay for transit bus passes as part of their agreement to purchase a unit. In addition, the board required the applicant to offer 10 percent of the 106 units at the top of the price range that meets the Tompkins County affordable housing definition of median-income housing.


Here's the link:

http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...text|FRONTPAGE
__________________
Get off my lawn you whippersnappers!!!!!


Retired, now Grandpa Daycare
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1442  
Old Posted Apr 19, 2012, 8:17 PM
ithacat ithacat is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 39
Multiple construction projects in downtown Ithaca to snarl traffic
8:15 PM, Apr. 18, 2012
by Liz Lawyer

http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...text|FRONTPAGE

Quote:
Ithaca -- Describing the coming summer construction season in downtown Ithaca as miserable, lamentable, and a veritable "carmageddon," Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick offered a poem to members of the media Wednesday to sum up what can be expected: a portion of Yeats' "The Second Coming."
Carmegeddon is pretty funny...and quoting Yeats -- I love our new Mayor. Nothing new in the article, but it does include the expansion of the Holiday Inn, the construction of Breckenridge Apartments, and the completion of Collegetown Terrace.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1443  
Old Posted Apr 19, 2012, 10:08 PM
Ex-Ithacan's Avatar
Ex-Ithacan Ex-Ithacan is offline
Old Fart Forumer
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Live in DC suburbs-Maryland
Posts: 22,154
^ Welcome to the SSP forum ithacat. You beat me to the punch on that bit of news. Hope you continue to contribute to the thread.

BTW, here's a TV news report from YNN regarding the construction issue:

http://ithaca-cortland.ynn.com/conte...oes-in-ithaca/
__________________
Get off my lawn you whippersnappers!!!!!


Retired, now Grandpa Daycare
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1444  
Old Posted Apr 24, 2012, 12:10 AM
ithacat ithacat is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ex-Ithacan View Post
^ Welcome to the SSP forum ithacat. You beat me to the punch on that bit of news. Hope you continue to contribute to the thread.

BTW, here's a TV news report from YNN regarding the construction issue:

http://ithaca-cortland.ynn.com/conte...oes-in-ithaca/
Thanks, Ex. I'll try to pop in now and then...usually you've already kindly posted any news.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1445  
Old Posted Apr 26, 2012, 6:36 PM
Visiteur's Avatar
Visiteur Visiteur is offline
Missing the Gorges
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: the invisible space between Buffalo and NYC
Posts: 769
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ex-Ithacan View Post
Ithaca Town is in an approval mood lately, OK by me. From the Ithaca Journal:



Town approves Holochuck Homes plan
With the moratorium the town has put in place on West Hill, this and the Conifer senior apartment building (72 units) will be about the only things under construction in that area for at least the next year or so. I see it less as "being in an approval mood" and more of "these things have been on our agendas forever, let's just give them final approvals so we can finally review our traffic study, because the moratorium period is running out".

EDIT: One small exception for the addition of some lab space at the medical center, but I'm not even sure that's in the affected area of West Hill.

And welcome Ithacat. Nice to have some local representation on this board.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1446  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2012, 3:29 AM
Ex-Ithacan's Avatar
Ex-Ithacan Ex-Ithacan is offline
Old Fart Forumer
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Live in DC suburbs-Maryland
Posts: 22,154
I see your point Vis, I'm just glad there is some forward movement for a change.
__________________
Get off my lawn you whippersnappers!!!!!


Retired, now Grandpa Daycare
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1447  
Old Posted May 1, 2012, 2:05 PM
Ex-Ithacan's Avatar
Ex-Ithacan Ex-Ithacan is offline
Old Fart Forumer
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Live in DC suburbs-Maryland
Posts: 22,154
So-so news for the local economy (from the Ithaca Journal):

Economic Index: Tompkins economy takes a dip in March

3:45 PM, Apr. 27, 2012

The Ithaca College Index of Economic Activity in Tompkins County fell 0.79 percent in March to a level of 154.73 from a revised mark of 155.96 in February.

Employment and help wanted advertising posted modest improvements, while air traffic and building permits dragged the index down. Retail sales and home sales were weak as well. Compared to March 2011, economic activity was off 3.67 percent.

Tompkins County added 200 jobs in March, but there are 4,500 fewer jobs in the county than a year ago. The trend in employment has been downward, and the uptick in March is not enough to signal a reversal. The unemployment rate was 5.9 percent compared to 5.3 percent a year ago.

Retail sales in Tompkins County dipped 1.34 percent. Compared to March 2011 retail sales were up 6 percent. Over the past year the Tompkins County retail sector has shown sluggish but steady growth.

The number of passengers boarding and deplaning at Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport descended 12.03 percent in March. Compared to March 2011, air traffic was down 3.37 percent. Despite these figures, air traffic at our regional airport has been strong for more than four years.

Residential building permits issued in Tompkins County crumbled 57.35 percent in March. Building permits are an extremely volatile indicator. They are off to an OK start in 2012.

Home sales lagged slightly in March when County realtors sold 84 homes compared to 86 in February, resulting in a dip of 2.05 percent. However, home sales were 13.73 percent more than March 2011. The average sale price was to $188,100 compared to $192,900 a year earlier. The median home sold for $156,200 compared to $165,000 a year earlier.

Help wanted advertising advanced 4.03 percent in March. Compared to March 2011, help wanted advertising was up 3.60 percent. Hopefully, this means the labor market may soon improve.

Economic Index appears monthly. Elia Kacapyr is professor and chairman of the Department of Economics at Ithaca College.

Here's the link:

http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...ll|text|FRONTP
__________________
Get off my lawn you whippersnappers!!!!!


Retired, now Grandpa Daycare
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1448  
Old Posted May 4, 2012, 4:52 PM
Visiteur's Avatar
Visiteur Visiteur is offline
Missing the Gorges
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: the invisible space between Buffalo and NYC
Posts: 769
I'm going to interrupt our regular-running broadcast for a discussion topic on a very controversial topic - fracking.

Now, Tompkins County is on the edge of the prime fracking region. Certainly, cities like Elmira stand to gain further if fracking is approved in NYS. However, I'm wondering if it would be a blessing or a curse for Ithaca. On the one hand, the economic benefits in the form of more workers in the region utilizing local hotels and businesses is positive and substantial. On the other, Ithaca is driven by an economy of education and tourism - and the local crunchy granola types won't take kindly to their fracking neighbors, and Ithaca's reputation (and perhaps some of its "draw") may take a hit. Plus there are watershead concerns.

So, strictly from an Ithaca-centric perspective, would regional fracking help or hurt the city and its neighboring towns? I am curious to hear opinions if anyone has them.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1449  
Old Posted May 17, 2012, 5:51 PM
kovolev's Avatar
kovolev kovolev is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 6
Hey all! Long time lurker, first time poster to the thread.
Anyways, here's a nice write up on Breckenridge Place, the affordable housing development that will replace the Women's Community Building on Seneca St.



Breckenridge Place: New downtown Ithaca housing will be tall, green and convenient
By Bill Chaisson



As you read this, the Women’s Community Building at the corner of North Cayuga and West Seneca streets is in the initial stages of being torn down. Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services hosted a meeting on May 2 to present the schedule for demolition and construction and to hear concerns from neighbors about the process. Both residents and business owners were present, and all expressed irritation at the disruption caused by the repaving of Seneca Street and concern about continued disruption.

link to complete article:
http://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca/ar...tml?mode=story
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1450  
Old Posted Jun 2, 2012, 9:29 PM
Visiteur's Avatar
Visiteur Visiteur is offline
Missing the Gorges
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: the invisible space between Buffalo and NYC
Posts: 769
New apartments planned for Thurston Avenue on an undeveloped parcel next to Highland Road. 36 units (88 beds). 3 buildings, 4 stories each:

Ithaca Times
By Dialynn Dwyer
Ithaca: City Planning Board gets sketch of Thurston Avenue apartment project
5/22/2012

http://www.ithaca.com/news/article_7...a4bcf887a.html

Also, the Johnson Boatyard project has been scaled back to 12 units in its first phase.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1451  
Old Posted Jun 3, 2012, 10:16 PM
Ex-Ithacan's Avatar
Ex-Ithacan Ex-Ithacan is offline
Old Fart Forumer
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Live in DC suburbs-Maryland
Posts: 22,154
^
Sorry I haven't posted in so long. Great bit of info Vis, thanks.

kovolev, great to have another person interested in the Ithaca. I hadn't seen that rendering before, so thanks for posting it. Hope you're able to post more too.

I'm in a bit of a down time right now, but I hope to work my way through it. I'll try to contribute more to this thread myself.
__________________
Get off my lawn you whippersnappers!!!!!


Retired, now Grandpa Daycare
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1452  
Old Posted Jun 5, 2012, 4:10 PM
kovolev's Avatar
kovolev kovolev is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 6
Thanks for the welcome, Ex. Hope all is well.

It's good to see Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick forcefully advocate for more density and less parking in collegetown. Nevertheless, if I were a betting man, I'd bet that this project doesn't happen...I just don't see it getting a varience for the parking requirement

Attacking City’s ‘Backwards’ Parking Laws, Mayor Backs Collegetown Crossing Project
Myrick ’09 says revision of city parking requirements could lower housing prices



May 31, 2012
By Jeff Stein

Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick ’09 threw his support behind a controversial proposal to construct a new housing complex on College Avenue in a memo he sent to city officials last month, saying that the city’s current parking laws create “aesthetic blight,” drive up housing prices and need to be revised.

Here's the link: http://cornellsun.com/section/news/c...collegetown-cr

Last edited by kovolev; Jun 5, 2012 at 4:15 PM. Reason: clarity
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1453  
Old Posted Jun 6, 2012, 4:48 PM
kovolev's Avatar
kovolev kovolev is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 6
Downtown Ithaca Alliance announces winners of the Race for Space

By Dialynn Dwyer reporter@ithacatimes.com

On Friday June 2, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance held a press conference to announce the two grand prize winners of the Race for Space competition. The winners are The Art and Found — a sustainable clothing store — and Life’s So Sweet Chocolates of Trumansburg.

Link: http://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca/ar...a4bcf887a.html
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1454  
Old Posted Jun 6, 2012, 6:54 PM
Visiteur's Avatar
Visiteur Visiteur is offline
Missing the Gorges
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: the invisible space between Buffalo and NYC
Posts: 769
Quote:
Originally Posted by kovolev View Post
Thanks for the welcome, Ex. Hope all is well.

It's good to see Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick forcefully advocate for more density and less parking in collegetown. Nevertheless, if I were a betting man, I'd bet that this project doesn't happen...I just don't see it getting a varience for the parking requirement
It's going to boil down to the interests in Collegetown vs. interests in Bryant Park. There have been several neighborhood residents over the past few years, including some city officials, who have stated they want to keep as few students living in Collegetown as possible (usually followed by a demand for Cornell to build more dorms). On the other end, for a lot of folks, mostly students and some of the more urban-minded citizens, this project is the "holy grail", with a full-service grocery store, apartments without parking spaces, and a transit stop. The question still comes down to, how do you keep students from bringing their cars if this project is approved, and can you earn the faith of the zoning board of appeals?
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1455  
Old Posted Jun 13, 2012, 2:56 PM
Ex-Ithacan's Avatar
Ex-Ithacan Ex-Ithacan is offline
Old Fart Forumer
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Live in DC suburbs-Maryland
Posts: 22,154
@ kovolev, I'm hopeful the 2 new businesses make a go of it.

@ Vis & kov, I think the new young mayor has enough political fans to push through the parking variance and get the project going. Of course I'm often getting my hopes dashed.

On another subject, I'm contemplating getting the digital IJ. I'm missing out on too much info now. What a dilemma!!!
__________________
Get off my lawn you whippersnappers!!!!!


Retired, now Grandpa Daycare
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1456  
Old Posted Jul 8, 2012, 5:38 PM
Ex-Ithacan's Avatar
Ex-Ithacan Ex-Ithacan is offline
Old Fart Forumer
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Live in DC suburbs-Maryland
Posts: 22,154
Not sure this is a good idea. Williams Street is so steep and narrow, would be quite a challenge in the winter. Article from the Ithaca Times:

Ithaca: Williams Street to become two-way

Posted: Monday, June 25, 2012 6:57 pm | Updated: 4:10 pm, Fri Jun 29, 2012.
By Dialynn Dwyer reporter@ithacatimes.com

The City of Ithaca Board of Public Works unanimously supported a motion to permanently change Williams Street to a two-way street at their meeting June 25. The possibility of the change was sparked by sidewalk repairs being done on Highland Place and a need to re-route traffic off of Highland. All that needs to be done for the change is to remove the signage designating the street as one way, said Transportation Engineer Tim Logue.
The board also continued their discussion of mobile vending in the city. The discussion began with the review of an appeal of a denied application for mobile food vending. Ultimately, the board decided that since there is no mobile vending program set up they would deny the appeal. The motion was passed 5-1, with Commissioner Govind Acharya voting in opposition. Mayor Svante Myrick said he would direct staff to begin developing a mobile vending program for the City of Ithaca.

Here's the link:
http://www.ithaca.com/news/article_8...9bb2963f4.html


Looking down the street (only 2 blocks long) from the top:


Ithaca, NY (Oct '03) by exithacan, on Flickr

Looking up from the bottom:


Ithaca, NY (Oct '03) by exithacan, on Flickr
__________________
Get off my lawn you whippersnappers!!!!!


Retired, now Grandpa Daycare
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1457  
Old Posted Jul 15, 2012, 2:12 PM
ithacat ithacat is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ex-Ithacan View Post
Not sure this is a good idea. Williams Street is so steep and narrow, would be quite a challenge in the winter. Article from the Ithaca Times:

Ithaca: Williams Street to become two-way

Posted: Monday, June 25, 2012 6:57 pm | Updated: 4:10 pm, Fri Jun 29, 2012.
By Dialynn Dwyer reporter@ithacatimes.com

The City of Ithaca Board of Public Works unanimously supported a motion to permanently change Williams Street to a two-way street at their meeting June 25. The possibility of the change was sparked by sidewalk repairs being done on Highland Place and a need to re-route traffic off of Highland. All that needs to be done for the change is to remove the signage designating the street as one way, said Transportation Engineer Tim Logue.
The board also continued their discussion of mobile vending in the city. The discussion began with the review of an appeal of a denied application for mobile food vending. Ultimately, the board decided that since there is no mobile vending program set up they would deny the appeal. The motion was passed 5-1, with Commissioner Govind Acharya voting in opposition. Mayor Svante Myrick said he would direct staff to begin developing a mobile vending program for the City of Ithaca.

Here's the link:
http://www.ithaca.com/news/article_8...9bb2963f4.html


Looking down the street (only 2 blocks long) from the top:


Ithaca, NY (Oct '03) by exithacan, on Flickr

Looking up from the bottom:


Ithaca, NY (Oct '03) by exithacan, on Flickr
Makes perfect sense, as long as they continue to prohibit street parking.

Not sure which house, but one of those is where Vonnegut lived while at Cornell.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1458  
Old Posted Jul 21, 2012, 2:22 PM
Ex-Ithacan's Avatar
Ex-Ithacan Ex-Ithacan is offline
Old Fart Forumer
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Live in DC suburbs-Maryland
Posts: 22,154
Quote:
Originally Posted by ithacat View Post
Makes perfect sense, as long as they continue to prohibit street parking.

Not sure which house, but one of those is where Vonnegut lived while at Cornell.
Hopefully I remember it's 2-way whenever I get back for a visit, otherwise there could be dangerous results.

I didn't know old Kurt lived so close to me (I was on the Buffalo Street side of the block).


Hopefully this will work; a short news blurb I stumbled across on an Elmira TV station:


http://www.weny.com/news/all/ithaca-...ovement-070312


__________________
Get off my lawn you whippersnappers!!!!!


Retired, now Grandpa Daycare
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1459  
Old Posted Jul 30, 2012, 8:18 PM
Ex-Ithacan's Avatar
Ex-Ithacan Ex-Ithacan is offline
Old Fart Forumer
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Live in DC suburbs-Maryland
Posts: 22,154
I found this on youtube, and I'm guessing this is a proposal for the old Ithaca Gun Site on East Hill. The large smoke stack and steep site next to a gorge are my clues.

Video Link
__________________
Get off my lawn you whippersnappers!!!!!


Retired, now Grandpa Daycare
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1460  
Old Posted Aug 1, 2012, 1:25 AM
Ex-Ithacan's Avatar
Ex-Ithacan Ex-Ithacan is offline
Old Fart Forumer
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Live in DC suburbs-Maryland
Posts: 22,154
I know this has been in this thread recently, but here's the city's OK (from the Ithaca Journal):

City OKs hotel expansion
Holiday Inn's $11M renovation to add conference space, rooms

11:00 PM, Jul. 30, 2012
Written by
Andrew Casler



A rendering of the Holiday Inn expansion looking west, away from the Ithaca Commons. The hotel is on Cayuga Street. /Photo Provided / /Photo Provide



A rendering of the Holiday Inn expansion looking toward the Ithaca Commons. The hotel is on Cayuga Street. /Photo Provided / /Photo Provided


ITHACA — The City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board approved an $11 million expansion Tuesday for the Holiday Inn.

The building, at 235 S. Cayuga St., opened in 1972 and is now functionally obsolete, Hart Hotels President and CEO David Hart said.

“It’s time to make our hotel new once again,” he said.

The plan includes a new tower featuring 194 guest rooms and a rooftop entertainment complex. The hotel also plans to add a one-story 13,845-square foot banquet and meeting facility on the north side of the main building.

The hotel’s north, south and west wings will be demolished to make room for the new tower and conference center. During construction, the existing tower and guest rooms will be renovated.

The renovation would add a total of 14 guest rooms and would triple the hotel’s capacity for conferences and other group events.

Demolition and renovation is scheduled to begin in November 2013. The entire hotel will be closed for the first phase of expansion, Hart said.

The renovated hotel, except for the new tower, is scheduled to reopen with about 80 rooms in April 2014, Hart said.

“We’re hoping the entire project — that being the new tower and the conference center — will be complete in the first quarter of 2015.”

Hart Hotels owns and manages the building. The company plans to time construction during the hotel’s traditional off-season.

According to JoAnn Cornish, city director of planning and development, concerns about the project revolved around pedestrians with parts of the plan adding curb cuts. A curb cut is where the curb tapers off for a car to cross the sidewalk and enter a driveway.

An early version of the renovation plans had added curb cuts, but the layout was redrawn to keep the number of curb cuts the same as it is now.

Cornish said the hotel’s added conference space could help bring meetings downtown, boosting the local economy.

Here's the link:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...otel-expansion
__________________
Get off my lawn you whippersnappers!!!!!


Retired, now Grandpa Daycare
Reply With Quote
     
     
This discussion thread continues

Use the page links to the lower-right to go to the next page for additional posts
 
 
Reply

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > United States > Northeast
Forum Jump


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 11:47 AM.

     
SkyscraperPage.com - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.