Some Ithaca news
Just a couple of small victories against the Nimby's. The building height restrictions for one side of one block downtown was increased from 60' to 85'. Not much, but I'll take it:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...507070353/1002 There's also a proposal for a new apt bldg downtown(small rendering included): http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...507090328/1002 Not the same as the bigger cities, but at least it's a positive. :D |
Wow 85'. Come on Ex-Ith, there are McMansions out there that are that tall :D ;)
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That apartment building is cute and cool. I'm liking it. Perhaps now is the time to make your triumphant return to Ithica, Mr. Ex.Ith. - Children will shout for joy, men will clap their hands with tears of pride in their eyes and the women will line up to make love to you and bear your children. You are a LEGEND!!!!!!!!!
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Well, it does look better than Napoli's
Since this thing is going to replace a couple of single story buildings, it can only help the urban fabric of Ithaca. It's nice to see everything that was torn out in Urban Renewal back in the 50's is finally being built on down there.
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Twenty four units and a decent design- nothing to be ashamed of! How is Ciminelli's project- is it completed?
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Thanks for the replies guys.
SJP - I know 85' isn't much, but it's a lot for little old Ithaca. PA Pride - I did return this summer, and didn't even get arrested (Must have been the statute of limitations in effect:laugh: ) whit_x - Density and a touch of height, good times and projects for at least one upstate city.:) westcoast - Ciminelli (Seneca Place) project is nearly complete. The last I saw it was suppose to open this month, but not sure when. Here's a couple of pics of the project (from April): http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/da...75ithapr23.jpg http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/da...75ithapr63.jpg Yippee, the tax break for the new apt bldg passed: http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...507160328/1002 |
Seneca Place looks great. Ciminelli has alot of property in downtown Buffalo they're just sitting on. I'd take a similar project for Buffalo!
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^ That would work for me too.
Here's some more news about downtown development in Ithaca: http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...507200324/1002 |
How could anyone be against an 85 foot building in a city?
I like that there was a Pedestrian Awareness Committee, go Ithaca |
i get most of it, but
The movie theater is a bad idea. Not only is there a decent theater downtown (Cinemapolis), more importantly, since Regal and Pyramid are already in the process of building a new 14 screen theater complex in the mall to replace what's already there, there will be a glut of screens in town, and one of these two stadium seating theater projects will fail.
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Thanks frank, I know 85' seems feeble, but it's a big step for Ithaca.
whit_x, The new theatres are suppose to be first run movies and not in direct competition with the indie cinemas. The hope is to generate more foot traffic downtown in order to help the merchants. There was a study done to back up the need for more first run theatres in the Ithaca metro(I know that sounds funny), and better to have them downtown than contributing to more sprawl outside the city. |
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^ I think the thought is with the new Cayuga Green garage and the upgrade of the current Green St. garage, parking wouldn't be a problem, and the proposed new apt bldgs in the downtown would provide a resident audience also. I agree with the concerns with the demand for new screens, but I think many students and residents would like the opportunity to go to a restaurant downtown before/after a movie.
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Yippee, the Seneca Place project is open. Here's a couple of articles with pics:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...25/1002/NEWS17 http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...14/1002/NEWS17 |
More about Green St
The city is still debating tearing down the helix leading into the Green St. Garage, as this article explains
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...508040355/1002 At least they have voted to place a 2 story minimum for buildings downtown, and encouraging parking garages instead of surface parking, encouraging density. |
^ Yeah I read that this morning. For as far as the city is already in debt, they might as well go for broke and build the new garage.
btw, did you see the guest columnist today in the Journal bitching about the parking rate increase? Let them try to park in DC for that price.:laugh: |
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^ Sounds right to me.
And The good news for downtown just keeps rolling in. Here's an article about the city council ok'ing a big step for future development: http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...508050340/1002 Damn the NIMBYs, full speed ahead.:D Here's a couple of pics of the garage involved(to the right). Sorry I don't have pics of the helix across the street, but the one in the article should give you a good idea: http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/da...75ithapr29.jpg http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/da...75ithapr31.jpg :) |
May be some more new buildings in downtown area if the county legislature gets it right. (You know, build in the core, not the burbs).
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...34/1002/NEWS17 |
Here's a quick little OPED piece about the fun of the students returning:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...32/1014/NEWS17 |
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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Problem is, where do you go. Except for the fourth corner of College & Dryden, it involves buying multiple properties. Plus I don't see the city letting anyone go over 75 feet in C-Town, even though the market can support it, at least for housing.
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There's always the possibility of the surface lot on Stewart ave next to the gorge. A garage/residential hi rise had been proposed for that site back in the 60's. I think it would still work and be a dramatic addition to the lower part of C-town.
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A new tax abatement plan may help get the Cayuga Green project over the final approval hurdle.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...512160332/1002 A little complicated, but I think more cities may follow Ithaca's lead.:) |
Here's another update about downtown development in Ithaca (not that anyone cares, it just gives me something to do :D ).
The tax incentive package for Cayuga Green finally passed in a close vote: http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...26/1002/NEWS17 Another article about density in downtown, (damn Nimbys got the height restrictions lowered in a couple of areas): http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...27/1002/NEWS17 :) |
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Thank you kind sir. You realize that's just more incentive for me to post a million more lame things about a small city in upstate I haven't lived in for over 25 years.:D
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Short article about the local community college buying a building (there's a pic too) downtown to use as a satellite campus. When I first got out of the Navy I went to TC3 for a year (out in the burbs).
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps.../51229002/1002 :) |
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^ Didn't say in the article, but I'm guessing more hi-tech incubator companies. Or maybe Thomas Architects expansion.
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Maybe the Trust Company will be expanding, since they have some space in there as well.
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